Hello World! If you’re building an extension to your house, you’ll probably need to alter your drainage. It could be to add foul water pipes for a kitchen or bathroom, or external guttering to divert rain into your underground drainage system. Whatever you need, you must plan it carefully before you start any work.
Planning is essential
If you’re installing underground drainage you can work out the layout in several ways. You can ask your council for plans – this may involve a fee, but it’s cheaper than getting in a surveyor to look at the layout of your drains. Do be careful, though, as the plans may be from when the house was first built, so they may have changed.
If you use a surveyor you’ll pay, but you’ll get up-to-date information. The third option is to lift up your manhole covers yourself, but if you’re not confident about this, you’ll need option one or two.
Different drainage types
Your house will have two different – and separate – types of drainage; surface water and foul water. Surface water drainage is gutters, drains and pipes that carry rain water to the nearest canal or river, and foul water drainage removes water from your sinks, baths, washing machine and toilet. These systems are kept separate – you can let surface water run into your foul water, but not the other way round, for obvious reasons.
About greywater
More people are adopting greywater systems to conserve water. These systems collect bath, washing machine and sink water into tanks, where it’s filtered and used for flushing toilets, watering the garden or washing cars. Greywater systems reduce the amount of water that drainage systems have to cope with and so also reduce the risk of flooding.
Planning regulations
If you’re moving a drain from its original placement, you don’t just need to plan it carefully, you may also need to ask for permission from your council. Look at Part H of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations to find out what restrictions and guidelines you have to follow, and engage a building inspector once the work is done.
Changing gutters and drainpipes
If your extension only needs surface water drainage, you’ll have an easier time! Find out what make your existing drainage system is and use the same brand to extend it, as this is not only easier, but better-looking and more effective.
If you’re installing new drainpipes and gutters, you’ll need a good ladder, a spirit level, a drill and a screwdriver, as well as screws and wall plugs. If you can’t find exactly-fitting lengths of pipe and gutter, then some high-quality silicone sealant is in order.
Underground
The first rule of underground drains is that they must slope downwards away from your house. The slope only needs to be slight, but it must be continuous. If you forget this rule, you’ll end up with overflowing drains that really don’t smell great.
The second rule is that all your pipes, be they under or overground, must be accessible so you can inspect them and remove any blockages. These inspection chambers are usually inserted at joints and bends in the pipework.
There must also be air inlets at regular intervals, as air must enter the pipes to replace the water as it drains away. If your construction or modification work is extensive enough that you need new junctions and inspection chambers, you’re best to get professional advice. If you have any doubts, in fact, get professional advice to head of potential problems before they arise.
Thank you for stopping by for a visit. Have a great day/night wherever you are in the world! Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
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