Drainage programme designing opening steps
Drainage programme designing opening steps
Before you undertake DIY plumbing and drains work it is essential to understand the national rules and regulations formulated by the local authority.
You will have to present detailed plans for the proposed sewage work when you are changing existing sewage system or installing a new sewage system, and also need regular inspections to be undertaken to ensure that the plans are following the local building rules during progressing each phase of the work. However you don’t need to inform them if you are just replacing some damaged parts.
When rain falls on your house and property, it runs across as surface water and has to be drained properly. 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. In a system combining both functions, the rainwater pipes clear out into the dirty water drains through the gully traps that prevent fetid air from sneaking out of the drains. 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 drainage 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.
Designing the path of the waste passageways will be your first task. Keeping the path as straight and short as possible will be the main concept behind the design of the waste passageways or pipes. If the pipe slope is excessive, your joint alignment may fail. Using surveyor’s site level you can calculate the fall of a drain over a distance to check the values. A hosepipe filled with water from an established datum point can be used if you don’t have a surveyor’s site level.
The stability of the existing home is of prime importance it should be not compromised while the drain pipe trench is being installed so check you are not impacting on the existing structure. Keep the drain pipe excavation at a uniformly safe distance from the building face to avoid damage to the substructure.
When fitting in a new drainage system, you should not dig the trench too long before placing the pipe as the trench could collapse. Get the pipes laid quickly and, as soon as they have been tested, fill the trench back in.
Depending on the depth and soil conditions, the trench may require support. You should avoid any risks with this project. If in doubt add support to the trench to prevent it from collapsing. The excavation should be only as wide as required, but should also permit the fitter to work conveniently. Ensure that the ditch bottom is flat and free of stones, tree roots and soft spots. You may have to bring in the right type of material for the bottom of the ditch if the one that’s already there is not proper.
Bricks and/or any other sturdy material should never be used to prop up the pipe in the ditch. Such hard objects will cause the poorly supported pipe to bend or break and the joints will eventually fail. The base should be tightly packed in the appropriate manner with holes carved out to fit in the protruding pipe connections. For the complete pipe length you have to provide a continuous and uniform support.
Make sure that your plans are made in such a way that drain rods are within reach of every part of the network of pipes. So that is why a run of drains should be as straight as possible between two points or inspection chambers. Always make sure that rodding access is allowed in an inspection chamber at any point where the direction of the pipework changes.
If you follow this guidance, drainage and DIY plumbing can be within the range of the most DIY enthusiasts.