First off, just what is a clean-out? When you’re talking plumbing, a clean-out is the part of a pipe that connects to a riser tube which provides an easy-to-access opening at ground level. Most clean-outs are normally installed in basements or in outdoor areas of the property. Clean-outs make regular maintenance on a sewer or drain line possible. It is standard practice to install cleanouts at the edges of property lines because it prevents the necessity of entering private homes and property to correct sewer main stoppages.

What Are The Advantages of a Properly Installed Clean-Out?

• Once you locate the clean-outs on your property, you’ll never have to wonder where your sewer line runs again. It will be easier to locate next time it needs maintenance or repairs.
• In the event of heavy rain or a flood, activating your drain or sewer clean-outs can save the interior of your home from similar flooding.
• They ensure no clog is too deep in the line to stump a skilled drain cleaner. Clean-outs make all clogs accessible to regular sized cables and blades.
• In the event of a line blockage, the more clean-outs you have, the cheaper the drain cleaning bill is likely to be.
• Having sewer line clean-outs provides a better vantage point for performing a cleaning of the line right at the source of the problem rather than pulling up your toilet or climbing to the roof and going down the vent.
• With properly installed clean-outs, the sewer lines in your building or home can be given a visual test at each plumbing fixture in the home to ensure all drains are flowing as desired.
• Having clean-outs and being knowledgeable about them and their location will ultimately save you a bundle on plumbing bills and help you be proactive in the care of your home’s plumbing system.

Does your home have clean-outs? Do you know where they are? If your answer was ‘no,’ call the drain cleaning experts at Stewart Plumbing for a free, in-home consultation.