Clay Gulley Repair

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Laura Baskeyfield

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Hello, hoping somebody may be able to point me in the direction of what materials I need to repair the broken clay gulley outside my house.

upload_2020-7-12_18-31-33.jpeg


I have recently dug out a large bush that had been planted before I moved in which had become overgrown. The roots have made their way around the clay pipes over a period of time which has cracked them (they have also gone under the footpath to my house, but that’s another story)!

I don’t think there’s enough room to get any flexible coupling over the remaining clay piping due to the location next to the wall.

The clay pipe work used to all be buried, with just the plastic drainage pipe feeding into it below ground / soil level.

I have tried to find someone to repair this, but they are quoting £350 and I just can’t afford this. Would appreciate any pointers.
 
thanks - this looks interesting. Will take a look into this.
 
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Check to make sure it’s not cracked further down, if it is you’ll need to dig further down and may need to use a flexseal type connector.
 
You are pretty certain to need a new gulley. Don't buy any parts until you have exposed it and can see what the damage is. It looks to me like yours has sunk, which is typical of long-term leakage washing the soil away.

It's a common problem

Look below for similar threads, some of them have photos.

How old is the house?
 
Just looks like the RWP need extending with a bit of fettling around the top of the drain pipe with the use of a rubber spigot socket thingy.
 
I wonder how much rubble fell down the inside.
 
Just drop a new hopper in, fill the gap around it with a polythene bag, and concrete around it.
 
Have dug it out further..but seems to be a layer of concrete encasing the piping. I don’t think anything has gone down there, as it’s been like this for a while and not had any problems with water backing up etc.

There wasn’t a hopper there previously, the plastic down pipe just fed straight into the clay pipe.

upload_2020-7-16_19-39-4.jpeg
 
if you put your hand in, does the pipe curve from vertical to (nearly) horizontal?

is it glazed clay, or is it plastic? There might be a grey plastic adaptor showing.

Or is there a trap?

Is the ground around the concrete wet? Or does it get wet if you squirt a hosepipe into the pipe?

Did you find any red worms?
 
Yes, the pipe curves to follow where the concrete has been placed. As far as I can see / reach it is entirely clay.

Ground didn’t appear wet when digging it out or become noticeably any wetter when putting water down the drain. Didn’t notice any red worms.
 
not as bad as I suggested earlier, then. the guys were right.

you can get a plastic adaptor that fits down the pipe and has a socket at the top for your pipe or gulley or hopper to fit in. I can't see a photo in the earlier link. measure the internal diameter of your pipe. Stuff a rag down the hole, tied to string, before you pick out the remaining mortar fragments. The rag is to prevent them falling down the hole.

I have only fitted plastic gullies, they are light enough to support easily and I think don't have enough weight to break the joint again
 
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