What we surveyed
A CCTV inspection at a residential property in Solihull (B91), covering 1 separate run, 100 mm bore, combined.
The system is vitrified clay.
Vitrified clay is what most pre-1970s drainage in the Midlands is built from. It is durable but brittle, and its short pipe lengths mean many joints – which is where almost everything goes wrong.
What the camera found
2 defects were logged and coded.
The worst section graded B on the Drain Repair Book scale.
Root ingress
Roots find their way in through the smallest opening in a joint, then thicken until they hold back everything moving past them. They are the most common single cause of repeat blockages in older clay drainage.
| Distance | Code | Observation |
|---|---|---|
| 4.60 m | R | Roots |
_Distances are measured from the start of the run in which each observation was recorded, not from a single point._
Displaced and open joints
Displaced joints are where one pipe length has moved relative to the next. Ground movement and, across much of the Black Country, historic mining subsidence are the usual causes. Each step is somewhere solids can lodge and roots can enter.
| Distance | Code | Observation |
|---|---|---|
| 8.10 m | JDM | Joint displaced medium |
_Distances are measured from the start of the run in which each observation was recorded, not from a single point._
Outcome
CCTV drain surveys in Solihull
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Surveys across the West Midlands, south Staffordshire, east Shropshire and north Worcestershire. Unblocking closer to home.