Installing soakaways, do this 1st
Installing soakaways?, do this 1st to avaid drainage problems.
Before carrying through any DIY plumbing and drainage or extensive soakaways development, you should first take into consideration the rules issued by your Local Authority.
If you are changing your current sewage, or installing a new system, you will most definitely be asked to show detailed plans of the implementation that you have in mind and it will need to be overseen as the work moves forward to ensure that it is compliant with local building rules. In many situations when you are simply replacing broken parts, there is no need for the local authority to be informed. This may be the case with a small set of garden soakaways.
The water which you see on the surface is basically rainwater. This can discharged into the soakaways, watercourse, surface water sewer or, particularly in older properties, into the foul water sewage system. To stop any nasty odours emanating from the drains a combined system will discharge the surface water into the foul water drains by way of the gully traps. However with the new sewage systems, the foul and the surface water can be kept apart. Soakaways deal with excess surface water in the garden. Foul water should never be connected to surface water sewage system with any new drainage development you undertake. The Building Regulation Department will be able to guide you on any details or procedures you may require for repairs or replacement of your sewage.
Before you begin, you will need to plan the route of the waste pipes. The route should be as short and straight as possible, this will help to reduce future maintenance problems and costs. Steep pipes should be averted during the path design. A surveyor’ site level should be used to work out the fall of a drain. By establishing a datum point and using a hosepipe filled with water to establish levels you can calculate the fall from the datum in a situation when do not have one of these measures available.
The stability of the existing building is of prime importance it should be not compromised while the drain pipe ditch is being installed so check you are not impacting on the existing structure and avoid any existing soakaways.. Keep the drain pipe excavation at a uniformly safe distance from the building face to avoid damage to the foundation.
Try to leave as short a time as possible between digging the ditch and installing the drainage system as an empty ditch represents a danger with the potential for a sidewall collapse. Make sure that you get the pipes laid as quickly as possible and then backfill the trench as soon as the system has been inspected and tested.
Be wary of the depth and soil conditions and if necessary add extra support to the ditch. It is advisable to take proper precautions. Be on the safe side and secure the sides of such risky trenches by propping with sheets or boards. Keep the trench as narrow as you can but of course make sure that there is enough room to work in the ditch including any plan, machinery or tools you require. The base of the trench should be clean and even and free from protruding stones or bricks etc. You may need to import a suitable material for the base of the ditch if the existing material is unsuitable.
Bricks and/or any other sturdy material should never be used to prop up the pipe in the ditch. In fact they should be never used as support as they can damage the pipe as they will focus pressure into a small area. For accommodation of the joints in the pipes,the bedding should be compacted in a regular way with hollows made a appropriate points. A comprehensive support should be used for the whole of the pipe.
An important criteria for pipe layout is that you should be able to access any point with a drain rod to clear blockages. So that is why a run of drains should be as straight as possible between two points or inspection chambers. Inspection chambers have to be provided at any abrupt changes of direction or level, so that drain rods can be inserted easily.
If you follow this guidance, drainage and basic DIY home and garden plumbing can be within the range of the most DIY enthusiasts. You might even be confident enough of expanding that old set of soakaways in the garden.