What should I see inside my rodding point?

Applegarth Hall

Applegarth Hall

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I have got water coming up under the suspended floor and the floorboards are damp (even in dry weather). I want to eliminate drain blockages. The position the damp is rising from is very close to the rodding point, so I have taken the cover off - but I am not really sure what I should be able to see.

It goes down at a slant parallel to the building, and then either stops, or is blocked, or takes a sharp-ish turn, because I can't get the drain rod corkscrew to do anything. I can't see down very well, but I am pretty sure there is soil with worms in, which I am assuming is not right.

I don't know whether this is likely to be causing the actual water ingress, but I thought while the cover is off I should make sure it is all as it should be.
 
I would have thought if it were blocked, you’d see water/tissue, et al. It’s normal to see nothing, and I wouldn’t be using a worm screw to try and take it round a bend.
 
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There's no water - but there's not really much going on here. I occasionally flush the loo, and do a little bit of washing up every few days, but I wouldn't necessarily expect to see that water there, as the drainage to the septic tank is on the other side of the building. I really don't get what the rodding point is for, especially in the position it is in. Might it have anything to do with the drainage from the roof? (There's not been much rain really.)
It just looks like soil in it, but that doesn't seem quite right.
 
Ha. I'm afraid I am being conservative - of my data. I have dozens of photos queued to download to my laptop when I am on wifi, but I realised last night I cannot just choose a recent photo. They download in order. I'll try and see if there is a phone app or if I can log in here from my phone, because then I'll be able to select the photo I want.

But basically it is a slope down at an angle, dry with lime scale, and then earth with worms (but you won't be able to see that in the image, anyway.
 
I don’t think the photo will help.

But looking in a good light, I think the pipe flattens out after the slope and the soil is maybe an inch or so of sediment.

But the thing is… what *should* it look like?

But also, what should it do?

I’ve just tipped a jug of water down it, and it hasn’t flowed away. Does that indicate a blockage?
 

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Ideally need to ascertain if it's a rainwater or foul drain, foul may be slightly easier to unblock.... It 'should' be empty, a properly laid foul drain will be on a fall to provide a 'self cleansing velocity', i.e. the flow carries the solid matter along with it. Rainwater is slightly different as flow varies with intensity of rainfall, and ideally there shouldn't be any debris or silt getting into the system.

If it is a rainwater drain, then it could well be full of silt, the only real option for cleaning that out is to jet it. Rodding eye would also be at the top of the run, you need to find the other end and work from there, to pull the detritus downstream to a point where it can be removed.
 
Thank you. If I were to get it jetted, will they know what they are doing, or will I need to find the other point first and watch them to make sure they don’t do anything foolish? (I mean, is it usual for someone to just come and physically jet what I point at, or will they bring a bit of expert knowledge too?)
 
One thing, it would be an illogical place for a foul drain: on the opposite side of the building, and upstream of both toilet block and septic tank. It’s also not on the line marked on the deeds to the septic tank.

So is rainwater the only other option, or might it be grey water?
 
I suppose it depends on who you employ the services of, but I’d say majority would know what they’re doing. It might be worth mentioning that you’re on a septic tank rather than mains as that could be a specialised area.
 
Applegarth Hall said:
Thank you. If I were to get it jetted, will they know what they are doing, or will I need to find the other point first and watch them to make sure they don’t do anything foolish? (I mean, is it usual for someone to just come and physically jet what I point at, or will they bring a bit of expert knowledge too?)
Click to expand...

I'm sure the guy coming to jet will know what do to. o_O

Andy
 
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