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Blockages

What is the 135 rule in plumbing?

The 135 rule refers to the 135-degree bend: drainage direction changes should be made with 135° bends (or two 45s) rather than sharp 90° elbows, because a gentler sweep keeps flow velocity up, lets rods and jetting hoses pass, and greatly reduces the chance of blockages forming at the bend.

Sharp right-angle changes of direction in a foul drain are blockage factories. Solids decelerate at the bend, drop out of suspension, and build up until the run chokes. They also stop rods and camera crawlers passing, which makes both clearing and surveying much harder.

Good practice is to change direction using two 45° bends with a short straight between them, or a long-radius 135° bend, and to provide a rodding point at any direction change that cannot be swept.

If a drain in your property blocks repeatedly in exactly the same spot, a badly formed bend from a past extension or conversion is one of the first things a CCTV survey looks for.

Still not sure? Just ask us.

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