Do this before you start sewage installing
Do this before you start sewage installing
Before you undertake DIY plumbing and drains work it is essential to understand the national rules and rules formulated by the local authority.
You need to explain your work plan in detail to the authority if you wish to install a new sewage system or alter an existing one, the officials will then go through the plan to check if it is in accordance with the rules. However you do not require authority approval for replacement of failed joints or cracked plumbing and drains pipes.
The water which you see on the surface is basically rain. In older properties this can discharged into a foul water drainage system whereas in other properties this can discharged into a soakaway, watercourse or a surface water sewer. If gully traps are fixed at the junction of the rainwater pipe and the waste water drain, foul odour can be controlled. However, modern systems are designed to keep the foul water and the surface water apart. It’s absolutely crucial that you keep the dirty water sewage system apart from the one for surface water. The Building Regulation Department will be able to guide you on any details or procedures you may require for repairs or replacement of your drainage.
The first thing to do in a DIY drainage replacement job is to decide the position and level of the waste pipework. The basic thing which you have to care about is to keep the route as straight and short as you can while designing the route of a waste or soil pipe, this will help to reduce the likelihood of blockages. Also, make sure none of the pipes are laid at too steep an angle. Using surveyor’s site level you can calculate the fall of a drain over a distance to check the values. Or just fill a transparent hosepipe with water and use the water level at the two ends to mark the required fall from the starting point.
Be very careful not to excavate too close to your home, as you may undermine the foundation and cause a structural collapse. The substructure of the building should not be undermined by your digging if the waste pipe runs parallel to it.
When fitting in a new drainage system, you should not dig the trench too long before placing the pipe as the ditch could collapse. You should attempt to get the pipes laid as soon as possible and, after inspection and checking, you should back fill the ditch.
The trench may need to be supported depending on the depth and soil conditions. Do not take any risks. Be on the safe side and secure the sides of such risky trenches by propping with sheets or boards. The excavation should be only as wide as required, but should also permit the fitter to work conveniently. The bottom of the trench must be smooth and clean, free of any objects that make it uneven such as stones or bricks. The base should be good so you may need to import material if the existing soil structuire is not up to the mark.
For pipe support do not use bricks or other hard materials in the trench. Even if used for just a temporary support this can damage the pipe. The bedding should be made compact to fit around the pipe joints. For the complete pipe length you have to provide a continuous and uniform support.
It is important that all parts of your drainage system are designed so that all parts of the pipework are accessible to a set of drain rods. This need for drain rod access can be easily achieved by keeping the pipeline straight and in short sections. As a rule of thumb, a directional change in the pipework must have an inspection chamber for rodding access as drain rods do no go around corners.
If you follow this guidance, sewage and DIY plumbing can be within the range of the most DIY enthusiasts.