Blocked Water Services Pipe: 'nother fine mess you got me into Stanley ...

[ToughButterCup]

Why every time I dig a hole do I run into problems?

 Have a look at this :

That, my friends is a stone at the bend in our water services pipe.

 

I was hoping that today's little digging escapade would be easy: dig down next to the house, find the end of the water services pipe (big blue thing with an insulated pipe in it), thread the blue 22mm pipe  through it, and all would be well.

But.

I have

• threaded some flexible fiberglass rods down the pipe: no joy
• run water through the pipe:  it flows - not freely, but it flows
• rammed 22mm pipe down the inside of the services pipe to try and persuade the stone to leave : no joy
• tried threading braided wire through the services pipe - in the hope that if it got past the stone, we could dislodge it.

I'm going to have to take the whole pipe out aren't I? 

 

Poo.

[ProDave]

When you say "water services pipe" do you just mean "duct"?

 

If so, measure where the blockage is, dig down there. CUT the duct, remove the blockage, patch up and thread your pipe.

[ToughButterCup]

34 minutes ago, ProDave said:

When you say "water services pipe" do you just mean "duct"?

[...]

 

Yes, I meant duct.

Here's how I solved the problem .........

 

The duct is insulated, and just  a bit over 2" wide. I tried thumping the blockage hard by inserting a 22mm pipe inside the sleeve. I noticed that the insulation was moving a bit. Like this.

 

So I grabbed the insulation  and out it all popped.

And of course, I was desperate to see the damn stone that caused me so much annoyance. So out with the angle grinder....

Nay friggin stone. 

The bend forced on the duct was so acute that it stopped the 22mm pipe going through.

 

So what was the object in the image above? We'll never know.

 

Presumably now, all I need to do is shove the right amount of  22mm through the the duct , cap it off (mechanical stop-end) fill the blue duct with foam, back-fill the trench and Bob's my Uncle?

Do I really need to foam round the pipe in the duct?

 

 

 

[LA3222]

This made me chuckle.  I had exactly the same problem when trying pull some swa through a duct I had laid previously.  I didn't have a borescope at the time to look what the problem was so a lot of pulling rope from both ends to measure where the blockage was and three holes later I found the duct.

 

Turned out to be a brick that had crushed the duct when it was laid - God alone knows how the brick got there.  A simple job became an all day event!! 

Edited August 2, 2019 by LA3222

[scottishjohn]

well you have learned a lesson

to more accurate we all have learned a lesson --hopefully  from your troubles 

always cap any pipes or ducts 

never leave any open for something to make a home in

Edited August 2, 2019 by scottishjohn

[Carrerahill]

2 hours ago, AnonymousBosch said:

Why every time I dig a hole do I run into problems?

 Have a look at this :

That, my friends is a stone at the bend in our water services pipe.

 

I was hoping that today's little digging escapade would be easy: dig down next to the house, find the end of the water services pipe (big blue thing with an insulated pipe in it), thread the blue 22mm pipe  through it, and all would be well.

But.

I have

• threaded some flexible fiberglass rods down the pipe: no joy
• run water through the pipe:  it flows - not freely, but it flows
• rammed 22mm pipe down the inside of the services pipe to try and persuade the stone to leave : no joy
• tried threading braided wire through the services pipe - in the hope that if it got past the stone, we could dislodge it.

I'm going to have to take the whole pipe out aren't I? 

 

Poo.

You are not having much luck! I'd come and help you for the weekend if I was closer (but I would want you to come and help me the following weekend) 2 people achieve more like the work of 3 individual workers they say. I am sure we need to start pulling resources around here!

[Carrerahill]

1 hour ago, AnonymousBosch said:

 

Yes, I meant duct.

Here's how I solved the problem .........

 

The duct is insulated, and just  a bit over 2" wide. I tried thumping the blockage hard by inserting a 22mm pipe inside the sleeve. I noticed that the insulation was moving a bit. Like this.

 

So I grabbed the insulation  and out it all popped.

And of course, I was desperate to see the damn stone that caused me so much annoyance. So out with the angle grinder....

Nay friggin stone. 

The bend forced on the duct was so acute that it stopped the 22mm pipe going through.

 

So what was the object in the image above? We'll never know.

 

Presumably now, all I need to do is shove the right amount of  22mm through the the duct , cap it off (mechanical stop-end) fill the blue duct with foam, back-fill the trench and Bob's my Uncle?

Do I really need to foam round the pipe in the duct?

 

 

 

Foam - depends where the duct comes from and goes and if stuff got into can it end up in your house etc.

[Construction Channel]

You all fuss too much. 

My questions are. 

 

Are the water board connecting to that pipe? 

 

If so who put it in? 

 

Also if so are you sure you only need 22mm pipe?