Blocked Drains Advice Sought

[UKJASE]

Hi Guys, i need some advice before i tackle our blocked drain system please.  We had our house built about two years ago, and now the drains arent flowing away any more in the showers etc.  We have two soak aways in the garden, that are connected together.  The cess tank is also connected to this, for the dirty water from that to empty away.  i have just looked in the cess tank, and the water level in there looks at normal levels.  i poured ten litres of water into the tank, and the water level did not raise up really, so i think the soak aways are working fine.

Therefore, i think we must have a blockage in the pipe system.  The last couple of days the water was draining away at a really slow rate, today there is a puddle of water around the drain in teh shower that refuses to drain away, so i guess the blockage is finally 100%.  I shoved a hosepipe down the drain hole nearest to where i guess the block is (the section of pipe just before the water leaves the house in direction of the garden and soak aways) but that had no effect, as i think i got stuck on the first bend.

 

So, we are now thinking of pouring something into the system, as near to the block as we can, and hoping that will burn through the blockage.  Someone suggested caustic soda to my wife.  So we will use a fish pump to drain as much water out the system and pump it down the toilet.  i will then get a funnel and some piping and pour plenty of caustic soda as near to where i think the blockage is...... and wait.......

Can anyone offer any improvements on my plan please?  is caustic soda the best thing to use?  does anyone know anything better, and where would i buy it? will a fish pump be able to empty out the drainage system?  does my plan have any flaws?

Thanks in advance.  please help as the wife needs a shower :)

[Lamkyong]

sure i think your next step  should be caustic or similar product    user beware  the caustic soda in thailand is vicious stuff   use good gloves    i bought mine (the nasty stuff)  in the local mom /pop store   i am sure one of the big box stores  would probably stock   a more user friendly  brands 

[bankruatsteve]

Most likely hair build up at some point.  There are several drain cleaner products sold for that with the "toilet duck" maybe the most common.  Pour it in following directions, wait a couple hours, and you're probably good to go.

 

Did you check the drain cover?  That's where hair usually catches and is easy to clean.

 

[eyecatcher]

I generally have to "burn" away hair/toothpaste/shaving gunge from the basin sink once a month with the soda crystals.

just 2 desert  spoons does the trick.  a 1kg bag from the various chemical companies will cost about 40bt and  is effective but as others mentioned wear gloves, even sweaty hands in contact with it will burn you.

 

I found the trick is to allow the crystals to start fizzing in a small amount of basin water first then allow it to drain otherwise your new crystals may end up in the sewer before they have time to induce that chemical reaction.

 

I also dont want to risk just dropping them on the chrome waste outlet and watching my chrome burn off; ordinary bleach does that!

 

I wouldnt advocate at any stage using any kind of pressure pump; believe me you will end up with a worse problem than you already have.

Edited October 3, 2016 by eyecatcher

[chiang mai]

Thai's don't understand "slow bends", 45 degree bends, everything has to be 90 degrees. Replace all your 90's with 2 x 45 degrees staggered.

[watcharacters]

P  traps (90 degree)  are  frowned upon in Thailand as  they restrict the stench  of the sewer.

 

Sediment traps are the choice so the full aroma is available .            .

 

 

I vote for P   Traps