The stormwater pipes that go from my downpipes to the street runoff are chockers full of soil and tree roots. I've had the electric eel guy over and he wasn't able to make an impression on it. So I think I need to take it to the next level and have new stormwater pipes put in to take the water from the bottom of the downpipes to the street. Does anyone have any contacts in Sydney they can recommend for this kind of work?
Stormwater pipes
- Thread starter HappyCamper
- Start date
You should give a water jet a go. Electric eels are good but only for things like roots and small blockages. What happens with your stormwater lines is that over time leaves, sand, dirt and general muck goes down there and eventually starts building up. Because it's stormwater and it eventually seeps away you don't really know it's blocked up until it's badly blocked!
A high pressure water jetter is able to drag that sand and dirt out of the line. Continuously repeating it means that eventually it will clean the line. Now the only other reason that the eel might not be able to get through is because the stormwater line might have either a break or is collapsed - in which case you won't know until it's clean.
We use a 4500psi water jetter that pumps out 62lpm! It works a treat.
So I suppose your options are to either have the line cleaned out by high pressure water or have it replaced. At least if you had it cleaned with high pressure water and found a 'problem area', you can just replace that section.
A high pressure water jetter is able to drag that sand and dirt out of the line. Continuously repeating it means that eventually it will clean the line. Now the only other reason that the eel might not be able to get through is because the stormwater line might have either a break or is collapsed - in which case you won't know until it's clean.
We use a 4500psi water jetter that pumps out 62lpm! It works a treat.
So I suppose your options are to either have the line cleaned out by high pressure water or have it replaced. At least if you had it cleaned with high pressure water and found a 'problem area', you can just replace that section.
Are water jets like the ones you use at those coin op car washes? The pipe is probably a good 10m long - do you think that's too long? The pipes are really rock solid with soil.
Thanks for the suggestion! It's certainly worth a try if the alternative is going to cost $1k+
Thanks for the suggestion! It's certainly worth a try if the alternative is going to cost $1k+
They are basically a little motor (ours is a 30hp briggs & stratton) hooked up to a pump. That basically feeds to a reel that has water jets on the end of it, when you turn the water on it pulls itself into the line because of the angle of these jets. As you pull back, it gradually pulls back the crap with it.
10m isn't long at all. Quite short section actually. Can I ask whether they are any large trees close by or is it basically under grass?
10m isn't long at all. Quite short section actually. Can I ask whether they are any large trees close by or is it basically under grass?
There are a couple of mature trees out the front. The outlet to the street is so full you literally need a spade to dig it out. Would the 4500psi spray be able to deal with that?
Your storm water drains are to the point where an electric ell won’t eat threw them they need to be replaced.
Even if you do get the water jet in the damage to the storm water is still there and the tree roots will return and you will be back at square one.
Q: The stormwater pipes that go from my downpipes to the street runoff are chockers full of soil and tree roots.
A: for out the 1300-1500 they need to be dug up and replace so no more problems occur.
Problem solved unless you keep doing the band aid solution like I see on a daily basis and it usually ends up with me being called to do replace the item like I suggested in the first place.
Even if you do get the water jet in the damage to the storm water is still there and the tree roots will return and you will be back at square one.
Q: The stormwater pipes that go from my downpipes to the street runoff are chockers full of soil and tree roots.
A: for out the 1300-1500 they need to be dug up and replace so no more problems occur.
Problem solved unless you keep doing the band aid solution like I see on a daily basis and it usually ends up with me being called to do replace the item like I suggested in the first place.
Hire a dingo for the day, and do it yourself.
If you start at the street end, you can follow it up to your house, and who knows, you might come across problem in the first few meters (since you said you have mature tress down there).
You could save a shedload by doing it yourself.
Doesn't require any license to do. Just make sure you are aware of any underground services before getting a mechanical digger (or even a shovel) to the area.
F
If you start at the street end, you can follow it up to your house, and who knows, you might come across problem in the first few meters (since you said you have mature tress down there).
You could save a shedload by doing it yourself.
Doesn't require any license to do. Just make sure you are aware of any underground services before getting a mechanical digger (or even a shovel) to the area.
F
Dial before you dig.
Otherwise it may cost way more that the $1500 mentioned by plumber. Speaking from experience we 'found' the main water supply and the telephone cables in time past.
We just did the same job for the same reason replacing 15 meters of stormwater pipe and the pipes we dug up we in pretty bad condition. Not only were they full of soil and roots but also there were 2 breaks in the run (terracotta pipe). Total work couple of hours to dig it up and covering it, am paying someone $80 per day so say $160 and my son the plumber for and hour or so to drop in a new pipe. Cost of pipe and fittings $180.
A question regarding the 4000 psi jetters. Has anybody ever used one of these to clean bricks? and was it successfull did you have any bricks left
We removed brick balustrading from balconies and this has left rather ugly cement scars on the bricks of the building. I want to clean up the bricks but don't want to use a sand blaster thus I am considering using one of these high pressure water blaster to do the trick.
Cheers
Otherwise it may cost way more that the $1500 mentioned by plumber. Speaking from experience we 'found' the main water supply and the telephone cables
in time past.We just did the same job for the same reason replacing 15 meters of stormwater pipe and the pipes we dug up we in pretty bad condition. Not only were they full of soil and roots but also there were 2 breaks in the run (terracotta pipe). Total work couple of hours to dig it up and covering it, am paying someone $80 per day so say $160 and my son the plumber for and hour or so to drop in a new pipe. Cost of pipe and fittings $180.
A question regarding the 4000 psi jetters. Has anybody ever used one of these to clean bricks? and was it successfull did you have any bricks left
We removed brick balustrading from balconies and this has left rather ugly cement scars on the bricks of the building. I want to clean up the bricks but don't want to use a sand blaster thus I am considering using one of these high pressure water blaster to do the trick.
Cheers
I do agree that if the problem is caused by tree roots that it better off having the stormwater lines replaced - if they are under a concrete driveway etc I would suggest the option of relining. In fact, tree roots can actually spread out up to 2.5x the height of the tree!
The 4000psi jetter is very powerful. It can take paint off concrete very easily! I've seen 2000psi water blasters to a decent job of cleaning concrete.
What does relining involve? Part of the pipe does go under a 2m wide driveway.
2m wide driveway wouldn't be too bad, you could get away with it like george has said. Relining is basically putting a new pipe inside the old pipe without any digging. You basically start of with a sock and you put it where the problem area is, and then using a bladder is blown up to mold to the pipe. The product we used has a life expentancy of at least 50 years.
The bueaty of it is you can reline the problem areas, if you found that the only problem with your drainage was under the driveway, you can get that section fixed and thats it.
The bueaty of it is you can reline the problem areas, if you found that the only problem with your drainage was under the driveway, you can get that section fixed and thats it.
