drain /sewer random questions

[steveo3002]

we own a 50s house , im trying to find out if theres a way to suss where the drain/sewer pipes would be routed (im got a tree that might be over one)

the houses stood on thier own when built .. would it be likley they just headed off at an angle for the shortest route to the main road sewer or was there any rules /plans they stuck to for directing them

theres a soak away inline with where im hoping it might go , would they share the trench?

 

[Shedendman]

Your local water authority should have a mapped plan of the drain system for your houses,might be worth a call see if can get a copy,i know down here southern water were happy to give us this as the end terraced house in our row had major probs

 

[garethp]

You can buy usb camera's on long lengths of cable on ebay, one of those attached to some drain rods wont show you exactly where the drain runs but you might get a fair idea. You can check manholes that your drain might be connected to by using drain trace dye poured in a drain by your house.

Any plans might not be accurate - we have drawings for our house and they dont match what's under the ground.

 

[awemawson]

I have a radio sonde that screws onto the end of a standard set of drain rods. It emits a radio signal that you can follow with it's custom detector from the ground surface. Hire shop should sort you out with one. There is a similar thing designed to be used with a CAT (Cable Avoidance Tool) scanner of the type used by highway authorities - emits the 33khz signal that they follow for tracing wires.

Only time mine has failed to trace drains is when some charlie ran them through a cast iron pipe so the signal didn't get out !!!!

 

[Wallace]

Have a chat with the neighbours and see what they know, might save you a lot of time.

 

[steveo3002]

neibours wont know ..weve been here longest

you say water authority might have a plan..is that whoever sends my water bill?

 

[mike os]

water board might have a plan, but dont count on it being even remotely accurate, even a house built now may not comply with the plans...dont ask how i know this

if you can find manholes then dye is simple, best is a sonde & scanner

 

[Welderpaul]

Used to be my job...

First off, look at the plans, then generally discard them cos they are useless.
Lift the manhole lids, drain tracing dye to confirm runs between, then as others say, sonde on the end of drain rods and locate the run with a CAT marking it on the ground as someone slowly pushes it through the pipe.

We used to camera-survey them to locate tees/branches that could not be found by the above methods.

Some of the big ones you could walk through with the sonde in your pocket whilse someone tracked you on the ground with the CAT

The stuff you need can all be hired quite cheaply.

 

[rtbcomp]

I just knew there'd be an app to do this

http://www.itn.co.uk/And%20Finally/57056/wheres-my-poo--sewer-tracking-app-goes-live