Drainage Problem - Can You Help?

[Metal Head]

Hi,

My colleagues at work have a problem with students often pouring concrete down a drain (even though they have been warned not to) within the work area. This has nearly caused the pipe to totally block up on a couple of occasions. On both occasions it resulted in one of the technicians hiring one of those spring snake looking things down the pipe to open up the hole again. It turns out this pipe is exposed on the outside of the building for a while before going underground. Is it possible to buy or even manufacture something that can be introduced into the pipe line that will catch the concrete/debris (and allow it to be removed) before entering the main drain?.

Has anyone here had to make one of their own? If so, how did you go about it and was it as successful as you had hoped?

I hope I have made myself understood:- .

Thanking those in advance for their replies.

Cheers
MH

[echnidna]

A pit might work but it is probably better to fit a lockable cover over the end of the pipe so it can be removed during work hours and locked up when unattended

[Ronaldo451]

Don't know what the outside access and clearance of the drain pipe is like, but sounds like you need something akin to the trap they put on downpipes going to watertanks to bypass the first flush of water so the leaves and debris don't get to the tank.

Alternatively, you could put in one or more 'T' pieces (depending upon the volume of concrete the little darlings are likely to play with) with the bottom of the T being a blanked off length of pipe aiming downwards with a screw off cap. The heavier concrete bits fall to the bottom as the water flows through, with the cap unscrewed to clean out. Similar concept to the old fashioned glass bowl fuel filters with inlet and outlet on either side. Cheers, Ron

[joe greiner]

A bit of clarification, please.

1. How much concrete?
2. Is the concrete still wet? If hardened after placement, I don't see how a plumber's snake could break it up; would likely need something more heroic.
3. What is your relationship with the students? Do you have enough authority to really "discourage" this sort of thing, and thereby teach them some self-discipline?
4. Where are the drain and pipe trap? Is it a floor drain, with the trap embedded underground?

Assuming the worst:

If the drain is from a sink, replace the sink with something like a "plaster sink." Such a sink has a sump to receive wet plaster, and an overflow to carry away the water. Not entirely unlike a grease trap, at least in concept. A rubber or plastic liner would facilitate removal of hardened concrete.

If the drain is in the floor, you'd probably need to do some excavation and re-plumbing. A sink, similar to the previous suggestion, in the outdoor pipe. But I think you'd need to remove the trap under the floor drain, and pipe directly to the outdoor sink; otherwise, concrete could accumulate in the first trap. Still need a pipe trap beyond the sink.

Joe

[China]

Things have certainly changed since I went to school, I would have in detension for two years