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.

Besides, How do I find my house cleanout?

To find it, walk around the perimeter of your house, close to the foundation. A buried sewer cleanout is generally located on the outside of a bathroom, you’ll recognize it as a three- to four-inch capped pipe. Since cleanouts aren’t needed often, yours may be covered by bushes, underbrush or grass.

Keeping this in mind, Is a cleanout drain necessary? 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 …

Can you drain into a cleanout?

Re: tee into cleanout? 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.

Should there be water in my sewer cleanout?

If you see any sewage or water around the outside of that cap, you definitely have a blocked sewage drain. If you pull off the cap and see standing water inside the sewer cleanout, that’s also indicative of a blocked sewer drain.

Does every house have a cleanout?

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.

How do I find the main drain line in my house?

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.

Where is main drain in house?

For indoor main drains, you will likely find the cleanout in a bathroom or utility area. When dealing with a bathroom location, check the floor near the toilet. In this scenario, it might be a pipe protruding from the floor or it might be flush mounted into the floor. These main drains tend to have a threaded plug.

How many Cleanouts does a house need?

For every house, there’s usually only one sewer cleanout

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.

Where do you put a drain cleanout?

The cleanout shall be either inside or outside the building wall and shall be brought up to the finished ground level or to the basement floor level. An approved two-way cleanout is allowed to be used at this location to serve as a required cleanout for both the building drain and building sewer.

What is the white pipe in my backyard?

It is a sewer clean out for your house. You need to dig down around and cut even to repair, then place a cap back on it.

What does septic cleanout look like?

A sewer cleanout is generally, but not always located outside a bathroom. You’ll recognize it as a black or white, three- to four-inch capped pipe. Since cleanouts aren’t needed often, yours may be covered by bushes, underbrush or grass.

Where is the main sewer line in a house?

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.

What is a wye fitting?

A fitting with three openings, a wye is used to create branch lines. It is a type of tee fitting which has the side inlet pipe entering at a 45° angle, or an angle other than 90 degrees. A standard wye is a “Y” shaped fitting which allows one pipe to be joined to another at a 45 degree angle.

How do you know if your sewer cleanout is clogged?


How To Tell If My Sewer Line is Clogged

  1. Gurgling sounds coming from the toilet. …
  2. Multiple slow-running drains in your home (low water pressure)
  3. Water coming out of your shower when using the washing machine.
  4. Foul odors coming from your drains.
  5. Sewage coming back up through drains.

What does a sewer line clean out 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.

Is there supposed to be standing water in shower drain?

2 Answers. Yes it’s normal and what you want. It’s called a P-trap and the water sitting in there seals out the sewer gasses.

How many Cleanouts should a house have?

For every house, there’s usually only one sewer cleanout

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.

Is a toilet considered a cleanout?

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

How do you find out where your drains run?

Perhaps the best way to obtain this information is to contact your local water authority, which is also the organization that would be responsible for any problems that may arise with shared drains. Another way to check and see if you have a shared drain is to check with the sewage company that services your area.

How do I clear my main drain line?


How to clear a main sewer line clog

  1. Step 1: Loosen the cap on the drain pipe. Loosen the cap on the drain pipe. …
  2. Step 3: Feed the auger cable into the drain pipe. …
  3. Step 4: Run the auger until the clog is clear—and beyond. …
  4. Step 5: Hose down the pipe and auger cable. …
  5. Step 6: Slowly pull the auger back out of the pipe.

How do you find out where my drains are?

Perhaps the best way to obtain this information is to contact your local water authority, which is also the organization that would be responsible for any problems that may arise with shared drains. Another way to check and see if you have a shared drain is to check with the sewage company that services your area.

How do you know if your main drain is clogged?


Signs Your Sewer Line May Be Clogged

  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.