HELP -Can not locate inspection Cover? Blockage

[bilabonic]

Hi All

I own 2 flats and the upstairs/first floor tenant has contacted me to say that the toilet and basin are slow at draining and she thinks there is a blockage.
She stated she has tried various shop boought unblockers but nothing worked....
I went there and gained access to downstairs to look for a manhole/inspection but could not find one? My property has a ground floor extension all the way to the back wall either side property do not.
The properties either side have their manhole covers just inside their rear gates, mine is not there? I also lifted patio slabs and forced a pole down around the garden but to no avail.
The downpipes on all properties either side are in same location as mine and if using their layout mine should be in the same place on my path to my rear gate that is right next to the extension

I have looked at my paperwork and it had title deeds, just red outline for the property, plus there ar basic layout plans that show each room, living room/bathroom /kitchen bedroom/stairs/doorways/lobby.

I am at a loss now on how to proceed as i need to get to this inspection cover (if it has one but surely building regs would require this).

I have ordered some 'One Shot' Sulphuric Acid cleaner and a large monument accordion type plunger that pushes water not air to try in the toilet....

I have not been given access to the upstairs flat yet so don't know how bad it is, also the tenant did not mention the sink and from memory the furthest away is toilet, then out wall and bend and a straight that has basin and then sink, I'm not 100% on this as i was so flustered lifting next doors manholes/lifting slabs and looking in my extension for some type of cover.

I did manage to check the downstairs flat and everything is fine.

So i'm thinking i have 2 feeds into the 'lost' manhole, both properties either side do, one main house (which woould be my upstairs blocked flat), one for an outside toilet (that i presume is being used for the downstairs flat).

How do i proceed here in locating it as it need to be found even if i mange to unblock it with my big bad boy balck plunger and one shot.

Could it be inside the extension that's tiled and laminate? Would it back up from the 'lost' inspection cover all the way to upstairs toilet (15-20m of pipe) and not show/bubble over??

Any ideas

Cheers

 

[Ben-gee]

Pull as much as you can back out from that bend. I’d start off with those gloves vets use to delivery calves from cows.
Then move on to the spiral auger on your drain rods.
Once you can’t pull any more out, fire your hose pipe down there whilst plunging your rods with the rubber disc on them.

 

[bilabonic]

Pull as much as you can back out from that bend. I’d start off with those gloves vets use to delivery calves from cows.
Then move on to the spiral auger on your drain rods.
Once you can’t pull any more out, fire your hose pipe down there whilst plunging your rods with the rubber disc on them.

This was my thinking tbh, i have a pair of shoulder gloves somewhere from a previous blockage, i could also get my jet washer there...
I wonder if Karcher do a flexible hose type end?

After leaving the job i went straight to Speedy hire as it was close to see what they had, they had a worse rod set than mine.
I was hoping they had a spiral type unblocker, i'm SURE i have seen them, they wind up like a self reattracting hose lock pipe.

After chatting the guy he stated get a different drain company as all the 'unblocking products' used have now been dispensed with.

 

[snowhead]

You must have found and hired the only drain unblocking company in the country that doesn't have a jetter with them.

Did they think or do they know that there's a U bend or gulley in the ground where the pipe connects, as there shouldn't be.

Whatever you do don't be tempted to push the blockage down, try and pull it up bit at a time otherwise it'll end up stuck in the inteceptor.

Use a drain rod with a screw or a piece of wire bent with a hook on the end or you hands in gloves or anything else you can get down and hook into the paper.

As I put in post 6 avoid chemical cleaners, always, anywhere near drains, never use them or allow them to be used.

Once the blockage does start to clear keep putting plenty of water down.

 

[bilabonic]

You must have found and hired the only drain unblocking company in the country that doesn't have a jetter with them.

Did they think or do they know that there's a U bend or gulley in the ground where the pipe connects, as there shouldn't be.

Whatever you do don't be tempted to push the blockage down, try and pull it up bit at a time otherwise it'll end up stuck in the inteceptor.

Use a drain rod with a screw or a piece of wire bent with a hook on the end or you hands in gloves or anything else you can get down and hook into the paper.

As I put in post 6 avoid chemical cleaners, always, anywhere near drains, never use them or allow them to be used.

Yes they were adamant there was a big clay U bend there that could NOT be cleared, right where the down pipe section enters floor/concrete, they stated if it was a simple elbow the their snake would of cleared it via entrance via the manhole easily. The only solution is to dig the U bend out that goes down 5ft and replace with a plastic elbow!
Even when i started pulling it out manually they laughed and said stop wasting your time, i even asked to borrow their rod end i could see in the van but they said it was pointless as it was jammed solid an i would only be removing a tiny top layer of the total blockage

It's as if they had enough, wanted payment and to just leave.....

I did advise tenant NOT to use any chemicals etc, and she has not and there was a slight small tbh but nothing major, plus i got soaked in it anyway and washed it off with no harm done.

I totally understand their restraint due to an odour of some form of cleaner.

Thanks for replying, i really hope i can unblock this and leave a relevant review for them tbh

 

[bilabonic]

UPDATE- spoke to another jetting company and sent them pics yesterday.
They weee shocked that the other company could not unblock the it plus they stated there is no U bend there.
That is done at the manhole on older properties before we had downpours etc.
he said there may be branches off it /T sections and will also check with the camera.

I’m meeting him this morning to have look.

I guess if this does not work I will have to dig it up and replace which I don’t mind tbh it’s just Labour and the fact it goes under or cowboy job and it’s part of the footing!!

I’ll update later.

Thanks so far.

 

[bilabonic]

All cleared within 30 seconds!!
Guy turned up. Stuck snake in manhole directed towards downpipe blockage.
Turned Honda set up on and it shot up and released it all!!
Could not believe how much more came out again tbh.
He also down the main rainwater drains and gave me 4” rubber band collar for free.
I gave him £20 tip and he was landed.
So happy it’s sorted.

I then sent pics to the other company of the snake head (see below) showing at the bottom of the downpipe and said there was no 5ft deep U bend /trap.
They never replied!!

 

[snowhead]

I'm glad you've found someone that can actually do what it says on their van, assuming it says drains cleared 😀 and it's now all sorted.