Examples of poor drainage construction include: • Wrongly fitted bends (e.g. having too tight a turn) slowing down water flows
• Manholes with inadequate benching (concrete sloped section going down to the open pipe) creating snagging points for waste material
• poorly fitted pipes and connectors resulting in more points, as well as open joints that can let roots in more easily.
All these issues result in the higher risk of block- ages, as well as pipe subsidence and cracking. Badly fitted manholes also allow debris to enter drains, increasing blockage risk.
Future-proofing solutions
All the failings above contribute to potentially major future drainage problems and costs – whether it be weeks, a year, five years or 10 years. So, what can be done to ensure they do not occur, and maintenance is as stress-free as possible?
1: Future-proof your system Make sure the drainage system has the correct hydraulic capacity to meet future demands, especially if you are planning further building work on the plot.
2: Build in multiple access points When budgets are tight, not installing a man- hole might look like a sensible saving. But, as
we have seen, not having adequate access can lead to serious problems later. Spending hun- dreds now might save thousands later. Installing rodding eyes at key points could also pay divi- dends when they help a drainage engineer clear a future blockage in minutes rather than hours or even days.
3: Carry out a post-works drainage survey Whether the property owner is installing the drainage themselves, or contracting a ground- works specialist to do the work, a post-works drainage survey is a very sensible move. A drainage maintenance specialist has the equipment needed, most importantly remote access CCTV cameras, to check the drainage system thoroughly before further building makes remedial work difficult and expensive. It is not uncommon for items such as spikes
and stakes to be mistakenly driven into newly- installed pipes, concrete can be poured into pipes by incompetent groundworks teams, and joints can work loose because of poor bedding, or because of diggers working above them. A CCTV drainage survey, with its HD quality
video footage, can establish the extent of any problems, and the likely cause of them, while the work teams responsible are still on site and can be held to account. It is another cost, but it’s one that pays off if it reveals something has gone awry.
4: Prepare drawings of as-built system This allows future maintenance issues to be
understood, and quickly shared with a drainage maintenance company. Costs and time taken to solve future drainage problems will then be greatly reduced.
Stevie Fairbairn is Scottish regional manager for Lanes Group
Enq. 162
Enq. 163
selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.co.uk
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