There are many fail safes in modern plumbing to help prevent sewer issues. From drain traps to sump pumps and vent pipes, your home is well protected against sewage backups. One very important component to this system which you should be aware of is the sewer clean-out. 

Sewer clean-outs are an important part of your home’s plumbing system. A sewer clean-out allows you to access the sewer lines that run from your house to the city sewers so that the pipes can be inspected for any blockages or other problems. A sewer clean-out is a preventive measure that will protect your home and family from flooding and sewage backups.

Sewer clean-outs prevent frequent drain problems. With a sewer clean-out, a plumber can tell you exactly what is causing a plumbing issue and give you advice for how to prevent it from happening in the future. They make it easier to fix clogged pipes. They reduce the cost of clearing away clogs.

A sewer clean-out is a small hole that connects to the main sewer line. A sewer clean-out is usually found near a basement window, along a sidewalk, in the yard, or at the edge of pavement where it meets the lawn. However, in older homes, there may be a drain clean-out located inside, it may be found in the basement or near a toilet. If you have a septic system, the clean-out may be located somewhere outside on your lateral sewer line that is connected to the tank.

After you find your sewer clean-out, look to see if you see sewage standing in (or draining out of) the sewer clean-out. If sewage or dirty water is coming out of your home’s sewer line clean-out, or if there is standing water around the clean-out pipe, this confirms you have a main sewer line clog.

A clean-out can come in different sizes,  4 or 6 inches. In most situations, it’s covered with a plastic cap that is painted  to make it easier to spot. If you survey your property and don’t find a clean-out access point, our expert plumbers recommend installing one on your plumbing system. Alternatively, you may pay a plumber to run a camera through the line to locate the clean-out from inside the pipe and pinpoint where to dig.

7 Signs You Need a Sewer Clean-out

1. Water Backed Up In Your Toilet, Shower, or Sink, Instead of Draining Away Quickly

Water should only flow down the drain. If you spot water flowing through your drains and back to the toilet or sink, there could be a problem within your sewer system. 

2. Slow Drains

Water should flow easily once you open the drain. A slow drain is an indication that your sewer line is clogged with debris, grease, or any other solid particles commonly found plaguing home plumbing systems.

3. Foul Odors Around Your Drain, Toilet, or Sink

If you regularly clean your toilet or sinks but foul odors persist, you’ve likely got a sewer problem.

4. Flooded Lawn

If it hasn’t rained in a while but your lawn is starting to resemble a swamp, you may have a blockage in your sewer system. 

5. Mold and Mildew

Besides pooling sewage in your lawn, you may notice patches o f mold and mildew on the walls and ceilings of your home. This is because they thrive in wet environments.

6. Multiple Clogs

Sometimes you experience a clogged sink, shower, or toilet. However, if multiple clogs occur frequently in your home, it’s not a coincidence. Reoccurring clogs are a sign of a potentially bigger problem in your drains.

7. Gurgling Noises Coming From Your Drains

Does your sink or toilet make strange gurgling noises when you use them or not? This usually indicates a blockage. This could be due to too much dirt, grease, or hair buildup in the pipes and sewer system.

Sewer clean-outs are not only for preventive maintenance, they provide a necessary opening for emergency repairs and diagnosis for any plumbing problem your home is experiencing. When a pipe breaks in your house, the damage can be severe and expensive to repair. Especially since a broken pipe or blockage can cause sewage to back up into your home. A sewer clean-out provides immediate access to these lines so a professional plumber can inspect the blockage and remove it without costly and time-consuming excavation.

With easy access to your home’s main sewer line, a plumber can use their equipment to quickly clear any blockages. By using the clean-out, our plumbers can use our specialty tools like a sewer inspection camera, a hydro-jetter , and a power rod to diagnose and then address your plumbing needs.

Sewer clean-outs are not only useful for repair jobs and emergency situations, clean-outs enable homeowners to conduct their own routine cleaning. Cleaning your pipes help prevent future clogs and damage. Even though cleaning your own lateral line seems like a cheap alternative, there is always risk of damaging the pipes. Having a professional plumber do the work is more effective and will be cheaper if they have access through a sewer clean-out. This is because they have more direct access, requiring fewer tools and less labor than if they have to dig up your yard or snake the lateral from an access point inside the home. Normally, without a clean-out, a plumber would have to remove your toilet or even go onto the roof in order to clean your sewer lines

Most people call a professional plumber to conduct an annual sewer cleaning. With a clean-out installed, this is a painless operation and the plumber doesn’t usually need to enter your home. Keeping your sewer clean means no backups or flooding later down the road.

There are many factors that contribute to the cost of a sewer clean-out installation. Our plumbers will access your plumbing system and develop the best approach at an affordable and honest price.

While everyone’s house is different, there are some common factors to consider before installing a sewer clean-out.

• Type of Excavation: To access your home’s main line, a plumber needs to excavate the appropriate area to install a clean-out, this could mean an excavation of dirt in your yard or concrete. The material dictates what type of equipment we need to do the job.

• Size and Type of Pipe: The size of the clean-out depends on your sewage system’s current pipe size.

• Depth of Main Sewer Line: Your home’s sewer line fluctuates in how deep it goes depending on the municipal sewer system. If your sewer system is deep in the ground, it may raise costs in terms of time and labor.

• Local and State Plumbing Sewer Code: Depending on your city or village ordinances, there may be specifications that sewer clean-outs are required to meet.

While the process of installing a clean-out can seem daunting, at Rootbusters Plumbing and Sewer, our goal is to make any plumbing problem easier for you. We are committed to providing our customers with the best service at an affordable and honest cost. Our experts are experienced in all types of drain clean-outs and know what it takes to keep your sewer clean.

Let us provide you with a free no obligation estimates. Give us a call today at 844-247-7668 and we can schedule an estimate for your clean-out installation.