To unclog an outside main drainpipe cleanout using an auger, follow these steps:
- Clear the cleanout plug of debris by brushing away dirt and leaves from the opening and twisting the plug off.
- Place the root cutter blade of the auger into the drain and turn on the power.
- Feed the auger cable into the drain and back out the cable.
- Install outside cleanouts to make the installation process less damaging.
Sewer lines are basic pipes that remove waste from fixtures like sinks, toilets, showers, and dishwashers. Cleanouts are pipes with a removable cap that allow access to the main sewer to clear blockages or diagnose problems. Inspect each bathroom in the home for a capped black or white ABS plastic drain line, utility room, garage, sidewalk, foundation, and inside.
In many municipalities, the place where your lateral meets the municipal sewer line is marked. To remove a stuck cleanout plug, follow these steps:
- Unplug and pull out the dryer.
- Disconnect the dryer vent pipe.
- Assemble a drying vent cleaning kit.
- Clean your vent from inside.
- Clean your vent from outside.
- Check the dryer.
If you can’t unclog a blockage in your main drain due to a stuck cleanout plug, follow these steps:
- Use an old-fashioned steel chisel and a ball peen hammer on the face of the clean-out.
- Turn the square part sticking out counterclockwise until it opens.
- Drill a “dimple” into the face on the outer periphery to ease the cap off.
- Insert a long, sturdy screwdriver or pry bar through the hole at an angle from the corner furthest from the camera to the corner closest to the camera.
- Once the nut rips off, cut the rest out with a hammer and a sharp chisel.
📹 How Pipes Are Professionally Cleaned and Relined | Art Insider
Kenneth Kaas is a professional plumber and pipe fitter from Norway. Instead of digging underground or using any kind of …
How do you remove a cleanout cover?
To remove a stuck cleanout plug, use a large pipe wrench to loosen the plug, file it square with a metal file, or apply penetrating oil to loosen the bolts. If the plug still doesn’t loosen, use an adjustable wrench to loosen the bolts. If the plug does loosen, let trapped water ooze out into a bucket and open the plug a little at a time. Clear the blockage with an auger or garden hose.
If the plug remains stubborn, use a cold chisel and hammer to tap it counterclockwise. If the nut remains stuck, proceed to the next step. If the plug remains stuck, try burning off the rust around the plug with a propane torch. Hold the wrench with one hand while moving the torch over the rusted fitting with the other hand. If this doesn’t work, move on to the next step.
How to open an outside drain cover?
Before attempting to unblock a drain, it is crucial to assess the blockage using the best method possible. Typically, removing the drain cover is the easiest way to gain visibility into the blockage. Assessing the severity of the block can help determine if it is something you can handle or if professional help is needed. If visible signs of the blockage, such as a pile of leaves or silt blocking the drain, can be removed, the problem may be resolved.
If no signs of the blockage are visible, it may be deeper issues that require professional assistance. If the block type is manageable, proceed to step two. Having the correct tools, such as a high pressure water jet or drainage rod, can make the process easier.
How do you unscrew a cleanout?
The clean-out plug, which is likely 50 years old and has never been opened, can be removed using two methods. The first involves using an old-fashioned steel chisel and a ball peen hammer to turn the plug counter-clockwise. If the chisel doesn’t work, chisel through the surface of the plug and cut the rest out with a sawzall. Once the center is removed, a heavy screw driver can pry out the threads. This method is effective for older pipes and can be a helpful tool for plumbers.
What does an outside sewer cleanout look like?
A metal pipe, typically white, black, or gray in color and often capped with a threaded end, is a common sight in residential yards or along exterior walls.
How do you remove an extractor cover?
In order to remove the plastic hinge, it is necessary to use a normal screwdriver and apply pressure until a sound is heard, at which point the hinge can be released by pulling it slightly.
How do I find my cleanout plug?
To locate a sewer cleanout, follow the drain pipes connecting to your main plumbing fixtures, capped with a metal or plastic knob. If the pipes are difficult to locate, consult a service professional or contact the previous owner for more information. Proper cleanout maintenance is crucial to prevent backups in the main sewer line, messy plumbing emergencies, and potential damage. Here are some tips for maintaining your drain cleanout:
- Regularly clean the drain pipes, ensuring they are clean and free of debris.
- Regularly inspect the drain pipes for any signs of blockages or leaks.
- Regularly check for any leaks or leaks.
How do you remove a drain hole cover?
The speaker will then proceed to cover themselves with the pliers, hold them in place, and pull up with them.
How to remove an outdoor drain grate?
The removal of the great can be accomplished with relative ease through the use of a screwdriver and levering action.
How do you clear a sewer cleanout?
This guide outlines the process of a sewer line cleanout, which involves locating the cleanout, removing the cap with a pipe wrench, looking for blockages, snake down, maintaining pressure and spinning, and pulling the cable out. Sewer lines are often overlooked until they become an emergency, but performing basic maintenance can prevent these issues. The guide also provides a comparison of quotes from top-rated sewer repair contractors. By following these steps, sewer lines can be cleaned and maintained effectively.
How do you open a drain pipe cleanout?
A clean-out plug is a device used to drain wastewater from drains in areas like basements, crawlspaces, garages, or near the house’s foundation. It is typically found on a large drainpipe and can be removed with an adjustable wrench. Main drain line clogs can be caused by debris accumulation, grease pouring, broken pipes, or tree roots at the home’s foundation. The cost, availability, and item numbers may vary online or by market. To reduce the risk of a clog, it is crucial to be careful about what goes down your drains and follow these tips to ensure a clean and drain-free environment.
How do you unlock an outside drain?
To clear an outside drain blockage, follow the same methods as for an inside drain blockage. Pour boiling water down the drain, add bicarbonate of soda, and vinegar, and let it fizz and froth. Replace the drain cover loosely and let it work for a few hours. Common types of outside drain blockages include those originating within your home or affecting shared drains. Talk to your neighbors if they have any issues with water draining at their house. If they are not experiencing any problems, it’s your responsibility. If you notice any of these issues, take action as soon as possible.
📹 Building and Installing 2 Way Cleanouts – Real Plumbing Job
Today I’m out running a real plumbing call. I’m going to show you how to build and install 2-way cleanouts from my point of view.
I’ve been a corrosion engineer for 26 years and have seen a lot of corroded pipes in my time. For pipe interiors, this is a great method to prolong the life. The outside of the pipe which is buried in the ground can be protected with a protective coating system and an electrochemical method widely used called cathodic protection. Coatings, linings and cathodic protection can increase the useful life of metallic pipes by dozens of years or longer, if properly installed and maintained. Great article 📹 👍 👏
i had this procedure done several years ago. When the city replaced old septic tanks and hooked my house to the sewer network, the digging apparently disrupted the concrete pipes that lead from my foundation out to where the septic tank was located. this resulted in roots getting into the cracks and clogging up the sewerline. instead of an expensive job of digging up the pipes and replacing them, the norwegian company SJT in my area went down a 90 degree inspection tube and performed this procedure. never had an issue since..
“This will last 50 years which is twice as long as PVC….” Yeah that’s a complete lie. The USA, Canada, and Australia have performed dig up studies of PVC pipe after 100 years and found 0.00% pipe degradation. PVC is one of the most amazing plastics that has ever been invented. The chemicals to make it are super cheap, and the waste and pollution materials are very small, and the plastic lasts forever if you set it and bury it properly in the ground. The only thing you have to be mindful of is to keep massive tree roots away from the pipes and the PVC pipe will outlast 10 generations. But you have to keep trees away from all pipes. Not just PVC.
You can also run cables along with these inliners “outside” the new pipe: If you use fiber cables, for example, specialized controllers can detect if and where you have a new leak (or: the first leak in your pipe) AND you can still use the cable for a data transport. People are also researching, whether this technology can be used to make existing methane / natural gas or even oil pipelines fit for hydrogen transport, which is a huge challenge for all involved materials.
We had this done and it was the best thing we ever did. We had to have plumbers come annually to snake the pipe because of tree roots and it always seemed to happen at Christmas time. It’s not cheap however and was not covered by insurance….but (knock on wood) haven’t had an issue since! We can 💩 without having to give our guests special instructions when they use the bathroom 😆
I use to do this sort or thing for a living about 40 years ago and alot has changed . We had a contract to clean a number of mains in a small town . We had a big pumper truck that would attach to the top of a disassembled fire hydrant with a place to load a giant bullet . Basically a big sponge bullet the diameter of the pipe was forced down into the main with the city water shut off and valves shut off on the side streets . You better hope the city drawings are accurate . Basically you could steer where the bullet went and what hydrant it was coming out of by shutting off certain valves along the route . We lost some, like i said drawings arent always accurate but recovered thankfully . Bullet would go in whole and come out the other hydrant alot smaller . you knew the bullet was on the way when all the tuberculation starts pouring out by the buckets, if the bullet did its job . Last out is whats left of the bullet, like a limp dick, soaked with water, saggy and much smaller . This procedure is repeated till the bullet is close to the same size in and out .This all happens in the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping, they are notified though ..
SO COOL!!!🤯 Just amazed at the new tech & innovations coming out these days!! Also fun to watch polycrete leveling articles! Along the same lines by being much more labor efficient & dramatically less invasive!! Same with 3d printing tiny homes! Tho material cost is higher, labor is the highest cost for almost any business!! Excited to see what’s next!!!
They typically use this process under roads where the road is in excellent condition or where full excavation would be difficult. The article though is only for private pipes and really did not go into detail about how they address issues such as connections along the pipe; those have to all be cored as they are blocked by the re-lining process. It is actually one of the more innovative parts of the re-lining process.
I can already feel my sperm count drop after seeing that resin. Phthalates are no joke. Also this is a temporar solution. That relining won’t last and will require whole demo later on anyway. Clients pay 30k for relining so they avoid paying 70-100k for demo and new piping. Thing is demo and new piping will cost them way over the original price 5-10 years later when the lining breaks down. Pipes cannot be relined forever as that resin layer cannot be removed and pipes are required by law to be able to let through specific amount of sewage. Hell, what do I know…I’m just an ex demo guy.
Part of my job is to do this on a way larger scale. Our “liner” comes in all one gigantic narrow package. It’s very heavy. We the connect packers on each end of the pipe blowing lots of air into it. With a uv lights on wheels inside of all that and heat the liner while the Packers are keeping the liner blown up.
That’s really clever ! I am rarely impressed by “cleverness”, as many solutions are dictated by the local conditions and if you “listen” carefully to the environment solutions come up almost “by themselves”. But this is beyond obvious; it is both daring and innovative. I am an inventor and hold 2 patents in 3 countries, so over time I have had the time, the motivation and the opportunity to learn how to differentiate between what I call “speculative innovation” and “real innovation”. This is real innovation. What I mean by “real” in this context is that this solution doesn not repair cracks, but what it is “held” responsible for the cracks: the material of the pipe. A solution for reparing the cracks in this circumstance, would have been a “speculative innovation” ( that’s my term for fake innovation) because the probability of occurance of some other cracks would have not been removed. This solution does that.
I work at the only company in the USA that can line gas mains(from 4in-48in+) I operate a flatbed sandblasting truck that shoots copper Slag at 100psi which is then sucked up by an Industrial vac. The lining process is slightly similar. I think we do sewer as well but it’s not as profitable as the gas is. The technology is genius and I’m surprised it’s not a global operation
I read that epoxy coatings can leach off toxins both before they are cured and after they are cured. So when it comes to water, I don’t really know the long term effects, but do they? I find the article very cool indeed, but it lacks transparency. There’s a very interesting paper called “Drinking water contaminants from epoxy Resin-coated pipes : A field study”, to anyone who might be interested.
This is an informative article. However, there are two false narratives. Depending on the lining method and installation, the material may or may not stick to the inside of the existing pipe. This means there is a possibility that water can still flow between the existing pipe and the liner. Also, PVC pipe has been around since 1952 and is just as strong, if not stronger, than these new lining methods. There are many factors to take into consideration. PVC pipe and fittings can withstand temperatures up to 140 degrees, which means your typical household will have zero problems with having PVC. Water heaters in the US come out of the factory set at 120 degrees. You can turn them up to 140/150 but it is not recommended due to scalding. PVC can also handle household chemicals. Lining materials and resin are limited on temperature and chemicals as well. To say than liners last 50 years and PVC lasts half that time is false. I have never seen a residential or commercial PVC system fail if engineered correctly. The only time I have seen PVC fail is if it is not bedded properly underground and it sheers due to the weight of the earth.
It definitely does not last twice as long as brand new PVC. Also costs about twice as much as a conventional excavation depending on depth. A sanitary service is not nearly the depth to make it equitable unless the homeowner has the finance to preserve their convenience, a tree, lawn or even has the utility of not having completely crushed clay, no-corrode or severed AC. These fellas are repairing cast-iron under ideal circumstance to sell a product.
Interesting article, but it would be nice if the producers of this article did even a modicum of research on the lifespan of PVC sewer pipes. Ever a cursory google search and they would discover that the typical practical lifespan of a PVC sewer pipe is 100 years, not 25 years. Therefore, the claim at the end of the article that relining lasts twice as long as a new PVC pipe is patently false.
THANK YOU, I NEEDED TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD REPLACE OR FIX WATER SEWER PIPES, BECAUSE THEY WILL BE DOING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SOON, AND WE DID NOT KNOW, IF WE WOULD HAVE TO MOVE OUT OR NOT, SO NOW THAT I SEE THE NEW TECHNOLOGY THEY ARE USING TO FIX NEW PIPES, IT HAS SET MY MIND AT EASE, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL USE THIS MENTOD. THANKS AGAIN…😀
Everybody’s giving it the big thumbs up. Okay, great. But nobody seems to be asking the relevant questions that consumers want to know—such as: Where do you get the stuff? Is it readily available everywhere? (I’m in California.) How do you arrange to have it done on your own pipes? And what is the exact procedure? (Does every pipe on the property need to be completely excavated in order to make this whole process work?) And of course, what is the cost of doing so?
I just watched my hubby doing this but on a smaller pipe. He said he was putting pipe plugs in and sent me a article. I got to see what he was doing at work today. Well,I watched your article so I can act like I know what it’s about.😅 Thanks for giving this wife some knowledge so we can have a good conversation tonight.
so you’re wrong about one thing, the new pipe doesn’t need to stick, they need to get it to the max diameter to allow the most flow / consistent diameter. The “cleaning” method mentioned above is for nothing more then the diameter, BECAUSE the new pipe hardens to a hardness of around steel. (fibre glass epoxy) There for, It doesn’t matter if it sticks, all that matters is it’s a consistent diameter the whole way through. It won’t ever move, because it goes through twists and turns etc. irrelevant if it sticks or not.
Keep strong. Dont forget that despite the evil in this world, God is full of justice, mercy and love. Justice said we broke His perfect law – causing the world’s previous perfection to be destroyed – and therefore we deserve Hell (like a punishment in any legal system but this is eternal as His perfect law is eternal too). Don’t think you fit in that category? Ever done one of these?: lying, stealing – regardless of how small the object EVER, hating others – which is murder in God’s perfect law, lusting (plus God sees our entire thought life). Justice says “the soul that sins shall die” – if we break one in thought/word/deed it’s as if we’re guilty of all of them. Quite simply, living by the law (which is doing everything perfectly) is impossible for sinful humans . The law shows us that 1. We will die in Hell if we fail to follow it and 2. We cannot save ourselves BUT, 3. God’s perfect, immovable law points us to Christ, who followed and fulfilled the law in thought, word and deed perfectly in our place. He did what we couldn’t and did it on our behalf. He was then sentenced to death on a cross, and took our personal punishment for our sin, paying our penalty (like paying our fine) completely FOR us, and has given us freedom. If we turn from the sins we have committed and repent (pursue the opposite direction of love through Christ) He will, overtime, recreate us into His image through The Holy Spirit which Jesus sends to all who accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior of their life.
Finally it’s coming to America. I wanted to do this with my sewer line and I was quoted 18k – insane! Europeans have been doing for decades and it’s cheap there. We’re finally catching up with mini split systems! When I was getting mine installed 15 years ago only 2 companies could do it. Now we have every hvac guy and diy available. I hope this pipe re-lining becomes popular and cheaper here
I mean can we talk about the fact that if you have really old pipes this could literally save your life. I can’t remember if it’s iron or lead but whatever the case once that old pipe got bad enough you’d be drinking it and getting sick. This literally shelters you from poisoning yourself with old pipes.
I’ve been reading lately about the various types of airborne pollution which can cause anything from headaches, to hay fever. Surprisingly, the number one source of indoor air pollution is air ducts. They get covered with dirt, and dust, and other debris. All those allergens get pumped into the house. Home air ducts are usually filthy. There are air duct cleaning services, but most homes never get treated. So it might help to insert a plastic sleeve into every air duct to provide a clean enclosure. That would reduce indoor air pollution by 90%.
Seems like a very expensive, ingenious, and temporary run-around task to fix something. Cast iron tubes rust from the inside out, and the rust itself, also causes horrible pitting in the inside of the tube, like cancer. Eventually, a leak will spring out of there. It’s probably best to jack hammer the floor, and replace those cast iron sewer tubes with those of PVC.
What happens if this pipe have degraded already?… Can you realign them again with the same or does it mean that the whole pipe system’s life is over? It’s over because of this invention compared to just replacing the part that have leaks or breakage, giving it longer life compared to this new method…
Respectfully this is not a new process I work for several companies that used processes such as this some of them were used for quite large municipality size projects I do not know if I am allowed to say the name of the companies but I’m sure with today’s technology looking them up on the Internet would not be difficult at all from my standpoint as a person who built the stuff it is quite interesting a little hazardous to one’s health when making the resident epoxy or if you’re by the pinch rollers cuz we have done sizes in excess of 6 ft wide when fully inflated and I’m told at other plants for the last company I worked for they have made them large enough where you can drive a full size pickup truck through them it is truly something
As long as you don’t send hot drinking water through such pipes, everything is OK. But at least here in Germany this is often the case and then BPA can dissolve and get into the drinking water, which is why pipes have not been sanitised in this way for 5-8 years, the method is outdated for such cases and a health risk.
Has anyone tested this? I mean for environmental impact? Like leave a equal piece of this in a tank for a year, comparable safe ABS in a control tank and multiple other tanks with things like accidental piecing or disolving from common chemicals and much much plastic and chemicals it leeches into the water table?
1:59 Dangerous and can lead lead to pure effect. It is exothermic reaction so you can burn your self. Resin will partially degrade if not mixed in pretty precise proportions so it is much better to use scales or at list measuring beaker. Also this method of mixing does create lots of baubles and vacuum is needed to get rid of them. At this point the article is foll of shit. You can do it like they show it, but you will get low quality material and in some cases it will brake before its time.
Ok am I the only person that’s getting sick of people saying they do things by hand when they don’t, like yes technically everything is done with your hands, but you mixed that resin with a drill and bit not with your hands and a stick, saw a guy say hand made knife on a article, same concept, then proceeded to use a hydraulic press, welder, and grinder to make the knife, not a single hand tool uses not even a file or sand paper to sharpen like does “made by hand” just mean a person made it instead of a robot now?
Hate it when an inspector rolls up on you and he (or she) is 25yrs younger than you, fresh out of college and figured working for the city would be a great job.They always try to impress you with all The “book knowledge” they have retained and have never been “in the trenches”! As any experienced plumber knows, there are many ways to to install plumbing “to code”.
I am a drain tech and if I pulled up to a house that had a cleanout installed like this, I would be so happy. I usually cut 50 bucks off the service when the customers sewer has this configuration. It seems like every time there is a one way clean out it goes the wrong direction. When the cleanout has one of those two-way fittings the blockage is down stream, the riser is full and it’s so deep that I have no way of telling which way the cable is going. Cutting the risers off so that the clean out body is above grade is also a great thing. I don’t know many times I have had to run vents etc. because the clean out were buried or under snow. Why is your right hand so much stronger than your left? Never mind…Thanks for the vid!
For everyone that loves straight tee or double eye clean outs. I was a drain cleaning professional for a while, a single tee or double wye cleanout sucks when you need to clean a drain and it’s full to the brim. Hard to tell if the cable is going out to the street or back Into the house. And those cables will break toilets if not careful.
Oh my God I thought I was the only one that did that with the lettering everybody looks at me like I’m crazy but it is something that my father taught me and that I have always done and I’ve been a plumber for 30 years now, it is great to see how much pride you take your work I’m glad to see there’s others out there P.S. I just purchased one of your new face mask can’t wait for it to arrive
Hey Roger, Been working on the house I bought cheap a couple years ago, 18K in 2021… that has needed some work but finally getting to the point where I can start some projects. Put in a cleanout like this along with a 2″ drain line that goes to what will be my outdoor cooking area. Kinda glad I did since I found that the 4″ PVC they put in had a section with pretty much ZERO glue and likely was done by a plumber who told his apprentice to just put the cleaner on all the fittings in the truck so he wasn’t standing around for an hour doing nothing. Ever heard of that one? Have your apprentice put cleaner on the stuff weeks or months in advance before using it, seems like that would defeat the purpose IMHO. I suspect the previous cleanout that was put in right next to the house is likely going to be the “it can be used both ways” style but it will eventually end up being changed as it will probably be under the porch when I am done but extended so it can be accessed if needed. Also going to put a cleanout through the foundation near the front of the house for a easy way to clean out the line that way as well if needed though what I will run there is only going to be 3″ pvc. Anyway working on stuff is a labor of love to say the least but it’s the only way to get ahead when you don’t have cash to throw away. Trying to teach my stepson that one. Anyway thanks for the article and sharing your knowledge with the rest of us. MuttMutt👍
I dont agree with showing the writing. I prefer to keep my joints and fittings free of excess primer spillage to show workmanship, and when installing pipe thatll be visible (outside stacks, waste pipes inside cabinets etc) i was taught to hide the writing, so all the customer sees is the plain white pipe, when possible. Just an opinion
I recently had my sewer line clog somewhere in the front yard. The house has old cast pipe and the cleanout plug would not come out to save my life. I ended up drilling a few holes and cutting the cap out but couldnt find a new one anywhere. It was some odd size like 4 1/4 or something similar. Is it ok to use a 5×4 fernco type connector that slips over the outside of the cast cleanout then put a 3 inch abs cleanout?
Here in Germany we have mostly PVC or Cast Iron Pipes, at least for buried sewage pipes. The PVC is not glued but comes with pre-installed rubber gaskets in the sleeves, so you just push them together. And they are orange-brown. The community sewage pipe is mostly made from PE nowadays. Indoors the classic way is the gray HT-Pipe, which is made from polypropylene and can withstand temperatures up to 200°F/95°C.
Don’t know how many plumbers know this but a “two way clean out”fitting is not an “approved” fitting. Two combi’s back to back is the only approved way to install a “double clean out”. Just got done arguing with an inspector about this,also “fernco”rubber coulpings are approved in the dirt, just not in walls!
the primer can says apply wet. I tell my apprentices Not to hold on the lid when applying primer and glue, hold into the stem as the stem and dobber can/will break off the lid and you have a $30.00 can of solvent/primer you have to pour onto the pipe and fitting thereby wasting money And due to hydraulic action the fitting will want to pull out. With 6″ pvc it’s very difficult for the fitting not to Not slip out of the pipe with too much primer/glue. The no-hup coupling / Dresser / Fernco reguires 60 inch pounds of torque. They make a no-hub coupling tool that ratchets out at 60 inch pounds so it can not br under/over tightened,.
Why not shop build the 2 way at your shop and then bring assembled unit to site if you know you are going to replacing it? This would allow you to build a jig and have true consistent length. additionally could then build template for marking both ends of cut on existing pipe. Resulting in reduced site work time and improved cost for client.
The article is good I got a few comments though not to be a critic but to be a critic. Why’d you put in that thing when they already had.why did you not just put the glue on the fitting first and then the pipe.Normally the pipe doesn’t hydraulic out if you give it a twist then wait ten seconds because you twisted out all the air.plus I don’t know if you said it before but you should say to use the primer and the glue because it creates a solvent weld. That’s just if we’re doing informational articles . Anyways keep up the good work like the articles.
All pvc in TN, abs usually only in trailers. Also, always glue while primer is wet. If you have ever been through a certification class on plastic pipe joining they will tell you in order for the chemical reaction to occur both primer and cement must be wet for a proper solvent weld to occur. However on a dwv system because it doesn’t hold pressure, unless it’s new construction or a test like your doing here it’ll never show up. But do it on a water system, you’ll figure out something was done wrong.
Very rarely Doe’s the owner of a large Plumbing company work in the field. I a a Self employed Plumber in New York State, just myself and a experienced helper and I profit a minimum of $185,000 a year. I will never work for a company that pays $28.00 a hour again. I bid my residential out at $1k per fixture and they buy the fixtures. $850. To replace a shower valve
I was gonna say cut, file, and de=burrrr why and?? But it looks like it’s pretty much in the comments. It’s sewage. PSI near zero, not going to leak with cut, rub (burrs), prime, glue, insert and twist if you can. I can see if we were pushing 200+ psi, this is great! I did learn something, and I thank you. Why don’t pipe and fittings come prepped like that? The time saved would be huge and worth the extra cost, TM. If by the hour, “score”!
Anyone who thinks Roger doesn’t know what he is talking about or doesn’t do the dirty work is either blind or dumb. LITERALLY EVERYTHING Roger says in his articles is quality advice he’d only be able to obtain through getting his hands dirty for his entire career and building a company himself so screw that noise! Also the best plumbing instructors / teachers I’ve encountered always have the most badass mustaches, I think there is a correlation there lol!
I(m doing this same project on my system. I had to jackhammer approximately 8 cubic feet of solid concrete to get enough pipe to work with. It looks as if they either back filled part of the trench with concrete down to the pipe or it poured from under the forms. It was about 2′ thick! The concrete extended approximately 4′ from the edge of the brick. I have a total of 59″ to work with between the tank and footer. I also have to account for an offset from the house to the tank. On top of it all there was no clean out put in at construction. The home was built in 1992. Should I be able to adjust the inlet pipe into the tank? I would really prefer glueing all of the joints if possible.
ABS for any under ground/ above ground residential work. ABS underground and PVC or XFR PVC for above ground on commercial buildings. Also for pvc pipe, I never use the glue/primer combo anymore. They make a 1 step pvc glue that is much quicker. Wont go back to primer. Also, you commented about other guys waiting for the primer to dry completely. That is a big NO. If they read the directions, they would know that the primer should not dry, otherwise it needs to be reapplied.
I’m not at all impressed with that watch. In fact a man who works with his hands would never wear it or anything nice. The real thing that impresses me is the facial pubis your sporting. Nice job. I own one myself. A vintage 1970s porno flavor saver is a lot of work and requires constant attention. Yours is the deluxe silverback model. So cool
48 yr plumber her(I’m 48 and my dad was a plumber) self employed almost 14 yrs now. Here in VA you don’t really see a whole lot of ABS. Mostly in older homes. All PVC. Dude…really like your articles. Lol….i am a plumber so I was perusal close……made it look good but debugging the pipe was overkilled……just saying. Also…of course I use purple primer when installing PVC but honestly unless pipe is really dirty….i don’t think it’s needed. PVC welds the pipe well without it.
Thank you so much for this article. My husband and I have moved into our home 10 years ago. We have had plumbing issues since we moved in and we think that’s why the previous owners moved out! A couple of years ago We finally found the clean out and installed a pump in our septic, but we’re still having a lot of water. We’re not quite sure if we have a second clean out pipe or not. Your article was very informative because we thought maybe there was a leak under the house and we weren’t sure how we would even get under there now I see that it can be done and I’m sure it would be costly. Do you think this is something that a married couple could do together?
I’m sorry but should probably leave this to and underground guy. 1) Don’t use a fernco use a pvc repair coupler 2) instead of 2 separate clean outs use a one piece 2 way clean out y 3) I like that you filed the pipe but a chamfering/debuting tool does a much nicer job. There is nothing really wrong here per say but there are better ways. It’s hard to keep up with it unless you do it every day. And yes I used to do it this way years ago but times change and we have to keep up with new technology and techniques.
I don’t know the standards in America btw I love your articles I’m just curious to your opinion on what I’m about to say, but the whole purpose of filing that pipe is to make sure we have a good seal and that once you’ve glued the fitting the bures won’t catch and waste e.g paper and hair correct? Now with the amount of glue you are using once you’ve joined that fitting the glue will push up behind the fitting and create is own sort of bure. That’s just how Ive always been taught here in Australia, love the articles mate always good to see how we compare
The whole letters thing: great approach; never thought of that. I did electrical construction back in the day and my boss had us put wall plates on with the screws going vertical. Is a nice touch that the homeowner (or inspector) showed that you paid attention to even the smallest detail (plus it looks totally rad). I admit I haven’t done this with PVC but you bet I am going to start. Thanks for the tip, Mr Roger.
I recently got a quote for 10k to excavate my sewer line. Replace the cast iron with pvc, install epoxy lining on pipe that goes under the road, and installing a clean out. I’m sorry but 10k???? I’m on day two and I have the old line excavated and removed didn’t cost me a dollar so far. So I found out epoxy lining needs to be done by a professional but that’s the only thing on the 10k job I can’t handle myself
You bosses always are proud when you occasionally get your hands dirty. When you said straight off you sent out the diggers I rolled my eyes. I work for a one plumber business and I am the digger, the getter, the crawler all because the old cranky plumber I work for is getting up in years. He is a bastard at work but the nicest guy after ( I love and respect the old coot). Hell all you did is make a couple of cuts, easy peasy. Just yanking you chain, I am sure you are a great plumber
Hay Roger. You’re the man with a plan! Thank you for the articles and advice. I’m a dreaded landlord. I had a duplex sewer line become blocked. A rooter guy finally cleared the drain. article camera showed cast iron under the single story duplex concrete slab. A few feet after the slab the drain turns into ceramic. The article showed 3 ceramic joints have slipped with the worst choking the 4″ line to about 2″. The plumber guy wanted to sell me a $14-16k dual clean out system. I found this article which shows the job isn’t very difficult. So we’re going to do it ourselves. We’ve worked with PVC pipe before. An ? However. The article shows you making the dual clean out manifold yourself. Pricing the job I found a built manifold. So, is there a real advantage to building the manifold vs buying one? Thanks for your work. From a fellow chrome dome’r.
Awesome work – but did you need so much primer and glue? Also, it looks like you got dirt on your primer and/or glue brushes once or twice. Hope not. I always wondered if plumbers cared about getting the purple primer all over everything. When I do it goes all over the pipes, especially if they are buried or in a rough location.
so when you were putting the new cleanout in i noticed you used a glue joint on one end and a band on the other…. the times i have tried that ive had difficulty getting the fitting to slip in at the right angle because the other end cant drop in because the pipe is in the way. i also dont want to cut it short and leave a gap in the band. it seemed just to slip right in for you, honestly not sure how unless the pipe had play in it. i usually just band both ends so i can keep the cuts right up against each other…
Deburring is so important in a pvc glue joint and most professional plumbers don’t do it or were never taught the importance of doing it so therefore they pass on that bad habit to apprentices . If you don’t put a bevel on the outside edge of the end of the pipe that is getting glued then when you put the pipe in the fitting the all of that glue has nowhere to go so it forces the pipe out of the fitting even if you are holding it and no one holds it until the glue drys .
I was taught not to let the primer dry. Here’s why…. Once you lay the primer down it softens the pvc so when you glue them together it melts them together so it needs to be printed and glued ASAP . Could be wrong through. After every job we also lay down some root killer powder to keep the roots away.
Hey Roger just curious as to why you’re not using ABS as to PVC, here in Arizona it’s all ABS when it comes to residential. is it because PVC is required in Texas or is it just a personal preference? ABS is an easier process because it doesn’t require primer the one step process to glue the pipe and fittings together.