Plumbing

DRAINAGE PROBLEM

Anonymous user 23 February 2024 - 3.28 PM

We had loud gurgling noises coming from toilet and shower in shower room during VERY heavy rainfall. Level in toilet going up and down. Called drainage company who put down a camera and found small pile of stones and sitting water. They flushed through and cleared stones and said there could be a break in pipe but could not see properly and would need to bring in tanker. They advised ringing insurers. Which I did. Insurers passed it to a company which sent in one of their network of drainage people who also put down a camera where the stones had been and flushed through again. They cleared out more debris. On the other side of bungalow there was gurgling from the toilet in the main bathroom. They found a soakaway from the drive was blocked with stones which they cleared. This soakaway was linked to the drains and they all joined together at one junction. We were later advised that there was “ bellying” in the pipes which would have to be dug out. No break in the pipes was found. Insurance company accepted the claim. We are concerned that 20 metres of pipework is to be dug out by hand and our driveway is only newly laid. We have had a lot of rain since the flushing has occurred with no problems, so how do we know whether clearing the stones may have cured the problem? Are we stuck with having the work done now that insurers are involved ?

Jack The Plumber

Rating: 5 out of 555441 reviews

Birmingham

Get your drain pipes flushed first. Advise the insurers this is your intention. Mitigating and potentially reducing the insurers claim exposure will please them no end. Just ensure they add the caveat that if the flushing does not cure the problem, then the original work claimed for will be reinstated. The insures will keep you claim open and work with you. Also your renewal premium should be reviewed in your favour without any increases if only minor remedial work ends up being required. Remember also if your drive needs digging up the insures will need to pay for relaying. The is supported in "Proximate Cause" Hadley v Baxendale

Answered31 December 2019

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Highams Building & Maintenance Ltd

Rating: 4.8 out of 54.8554 reviews

Leyland

reading throw the description of your problem partially blocked/belly in line will cause the gurgling sound although all is clear having a belly in the line dependent on the severity it could take a week of a few years until the problem comes back if you have a flagged or block paved drive i wouldn't worry about the insurance company lifting and relaying however if it was to be a tarmacked drive i would highly expect them to lay new where they have dug so will be a patch their are 2 options have it flushed every 6 month to a year to ensure no blockages acre due to belly in line which would be a pain and can be costly also not seeing CCTV footage ect their may be a brake of or a parsley collapse which cannot be seen due to water holding in belly of pipe or get the drainage problem solved and know that everything should be fine thanks Dan

Answered2 January 2020

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