What a cleanout is
A cleanout is a capped opening in your main sewer line, usually a pipe with a round cap near the house or by the sidewalk. It is the door into the line. Through it a plumber can run a cable, a hydro jet or a camera straight into the main sewer without going through a toilet or up on the roof.
Why it matters
- The main line can be cleared properly. Full-size tools fit through a cleanout. Without one, the line is reached through a roof vent or by pulling a toilet, with smaller tools and a worse result.
- It is quicker and less messy. The work stays outside the house.
- A camera can see the whole line. A real inspection of the lateral needs proper access.
- Hydro jetting needs one. A jetter cannot be run through a toilet.
- In a backup, it is a relief point. Opening the cleanout lets sewage out in the yard instead of in the house.
Homes without one
Many Hayward homes built between 1940 and 1960 were never given a cleanout, or have one that is buried under soil, concrete or a later addition. You usually find out during a backup, when the plumber cannot find a way in. Some have a cleanout that is the wrong kind, too small, or pointing only one direction.
How we install one
We locate the sewer line and pick the spot, usually just outside the house where the line leaves the foundation. We dig down to the pipe, cut in a new fitting with a riser up to ground level and cap it. Where it helps, we fit a two-way cleanout so the line can be worked toward the house and toward the street. Then we backfill and leave the cap where it can be found.
While the line is open we can run a camera through it, which tells you what shape the rest of the pipe is in. A cleanout near the property line is sometimes required for a sewer lateral certificate. When the job needs a permit, we pull it.
Main line clearing
If the main line is blocked right now, we clear it first. With a cleanout in place that is routine work: cable for a simple blockage, hydro jetting for grease, sludge and roots. If the camera shows a broken pipe, see sewer repair or trenchless replacement.
Where we work
We are based in Hayward and work in every Hayward ZIP code (94541, 94542, 94544, 94545) and across the East Bay.
About Friendly Services
Family-owned, with over 20 years in Hayward. License CSLB #1156315 (C-36 plumbing). $1M general liability cover and workers' comp. Five-year workmanship warranty on our own work. 100+ five-star reviews online.