Manhole covers on private property: this is important to note

There is an inspection shaft on almost every property, which is used to maintain the sewage system. With a manhole cover on private property, it is first of all important that you always keep the area free.

Manhole cover as a backup

There is a manhole cover on almost every property. Below that is usually the maintenance shaft for the sanitation.

The manhole cover itself is usually very solid and can often only be lifted with a suitable tool. The lid is so massive that it can cover and secure the shaft below. Depending on the type of shaft, it can even carry the weight of a truck.

A notice: Compared to the inspection shaft, the manhole covers of safety or drainage shafts are significantly less resilient. As a rule, heavy vehicles are not allowed to drive on them.

Legal regulations

The construction of a maintenance shaft is required by law and is also part of municipal wastewater disposal. It represents the link between the public sewage system and the sewage connection in your own house. Therefore, the sewage shaft must also comply with the legal regulations that are specified by the municipality.

The dimensions can therefore vary from municipality to municipality. As a rule, the manhole cover on private property is about one to two meters behind the property line.

There are only a few exceptions when no revision shaft is required on private property. These are:

• inner-city terraced houses
• if there is a lack of space between the building and the sidewalk

A notice: Noisy DIN 1986 a maximum distance of 15 meters between the building and the main sewer must be observed.

Obligations of the owners

As far as the manhole cover on private property is concerned, owners have other obligations in addition to the statutory structural requirements. This includes:

• Gully cover must always lie flat
• The inspection shaft must always be free and accessible
• Shaft must be passable

For example, should trees or shrubs grow too much, the owners of the property are obliged to regularly cut the area free. Over the years, it can also happen that the turf spreads further and further over the manhole cover. In this case, you are also responsible for keeping the lid free at all times.

Owners are also allowed to open the lid on their own property. However, they are not allowed to descend into the public sewer system. Only qualified personnel should do this. It can even happen that manhole covers are additionally secured with a grid that can only be opened by municipal employees.

Insert manhole cover yourself

As a rule, the manhole cover is used on the shaft. However, if you are technically skilled, you can take on this task yourself. This can save you money, especially when the lid is replaced.

How to proceed:

• apply a thin edge of mortar to the neck of the manhole
• Put the manhole cover on it
• Gently tap the cover on with a rubber mallet
• check whether the manhole cover and the edge of the terrain are level
• Carefully remove the cover again
• Fill any uneven areas under the edge of the manhole cover

After the mortar has dried, the manhole cover sits completely flat on the manhole. Note, however, if the difference between the top of the shaft and the ground is more than 18 cm is, you also need an equalizing channel, which you can use in the same way as the manhole cover install.

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