Broken Cast Iron Manhole

[DDJC]

Two weeks ago, three days before we were due to catch the Channel Tunnel, a cast iron manhole cover on our drive shattered and we had a wheel wedged in.

Couldn't drive out, or use the jack, so it cost £180 to get winched out as breakdown insurance won't cover it.

Subsequently found out that most cast iron sewer covers are rated at 1.5 old tons. And ours were originals from 1959.

I've got two drain covers down the side of the house, so I decided to get two pieces of 6 mm steel plate. Extensive search and I wasn't getting change out of £100 incl delivery.

Went down the local scrap metal dealer and he found a bit of old plate which he cut to the required size (go double the size of the drain cover) and took only £25 off me. I'll be painting them with a rust proofer this weekend.

I would humbly suggest that if you have a 3.5 tonne or heavier and you are still driving over your cast iron manhole covers, get some 6mm steel plate (or 8mm if over 3.5 tonne). Ugly, but cheaper than forking out for a winch, or worse, replacing the cover and concrete surround with reinforced 5 tonne covers, which will cost more than a few grand.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Hi
Sorry about your issue but your manhole cover looks like a galvanised steel cover in a cast iron frame.
Got one myself - will check it when I get home - they do rust from underneath

 

[p-c]

Hi
A good warning to us all, thanks.
Would it warrant a claim on your house insuramce?
Kind regards
p-c

 

[DDJC]

Deffo cast iron! Shattered into 8 pieces. Steel shouldn't do that.

Hats off to the missus for being small enough to descend into the sewer to retrieve the bits of broken iron! I figured I was too fat to get into the hole...

 

[DDJC]

Hi
A good warning to us all, thanks.
Would it warrant a claim on your house insuramce?
Kind regards
p-c

Probably could, but once you've added up the fifteen forms, twenty explanations, the premium increase, the pleading, the begging, the swearing, is it worth it?

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[Barclaybasher]

Deffo cast iron! Shattered into 8 pieces. Steel shouldn't do that.

Hats off to the missus for being small enough to descend into the sewer to retrieve the bits of broken iron! I figured I was too fat to get into the hole...

I was looking at a close up of the rear of your wheel in the hole....

 

[DDJC]

I was looking at a close up of the rear of your wheel in the hole....

Cheers Vic, but if you look at the front edge of the hole, you can just make out the edge of a piece of rusty iron wedged in by the tyre. The bit at the back is part of the concrete surround.

 

[p-c]

Hi
Re insurance.
You are possibly right, yet we pay out the premiums!
Regards
p-c

 

[DDJC]

I feel obliged to add that the reason the bus is so filthy was that I was getting it out on the drive to give it a clean before we travelled.

 

[Electraglide]

Been there, done that. Luckily enough was in the trade, I reinforced the plate by welding some angle to it. That was thirty years ago nd still driving over it.

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[Barclaybasher]

Just for information Wickes do a 600 x 450
5 ton cover and frame for £21

I replaced the galvanised one on my drive some years ago. If you have one it's worth lifting and checking, as I said before they rot from below


.

 

[charliesgrandad]

Putting a plate over the existing frame may make it strong enough but will it seal the drain so you dont get smells coming up . there are lots of manhole frames and lids available to carry heavy weights and seal the drain , just one online company I have dealt with in the past https://www.drainagesuperstore.co.u...grates/5-tonne-galvanised-manhole-covers.html

 

[DDJC]

Putting a plate over the existing frame may make it strong enough but will it seal the drain so you dont get smells coming up . there are lots of manhole frames and lids available to carry heavy weights and seal the drain, just one online company I have dealt with in the past https://www.drainagesuperstore.co.u...grates/5-tonne-galvanised-manhole-covers.html

You are probably right about the pong. However, as I said, we have two manholes by the side of the house. We had one intact cast iron cover, which I moved to cover the hole that collapsed. That is then also covered over by a sheet of steel. The other hole has no 'sewer' connections so should be less pongy. So both are covered with 3' by 4' sheets of 6mm steel.

I am sure that this is over-explaining !!

Size-wise, depressingly, the manhole was put in when the house was built and the length as far as I can gauge it seems pre-imperial, being a knuckle short of two cubits. We will be looking at spending the kid's inheritance on getting much stronger covers and frames, but not until after the main travelling season Apr - Aug.

 

[bobandjanie]

We had the same on our drive, I straddled it in the motorhome, one day a delivery lorry turned round in our drive and did the same, I wish he had got stuck in it, I would have known who did it and charged him.
I fitted a steel one, sod of a job, because we laid the concrete and had to break it out again, wished I had changed it before we did it. Bob

 

[pappajohn]

Working on a property once which had one of those glass bullseye type covers over the extended basement.
10t builders merchant truck arrived with materials...... Yes, he went through it.
The axle was sat on the side of the hole.
Had to bring another truck and drag it out after unloading.

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[Silver-Fox]

As a rule the light weight cast covers are for foot traffic only.

If you’re getting one from the merchants ask for a 5 or 10 ton cover

 

[Mr B]

We upgraded ours on our drive. Put a 10 tonne one in. Not a lot of money, well worth it.

 

[PhilMary]

Another job for Ianthebuilder. He can travelround allaFumsyets, he can test ''em with his Hymer and fix any that bust.
It was my idea, Ian, I get 10% or £1 a week
Phil

 

[dalspa]

He can also flush your drains through, when he has had his fill of TEA!

 

[mfw]

Should of contacted the water supplier if other properties run through the drain they will replace it for free my transit went through the one on my drive - waterboard came out and replaced it no cost at all - not sure if they would do it if no other property runs through it though

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[DDJC]

Should of contacted the water supplier if other properties run through the drain they will replace it for free my transit went through the one on my drive - waterboard came out and replaced it no cost at all - not sure if they would do it if no other property runs through it though

Been through this palaver with the grey water people (which are helpfully different from the clean water people). It is OUR drain although two other houses drain into it. There are some arcane rules about this.

 

[mfw]

Been through this palaver with the grey water people (which are helpfully different from the clean water people). It is OUR drain although two other houses drain into it. There are some arcane rules about this.

Southern water replaced mine because other properties use it as well and it is in my driveway check out reporting broken manhole cover

 

[bigtwin]

A 1.5t rated cover should cope with a 3t axle without any problem. I suspect that there was a defect in the cover.

Not many of us run 3t axle loadings.

Ian

 

[DDJC]

Southern water replaced mine because other properties use it as well and it is in my driveway check out reporting broken manhole cover

I will try again, thanks.

 

[Landy Andy]

Putting a plate over the existing frame may make it strong enough but will it seal the drain so you dont get smells coming up .

Doesn’t need to be sealed if outside.

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[TheBig1]

if the cast iron ones crack slightly, then water gets in and freezes leading to multiple fractures. they can then shatter under a light load

we had one fail under our lorry at a builders merchant. we had to unload and use a forklift to get it free

 

[Allanm]

I had the same happen to me last year on my Mums driveway in Kent. Luckily the cover broke in such a way that I was able to drive the wheel out. Rang Southern Water and they sent someone round to look at it a couple of hours later and it was replaced by them the next day. They also rebuilt the manhole and fitted a new galvanised frame and cover.
They only needed to know another drain from next door ran into it and they took responsibility for it.

 

[charliesgrandad]

Doesn’t need to be sealed if outside.

As long as it is not near an open window on a very hot summers day

 

[DDJC]

I had the same happen to me last year on my Mums driveway in Kent. Luckily the cover broke in such a way that I was able to drive the wheel out. Rang Southern Water and they sent someone round to look at it a couple of hours later and it was replaced by them the next day. They also rebuilt the manhole and fitted a new galvanised frame and cover.

They only needed to know another drain from next door ran into it and they took responsibility for it.

Southern water replaced mine because other properties use it as well and it is in my driveway check out reporting broken manhole cover

Although in Kent, I'm not in a Southern Water area. Thames water Kent apparently. Who were very helpful!

"Someone will be there within two hours".
"Yes the drain cover is our responsibility" and
"Yes sir , we can supply very strong covers for customers with heavy vehicles."

I was feeling very cheered up and at peace with the world.

But after a sleepless night, waiting in the kitchen, with kettle ready to boil, no one turned up
(not really, I went to bed in a strop at 10:30)

 

[Silver-Fox]

All drains were adopted by the water companies some time back.
Providing more than one property uses said line.
It used to be only terraced houses.

This is the case in England I don’t know about the rest of the U.K.

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