
If you don’t know if your home has a sewer cleanout or not, today is the day you should find out. That’s because the financial penalty for not having a sewer cleanout can be severe! If you’re not sure if you have one or not, we’ll walk you through the process of finding out.
How to Locate Your Sewer Cleanout
In most homes, a sewer cleanout will look like a three, four or six-inch metal or PVC pipe emerging from the ground, topped with a threaded cap. It will usually stick up above the level of the ground a few inches. In some cases, it could be level with the ground or even be located under a metal or hard plastic plate. Sometimes there are two of these caps located close to each other.
The cleanout will usually be located near the foundation of your home, possibly between the home and the street. In colder climates, the cleanout may be located inside, in the basement, utility room or garage.
Homes built before 1970 did not have sewer cleanouts added at the time of construction. Many owners of older homes have added one since. If you compare the cost of installing a sewer cleanout to the cost of sewer line repairs when there is no cleanout available, the wisdom of adding a cleanout as soon as possible becomes obvious.
When Having a Sewer Cleanout Is Vital and Money-Saving
Sewer cleanouts are used in any of these situations:
- Tree roots have penetrated the sewer line
- The sewer line has sunk in one area, creating a dip in the line called a “belly”
- There’s a clog in the sewer line
- Your yard shows evidence that the sewer line is leaking or broken
When you have a cleanout, a plumber can access your sewer line through the opening provided by the cleanout and run a scope (video camera) through the line. Roots, breaks and leaks can be accurately located. Because they can see exactly where the problem is, your plumber can fix it in a minimum of time.
If there is a clog, the camera can locate the clog and your plumber can then run a blade into the sewer to cut it up and clean it out. Without being able to “see” into the sewer line via the cleanout, your plumber may not even be able to determine whether your problem is a clog, root penetration, break or some other situation.
Why Sewer Repairs Without a Cleanout Can Get Expensive
If a home does not have a cleanout, a plumber has to go to more extreme lengths to access the sewer line. The two alternate methods are:
- Pull up a toilet and access the sewer line through the hole in the floor.
- Go up on the roof and use the plumbing system’s vent to access the sewer line.
Both these methods take far more time and are far more expensive than a repair done when a sewer cleanout is available. Heavy machinery is needed to scope or clean out sewer lines and it is not the best idea to lift these machines onto your roof. There may be no other choice when emergency sewer repairs are needed. However, damage can be done to the roof during this operation that may not be apparent for years.
Your Smartest Move: Add a Cleanout Before It’s Needed
Having a cleanout can save you plenty of money if you ever need your sewer line scoped, unclogged or repaired. For that reason, it’s smart to have a cleanout installed before you need one. If you wait until you need a repair, you may then be faced with the cost of the more expensive repair plus the extra cost of installing the cleanout.
At Rocketman Plumbing, we can quickly install a cleanout for your home and give you greater peace of mind when it comes to future sewer inspections or repairs. If you are not sure if you have a cleanout or not, we can help you find it. We can also do repairs even when you don’t have a cleanout. We are dedicated to helping homeowners keep their homes clean, healthy and free from any sewer backups! Call us at (505) 560-3424 when you need speedy help with your sewer line.