No manhole or inspection chamber for your drainage system?

Are you making alterations to your drainage system and need to install a new manhole or inspection chamber?

Perhaps the best option for drainage peace of mind, and the knowledge that should you ever have a drain problem, you'll have all the access necessary to make life easier and save yourself money!

What are Manholes and Inspection Chambers?

At their simplest, they're holes in the ground designed to grant varying degrees of access to your drains, both for repair and inspection.

• The largest and most accessible being the "Manhole". These are designed to allow an Operative to descend to the level of the underground piping at any depth.

  
  

• Next, we have the smaller "Inspection Chamber", designed to grant access to shallower piping, typically no deeper than one metre.

  
  

• After that, the smaller still, "Access Chamber", designed to grant access to piping nearer the surface, typically no deeper than half a metre.

Why would you want one?

Well, for ease of access to your drains for starters!

For quickly clearing blockages or for access to carry out an inspection, preventative maintenance, a survey or jetting, access points within a drainage system can prove to be invaluable.

Generally not a problem with newer properties, where access gulleys, rodding points, and Manholes or Inspection Chambers are usually fitted as standard. However, older properties tend not to have any of these access points, and therefore clearing a blockage can often be hugely troublesome, and preventative maintenance practically impossible!

What should I watch out for?

Often is the case that when a new inspection chamber is installed within an existing drainage system, blockages tend to develop. This is generally caused by a lack of care and attention during the installation. Poor connectivity of new pipes to older existing drainage can cause a restriction of flow. Inadequate supporting of new pipes and the inspection chamber itself can often cause piping to gently drop over time, again restricting flow and leading to repeat blockages.

This really is Drainage 101, but do be careful.

But, don't they stand out like a sore thumb?

Not any more! With recessed covers now available for your access chambers, you'll forget they're there! By using a recessed tray lid, Manholes can now be camouflaged to fit perfectly with their surroundings, be it a lawn, a tarmac path, or a designer-paved driveway.

Like to know more?

For friendly first-class help and advice on this and other drainage issues,
please feel free to email or give us a call.