What does a drain cleanout look like?

The cleanout is usually a 4-inch-diameter pipe with a screw cap that has a square knob or indentation on the top. It’s most likely going to be popping up from the ground outside your home between the foundation and the street. The cleanout might also be on the side of the home, closest to the bathroom.

The cleanout is usually a 4-inch-diameter pipe with a screw cap that has a square knob or indentation on the top. It’s most likely going to be popping up from the ground outside your home between the foundation and the street. The cleanout might also be on the side of the home, closest to the bathroom.

What is a drain cleanout? A drain cleanout provides access to your main sewer line and is located outside of your home in the front or back yard. Cleanouts typically go unnoticed until there is a problem. They look like capped pipes sticking a few inches above the ground.

Every house should have one, although unfortunately, some houses don’t. Not only do all homes not have plumbing clean-outs, often those that do have an insufficient number. The Licensed specialists at Augerpros Plumbing can provide the installation of extra clean-outs if needed, and in the recommended locations.

1. Dark Water. One of the signature symptoms of a main-drain clog is water backing up in your tubs or showers. …
2. Slow-Moving Drains. Take a minute to think about the drains in your home. …
3. Gurgling Sounds. …
4. Clogged Plumbing Fixtures. …
5. Turn Off the Water. …
6. Call a Plumber.

Bob, under the Uniform Plumbing Code, a cleanout fitting is not to be used for connection of a drainage pipe. A sanitary tee should be installed for the drain pipe connection. You will also need to install a vent to protect the sink’s trap.

A cleanout is only required on the building drain as it is defined in Chapter 2: Building Drain – “That part of lowest piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste and other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer beginning two feet outside the …

It can typically be found in the basement, crawl space or garage. You will want to search for a pipe that is approximately four inches in diameter with a screw cap on the top that has a notch or square knob at the top. Note that some homes have an indoor sewer cleanout point, while others may be located outdoors.

It marks where the sewer line is. Your clean-out may be along it. Look on your property for a small concrete or metal cover marked “sewer.” Clean-outs are often located under them. Look for a small circular cap on a pipe, with a raised square on it, sticking out of your house or out of the ground.

The toilet is not considered a cleanout. You can run the vent with the same size pipe, and put the cleanout on the vent.

For long runs of piping, a cleanout is required every 100 feet. This measurement is taken from the highest end of the horizontal drainage piping to the point of connection with the building sewer.

Ideally, all houses should have a main sewer cleanout. But a few don’t, while some larger houses can have as many as three. Whenever there is a blockage in your main drain line, this is the plumbing fitting to look for.

Cleaning a sewer line costs an average of $323 with a typical range between $175 and $473. Snaking or Rodding: $100-$250 or about the cost of a service call. Fixing main line clogs can run twice as much.

1. Loosen the cap on the drain pipe. …
2. Allow any sewer buildup to come out of the drain. …
3. Gently feed the auger cable into the main line drain. …
4. Run the auger until the clog is broken up. …
5. Hose out leftover debris. …
6. Pull the auger cable back out of the main line drain.

All Drano® products are safe and can be used with plastic pipes or metal pipes. Just follow the label directions so you can clear that clog safely.