guttering overlowing Drainage and wastage systems and plumbing help, advice and answers

[molemam]

l have always had a problem with the guttering overflowing at the front causing my garden to flood so last year l had new guttering and downpipes installed but the problem persists. I am at the end of a run of 5 terraced houses. I can see that the contractors cut off the original downpipe just above ground level and inserted the new downpipe into that.
Since l know nothing about drainage l am assuming that the surface water runaway is blocked but how can l check without getting a digger in :?

[htg engineer]

Have you checked the guttering is all clear ?

Get some drain rods down, or lift a manhole and see if the water is running freely - any signs of clay the drain has probable factured or collapsed.


htg

[molemam]

[quote="htg engineer"]Have you checked the guttering is all clear ?

Get some drain rods down, or lift a manhole and see if the water is running freely - any signs of clay the drain has probable factured or collapsed.


htg[/quote]

Guttering all clear, down pipe appears to be clear to bottom, checked all drains in area but none of them appear to take water from drainpipe as they run in the opposite direction of downpipe and all of them are clean as a whistle
would it be silly of me to attempt to remove a section of downpipe near bottom to see if there is a blockage from where it enters the ground to where ever the drain is or should l call some out out who knows what they are doing not that l can afford to do that at the mo

[htg engineer]

Removing the bottom section shouldn't be a problem, I would try it - you can't really go wrong.

If you can't find a drain/manhole which it drains into - then it may go to a soakaway whcih may need cleaning out.


htg

[subtlebrick]

You could try drilling a small hole at the bottom of the down pipe. If it is blocked and you've had rain recently you'll get a stream of water out of it as you remove the drill, then just bung up the hole with a bit of sealant.

( Please use a hand drill or battery powered drill, not a mains one. If it does shoot a jet of water over you, it would probably be better for your health if you're NOT connected to the mains! :shock: )

Also, if it turns out not to be blocked. Don't rule out the possibility that some pillock hasn't run the gutter uphill to the downspout. A so called 'Roofer' once did this to me. :roll: