Common Problems with Drainage Rodding Eyes and How to Fix Them

Rodding eyes play an essential role in a property’s drainage system, providing a convenient access point for inspection and maintenance. However, while they are designed to be a solution to drainage problems, they also can go wrong.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the problems commonly associated with rodding eyes and provide some straightforward solutions.

What is a Rodding Eye?

Drainage systems can be quite extensive and contain many intersections and bends. While the drains can be accessed via its manhole covers, clearing blockages from sections that are a long way from the nearest manhole or after a series of intersections or bends can be challenging, to say the least.

Rodding eyes are smaller access points that supplement the manholes, making it easier to insert an inspection camera or drainage rods into less accessible sections of the drainage system. They are capped with a small, sealed cover or an open grating and intersect with the pipe at an angle that enables cameras and rods to be easily fed downstream from the rodding eye.

Common Problems with Rodding Eyes

Blockages Around the Rodding Eye

The most frequently encountered issue with a rodding eye is when waste, leaves and other debris fall through the grating into the rodding eye. If this is allowed to accumulate and block the eye, inserting drainage rods will be difficult or impossible. If the debris drops far enough to enter the drain, it can block that too – ironic, considering that the purpose of a rodding eye is to unblock the drain.

To fix this problem, you’ll need to manually clear the blockage from the rodding eye. This may be an unpleasant job if the leaves have nicely rotted, but it must be done. Once you’ve cleared a channel through to the drain, you can use a high-pressure hose or pressure washer to wash away what’s left.

By now, you’ll do anything to prevent this from happening again. Replacing the rodding eye with one with a sealed cover rather than a grating may be a solution but generally, the grating type has been used for a purpose – to allow surface water drainage or allow airflow to the drain. If this is the case, the best you can do is to regularly check and clean out the rodding eye to prevent any build-up. At least you can be comforted to know that grated rodding eyes are only used on stormwater drains, never on sewers.

Drain Rod Difficulties

If you find it particularly hard to insert a drain rod into the drain, this may not necessarily be that you’re doing it all wrong. Faulty installation of a rodding eye is particularly prevalent on older properties, where drainage systems weren’t built to the same standards as today and can result in misalignment between the rodding eye and the drain.

If, after several failed attempts to insert the rods, you decide that faulty installation is to blame, you’ll probably need to have the rodding eye replaced by a professional. Not the news you wanted to hear, I know, but in the long-term it will save you the hassle of fumbling around each time there’s a blockage.

Rodding Eye Deterioration

Eyes tend to deteriorate with age and rodding eyes are no exception. On older properties, they are most likely to be cast iron or clay, which are subject to cracking and corrosion. Modern concrete and plastic (PVC or uPVC) rodding eyes may be more resistant to decay, but both can potentially be damaged if subjected to excessive loading – for example, from heavy vehicles being driven or parked over or near them.

While deterioration may not be visible from the surface, signs of water leakage around the rodding eye – ground subsidence, constantly wet patches, more vigorous grass growth, etc. – may be a clue that the rodding eye is cracked or crumbling.

A temporary repair using a patch or suitable sealant may be possible if the crack is minor and accessible from the surface, but ultimately a replacement rodding eye will be required to maintain the drainage system in good working order.

When to Call in the Professionals

Some drainage problems are too large or complicated to handle on your own, and there’s no shame in calling in the experts. If you’ve tried clearing a blockage with no luck, or if the rodding eye appears damaged beyond repair, it’s time to contact a professional drainage service. They’ll have the tools and expertise needed to fix the problem efficiently and ensure your drainage system is working properly once again.

We hope you have found this information interesting and helpful. If you have any further questions you are always welcome to call our friendly team of experts on 01420 555600 or email [email protected]. 

Also, look out for more articles in our ongoing series of blog posts, bringing you useful information, insights, guides and tips on all things drainage!