Your sewer line serves an integral role in the overall operation of one’s plumbing system. No surprises there, right? After all, I’m going to guess that if you have ever experienced a sewer line backup inside your home or commercial facility, that was a plumbing problem that you addressed immediately. In any case, as a plumbing business that offers both residential and commercial services, it’s likely not very shocking that we tackle quite a few sewer line-related projects throughout the year. Whether that be cleaning existing lines, performing camera inspections to determine the severity of a sewer line issue or replacing them altogether, it’s definitely important to have a go-to plumbing company that’s adept at tackling sewer line projects.
For those of you who are familiar with our plumbing blog, you likely know that we like to provide educational material here that our readers can utilize in better understanding their plumbing system. That could be in relation to advice on finding a local plumber that you can count on. It could be tips on picking out reliable plumbing fixtures for your home or commercial facility. It could even be quick DIY guides for completing some projects on your own. No matter what the content may involve, there is definitely no shortage of plumbing topics to discuss! With that all being said, in this week’s blog post, we’re going to be reviewing a component of a sewer line that can definitely be useful to have and that is the cleanout. While not every home and/or building may have one installed, there is certainly a reason why they can be a worthwhile investment in terms of plumbing maintenance.
Before we get into some sewer cleanout talk, we would first like to say hello to anyone dropping by our blog for the first time. Welcome to Stine-Nichols Plumbing! As a plumbing company in North Kansas City, our team takes pride in being a one-stop shop for all things plumbing. Sewer lines, water heaters, water softeners, toilets, faucets, garbage disposals, you name it! If you live in or near the KC area and need a go-to local plumber, we would love to have the opportunity to earn your trust. To learn more, you’re welcome to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out the form HERE.
What is a sewer cleanout?
To get this blog post started, we’ll open with a rather straightforward question. What is a sewer cleanout and where can I find out if I have one installed already? A sewer cleanout ties into the main sewer line and rises vertically to the point where it is a little over ground level (with a cap on top). As we’ll highlight down below, this provides plumbing professionals with easier access to work on your sewer line. After all, the sewer line is a few feet underground, so this can be very important! The second part of that question was in relation to the location of a sewer cleanout. Although they can be installed both inside AND outside a house/building, you’ll find they are more frequently installed outside (most likely fairly close to the house itself). Look for a white PVC cap sticking up a little over ground level!
Does every home/building have a sewer cleanout?
The short answer to this question is no. While they offer a number of advantages, you won’t find that every single house/building has one installed. Keep in mind that doesn’t mean you can’t add one to an existing sewer line either!
What are the main advantages to having a sewer cleanout installed?
So…now that you know what a sewer cleanout is, where it’s located and whether or not every building has one, the next item of discussion will revolve around the advantages of having a sewer cleanout. After all, there has to be a reason why they’re so popular and so frequently installed, right? With that being said, we wanted to feature two main advantages as to why it can be beneficial to have a sewer cleanout installed!
Easier to clean the sewer line – In order to provide residential and/or commercial plumbing services, it goes without saying that you need to be adept at sewer line and drain line cleaning. These plumbing lines are put through their fair share of wear and tear. Thus, as a result, they may require some periodic maintenance from time-to-time and clogs can form. Well…unsurprisingly, a sewer cleanout can make this job of cleaning your line and clearing any blockages that much easier. It provides plumbing technicians with easy access to run the sewer cleaning machine through and get everything flowing like normal.
Easier to perform a camera inspection – When a sewer line experiences issues, it can be a challenge to determine what exactly you’re dealing with. After all, the sewer line is installed several feet underground, so you can’t readily get eyes on it compared to other plumbing components like a faucet! With this being the case, when you have sewer line troubles, it can be helpful to know what is going on (before you embark on an extensive repair). That’s where a sewer line inspection comes to save the day! These devices allow plumbing professionals to be able to look inside the sewer line and see what is occurring. To take it one step further, you can then find out where exactly the issue resides, which can make the repair process much more efficient. Not all sewer line repairs are going to require a complete replacement, so being able to locate the spot can be a worthwhile piece of information! Not to mention, as a side note, it’s also worth remembering the importance of a camera inspection prior to purchasing a home. The last thing you want to run into shortly after buying a home is to be faced with sewer line troubles. If you’re currently in the homebuying process, keep this in mind!
All in all, there is a reason why we decided to write a blog post focusing specifically on sewer line cleanouts and that is largely because of the two items we just mentioned. Considering a sewer line issue can present some real headaches, it helps to have a cleanout to streamline the process of cleaning/maintaining one’s sewer line AND running a camera inspection (when needed).
Call the Sewer Line Pros at Stine-Nichols Plumbing!
Have you dealt with sewer line problems? It’s safe to say they aren’t always the funnest of times! The sewer line is an underappreciated component of any plumbing system and certainly one that you need working properly. Throughout this blog post, we’ve talked about the important role that a sewer cleanout serves. Both on the residential and commercial side of things, our team of plumbing pros has years of experience utilizing existing cleanouts and even installing new ones. If you live in or near the Kansas City area and have any questions about sewer cleanouts (or may even be experiencing a sewer line issue right now), don’t hesitate to give us a call at (816) 348-3481. We understand sewer line troubles aren’t something you want to procrastinate on getting fixed and we’ll get your sewer line problems resolved as quickly as possible!