Although clean-outs are known to few people who aren’t professional plumbers, it is extremely useful for homeowners to know where they are in the event that something goes wrong with their plumbing system. Without fully understating what and where your clean-out is, you could end up with backed up water waste in your home, which is something no one wants. Keep reading for everything you need to know about this important piece of equipment, and make sure to contact the San Bernardino plumbing & HVAC experts at All Pro Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical for all your plumbing needs.
All About Clean-Outs
A sewer-clean-out is a pipe with a cap on it that allows you to access your home’s plumbing pipes. The pipes in your house come together through a main system called a stack. From there, sewage runs out into the county system or your septic tank. When clogs or other issues arise, preventing the pipes in the stack from reaching the sewage system, a clean-out can be accessed to allow a snake or hydrojetting nozzle to enter your system and dislodge the clog.
As mentioned above, serious clogs in your system can lead to sewage backup, resulting in waste water flowing up into your home. By accessing your plumbing system’s clean-out, you can get rid of clogs and clean everything out before water waste starts coming out of your pipes. This is obviously extremely important, as water waste is not only noxious, but a serious health hazard. Sewage backup also poses a risk of dangerous gases, which can flow through your pipes and into the air inside your house.
Clean-outs are usually located outside of the home, although oftentimes in older houses they are located inside. The most common place you will find an indoor clean-out is the basement, although they can also be in a utility room or garage. However, in California, where the weather is usually warmer, chances are your clean-out is going to be located outside your home. To find it, look around the edges of your property for a round cover. On some properties, it may be obscured by landscaping, although there is also a good chance it is located on top of a concrete slab.
Plumbing Advice and Service You Can Count On
If you have seen sludge bubbling up through your drains or pipes or smelled toxic gases in your home, there is a strong probability you have a sewage problem. You should stop using water-related appliances immediately if this is the case, and locate your clean-out as soon as possible. After doing this, you will want to run a snake through the line and attempt to unclog it immediately. If you are not able to uncover the cap, or your efforts to remove the clog through the clean-out are not effective, you should call a professional plumber right away.
Luckily for you, All Pro Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical will be able to locate your clean-out quickly and provide any services you need. Our technicians offer comprehensive plumbing work, including drain clearing, sewer line services, and emergency plumbing. Don’t let sewage buildup put your family’s health and safety at risk. Contact All Pro today, and let our plumbers save your system.
For plumbing assistance in San Bernardino and beyond, dial (909) 500-8193, or fill out our contact form online.