Soakaway.

[dobbslc]

Did you do the percolation test? 5.3E section in link below. Its more than a hole when clay is involved.

http://nhbccampaigns.co.uk/landingp...versions/2010/Part5/section3/appendix.htm#53E

Bob

To be honest no I didn't, the new soakaway was replacing the old one that's only a few feet away so as the old one was still working perfectly (but to close to the new extension) I thought it would be ok.

 

[Barking Mat]

How water logged is the surrounding area?

 

[dobbslc]

Our garden looks like the Somme as it's had building works all year then the 360 digging holes and wall footings. It's flooded in lots of places locally and some of the fields look like small lakes!

 

[brightspark]

Our garden looks like the Somme as it's had building works all year then the 360 digging holes and wall footings. It's flooded in lots of places locally and some of the fields look like small lakes!

is there any mains drains lower than the land that can be tapped in to rather than soakaway

 

[dobbslc]

^ nope they're all on the other side of the house!

 

[brightspark]

if its bad and cant be resolved a pump with a float switch can be installed in a sump

 

[dobbslc]

Airlock!
I've just had a play with the hosepipe filling the two drains, they backed up within 3 minutes
I then pulled out the rubber bung that's blocks the rodding hole just above the trap and loads of air came out and the water drained away fast. I could hear the water running freely down the pipe! The other drain also cleared
When I filled the drains I could see air bubbles popping out of the ground above where the soakaway is installed.

I think its airlocked! So I need to vent the soakaway!

 

[ukracer]

A water butt under the downpipe would give an opportunity to dispose of the water elsewhere...

The other drain??

 

[Afterimage]

The other drain??

Down an actual drain.

 

[dobbslc]

The three drains are all linked into the new soakaway. ^^^

 

[ukracer]

The three drains are all linked into the new soakaway. ^^^

Sorry both of you it was an Xmas provoked throw away bit of tongue in cheek.

 

[ukracer]

The three drains are all linked into the new soakaway. ^^^

I think we had both realised that mate..it was me who was fascius.

 

[dobbslc]

It's been a long hard few days......

 

[Afterimage]

The three drains are all linked into the new soakaway. ^^^

I was thinking mains drains,not soakaways.
Glad you've found a solution to your problem.

 

[knighty]

how do you get an airlock in a 110mm rain water drain pipe running down hill?

(I'm asking because maybe there's a reason I'm missing... but that sounds to mke like it hasn't been put in right/there's a high point in the pipe)

 

[Kayos]

how do you get an airlock in a 110mm rain water drain pipe running down hill?

(I'm asking because maybe there's a reason I'm missing... but that sounds to mke like it hasn't been put in right/there's a high point in the pipe)

Air locks can form anywhere, I has to bleed a 22mm secondary return, 22mm copper with 5 bar water behind it and a pump

Still air locked

 

[dobbslc]

how do you get an airlock in a 110mm rain water drain pipe running down hill?

(I'm asking because maybe there's a reason I'm missing... but that sounds to mke like it hasn't been put in right/there's a high point in the pipe)

Good question!
The pipes are only 5 metres long and do run downhill ok. Even if they were layed flat there still 4" of pipe to fill before its sealed up. My thinking is that as the water fills the soakaway there's nowhere for the air to go due to being sealed in wet ground, and the drains all having traps so pressure builds up, that's why there's bubbles coming out of the ground.
So I have a wedge of air (with some pressure) in the pipes that isn't alowing the water in the traps to flow out. As soon as I released the rubber bung from the trap the air comes out and the water flows. I can't think of any other reason for this to happen. I do think the soakaway is full or nearly full of water and the ground water levels are high as its not stopped raining for weeks, I suppose this leaves less room to play with in the soakaway.

 

[knighty]

Air locks can form anywhere, I has to bleed a 22mm secondary return, 22mm copper with 5 bar water behind it and a pump
Still air locked

I meant how to do air lock a pipe that big, with free flowing water in it, going down hill

Good question!
The pipes are only 5 metres long and do run downhill ok. Even if they were layed flat there still 4" of pipe to fill before its sealed up. My thinking is that as the water fills the soakaway there's nowhere for the air to go due to being sealed in wet ground, and the drains all having traps so pressure builds up, that's why there's bubbles coming out of the ground.
So I have a wedge of air (with some pressure) in the pipes that isn't alowing the water in the traps to flow out. As soon as I released the rubber bung from the trap the air comes out and the water flows. I can't think of any other reason for this to happen. I do think the soakaway is full or nearly full of water and the ground water levels are high as its not stopped raining for weeks, I suppose this leaves less room to play with in the soakaway.

good point... I can't quite describe how/why but it still doesn't sit well with me, if the pipe is all down hill then the air should work it's way uphill and out?

unless there's some kind of U-bend or trap there where your gutters drain into the system? - for rain water draining into a soakaway I wouldn't bother with U-bends? (but maybe I'm wrong here)

 

[dobbslc]

Yes all 3 drains have a silt trap to stop it getting to the soakaway itself.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Yes all 3 drains have a silt trap to stop it getting to the soakaway itself.

Could you excavate to expose a pipe and glue a boss on with a 40mm vent pipe somewhere?