Household Drains Backing Up

[PeteC]

We've had numerous threads/posts as to how to solve the problem of clogged pipes to prevent water from backing up into downstairs bathrooms from the floor drain.

There is usually one or two pipes per house that take out your non-toilet water and deposit it into the drainage trench beside your house, then on into the street system. These pipes get clogged with hair, scum and soap deposits that can block it completely, and cause a flood in your downstairs bathrooms, as well as very slow drainage from all bathroom and kitchen fixtures.

It may be old news to many, and you may laugh that I didn't know, but the way to stop the problem forever is to stop using bar soap to wash with. Bar soap does nothing but build up scum (like on your shower walls and floors) and causes major clogs in your drainage pipes. Liquid shower gel and liquid soap does not. Apparently a totally different chemical formula than bar soap. The same goes for laundry soap, switch from powder to liquid.

So now I know, and after six months I can confirm we have clear pipes and clean shower walls/floor by stopping the use of bar soap completely. In the past I was outside every two months with my head in a trench trying to ream out clogged pipes with a water hose and metal probe, no more. In this case, old dog learned new trick. Pete

[Big Boy]

Interesting - we had that problem, but it was caused mainly by shaving foam,

We applied a double solution i.e.

• Stopped letting shaving foam go down the sink by shaving into a bowl.

• Fitted what I know as a turd cruncher into the drainage system. Turd cruncher? I hear you ask. I used to work in Helensburgh a lot, and the hotels there had poor drainage that couldn't handle a turd. One of these devices had to be fitted to mash turds.
  I don't know the technical name I'm afraid. the cruncher catches the big bits, and we empty it every few months. Never had a problem since.

[PeteC]

I'm not going to challenge any of that except that being retired in the tropics, you should only be shaving once a week or every 10 days now. Wado being half Thai, the cat can lick it off. Pete

[Nereus]

I don't know the technical name I'm afraid. the cruncher catches the big bits, and we empty it every few months. Never had a problem since.

Macerator.

[laphanphon]

Think y'all need better builders, as lived in 5 different place, never a problem.

[Big Boy]

Think y'all need better builders, as lived in 5 different place, never a problem.

Unfortunately, easier said than done in Thailand. You can do all the due diligence you like. You never know when that 'better' builder has hired a couple of numpty farmers straight from the Burmese paddy fields. I'm not disagreeing with you, in fact the guy we have now is brilliant, you just can't ignore the 'cheap labour' element that creeps in everywhere.

[Nereus]

Fitted what I know as a turd cruncher into the drainage system.

Just curious to know why you need to "empty it" every few months? Where in the drainage system is it installed?
The whole idea of a macerator is to ensure that everything is reduced to a size where it just flows away.

[Big Boy]

No idea, but it certainly has solved the problem. I think as well as crunching any big stuff, it traps the nasties that Pete was talking about.

[Nereus]

Well, I am sure other people have had and do have this problem. But the drain from your wash basin SHOULD be separate to the sewage line, so the shaving foam is a separate issue to the toilet. And I know that you have posted previously that the toilet clogging up was / is a problem. Of course, SHOULD and actually IS does not mean much here!

Is what you are referring to as a "turd cruncher" connected to the mains power? Does it run every time the toilet is flushed, or is there some type of automatic cycle or float switch control?
It may help other people to know where it is connected and how difficult a job it was to install. Also, just where did you buy what ever it is?

[Big Boy]

Sorry, I've misled you. The device is the same, but it's not connected to the sewerage system, just the waste water. We've never had a problem with sewerage.

It was purchased at Boonthavorn. They had several models - ours was not expensive and was fitted by our regular Mr Fixit. Our house is built well above ground level (raised about 6'), and the unit is installed under the house.

[Nereus]

We've never had a problem with sewerage.

Hmm, what's this then?

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=33355&p=425687&hil ... er#p425687

I wasn't doubting anybody's word - I agree it should be possible to flush the paper. However, in our house, it used to regularly cause blockages as it does in many Thai households. Fortunately, we do have bum squirters here, so the paper is for drying purposes rather than cleaning purposes (mind you, there was a right handed squirter in my hotel last Sunday that I just could not get on with ).

Even more disgusting was having Thai visitors in the UK. We had a bin in the toilet for general rubbish. I used to be disgusted going into the toilet afterwards and seeing soiled paper staring at me from the bin. Of course, not their fault, it's what they have been brought up to. I must hasted to add, it was the minority of Thai visitors

[Big Boy]

Wow!!! That's a while ago

That was a lesson soon learnt, and dealt with. When I said sewerage, I was referring to the need to crunch turds. Yes, we had a problem that was resolved by using the bum squirter provided.

[404cameljockey]

General reply:

In most housing developments (I don't know about private houses) I believe that toilet waste must be a completely different system to other household water waste. My toilet waste from 3 bathrooms goes to 2 septic tanks which can be pumped out cheaply yearly (every 6 months if 4-5 people or users of a lot of toilet tissue ).

Someone who needs 'turd crunchers' has a different bowel system to mine, in 15 years in Middle East and Asia I've almost never had to resort to the 'coathanger' principle to clear the u-bend.

I do find that bum guns reduce the need for loo paper, although I've always worried about the 'atomised particles of sh1t' that result from using one, added to that created from the actual flushing process.

Thais using toilet paper and depositing it in in the waste bin instead of down the loo - I understand that this is a problem that's disappearing due to education, Thais travelling overseas, and the introduction of stronger flushing loos in modern public areas (although at places like Khao Tao beach bars you'll find you need to learn 'Thai-style').

Interesting to hear about sludge buildup in pipes due to bar soap/shaving foam use. Not had that so far, but will remember it.

Good thread, not afraid to get my hands dirty plunging into it....

[Nereus]

Someone who needs 'turd crunchers' has a different bowel system to mine, in 15 years in Middle East and Asia I've almost never had to resort to the 'coathanger' principle to clear the u-bend.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with the "bowl system", but everything to do with the shoddy installation of the drainage pipe. Insufficient "fall" on the pipe, the use of an elbow where a bend should be used, even pipes coming adrift at joints because no or very little glue was used, etc.

[404cameljockey]

Someone who needs 'turd crunchers' has a different bowel system to mine, in 15 years in Middle East and Asia I've almost never had to resort to the 'coathanger' principle to clear the u-bend.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with the "bowl system", but everything to do with the shoddy installation of the drainage pipe. Insufficient "fall" on the pipe, the use of an elbow where a bend should be used, even pipes coming adrift at joints because no or very little glue was used, etc.

Um, misunderstanding. I typed bowel. meaning the way my turds come out of my own system.

I understand your point about poor fall and excess angle in pipe joints, I was only talking about the 'fall' from my person.