Skip to main content

More About Cleanouts And Why Every Homeowner Needs One

Whether or not your property has a cleanout is one of the first questions Smart Plumbers will ask you over the phone after you share your problem with us. They're so important that this topic has now become a 3-part series (click here for our earlier entry on sewer cleanouts). Here, we'll visually demonstrate the difference it makes.

Our master plumber Joel is using a line locator to pinpoint the area where the obstruction is posing a problem. The cleanout allows Joel to do whatever he needs to right at the point of entry for the pipe.


This customer in Mountain View, on the other hand, lacked a sewer cleanout on their property. In this scenario, Joel with the aid of a second helper to feed the line at ground level went up on their roof to cable the sewerline through their roof vent.



We will get the job done this way, but it's more expensive and poses more safety challenges. Either way, our expert plumbers will be happy to solve your problem. At the same time, we cannot recommend you ask us about getting a cleanout installed enough should you need one on your property.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Low shower head pressure; DIY quick tip

If you are experiencing low pressure from your shower head it can be caused by several things.  Remove showerhead and run water to check actual water volume and pressure. Before replacing showerhead it's a good idea to apply fresh plumbing tape (clockwise direction) to prevent any showerhead leaks. Flow restrictor valve/ water saver. Remove washer and colored restrictor flow valve replace washer. Calcium/Magnesium or lime  scale build up. Single Lever A single lever shower set up, remove handle and cover to get access to valve and cartridge.  Adjust hot 'red' screw, back off counter clockwise or/and cold 'blue' screw as needed for more pressure  flow. (Use Hex/Allan key, 2.5mm flathead screw driver, needle nose pliers). You may need to replace cartridge, clear clogged pipes.  You can purchase a water pressure gauge for your home to test overall water pressure coming into your household from city; 50 psi is generally good pressure.  Use Hex/Allan key, 2.5mm ...

Our reputation has leaked out!

  Our Smartplumber Joey was dispatched to a familiar scenario where customers are too often faced with a sudden increase in their monthly water bill. In no time at all, our Smartplumber was able to quickly determine that the laundry room had sprung a leak; underneath the hot water line piping stone-tiled floor!   This was determined by using a thermal heat sensor that was used to locate the direction of the pipeline and where exactly the pipe damage was.   (This type of device reminds me of a Dr's stethoscope, where earphones and a sensor are used to detect and hear soft hissing sounds). Next, our Smartplumber Joey had to excavate a 1-foot hole beneath the stone tile directly above the heat source was and where the hissing sound was detected. Hey, presto! Sure enough, there was a corroded hairline crack in the 3/4" copper piping directly below.  Joey, then went on to patch the copper piping with a soldering copper patch. (These copper patches are proven to ...

Home Remedies: (to clear a clogged drain)

Things you can try at home to unclog drains :  Plunger:   Of course the first thing we would try is a plunger to unclog a drain but if that don't work you can try these other methods before calling a plumber. A wire hanger  can be extended and bend a hook at the one end of the hanger to fish out anything that may be clogging the drain. Boiling water and dish soap:   Boil about 2 liters of water and 2 table spoons of dish soap and slowly pour it into kitchen sink drain.  This may take a few times but will turn grease into a liquid form to help grease travel out of the drain and clear.  You may want to do this on a regular basis as a precaution to keep the drain clear of grease. Baking soda and Salt :  About a 1/2 cup each mix together and let sit a hour or more then add boiling hot water. Baking Soda and Vinegar:   Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar into drain wait about 1 hour then add boiling hot water.  This should ...