Clean Out Help

Users who are viewing this thread

MattW24

New Member
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Seattle
I am in the Seattle area and I have a question regarding clean outs.

I have a basement that is plumbed separately through a back water valve due to being below the upper man hole cover on the street. The toilet is the upper terminus of the basement drain line. It runs approximately 3 feet horizontal then goes through a backwater valve and connects to the horizontal main drain through a Wye. The main horizontal drain has a 3” clean out upstream.

The basement toilet does not have a clean out. I am hoping that since it’s less than a 5’ run before joining the section that has a clean out I am covered. But the code also says you need a clean out at the upper terminus. Does that trump the 5’ exemption rule? The vertical vent on the toilet is 2” so I can’t install a clean out on the vent. Am I code legal?

Any help would be highly appreciated. Thanks.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,798
Reaction score
4,412
Points
113
Location
IL
Your "backwater valve " has no cleanout?

Note that if your valve has a flapper, those leak. Plan for that.
 

MattW24

New Member
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Seattle
Your "backwater valve " has no cleanout?

Note that if your valve has a flapper, those leak. Plan for that.
The backwater valve has a sleeve that runs vertically up to the slab. I imagine I could un-thread and remove the valve and use the opening as a cleanout via the sleeve. There would still be the 3 foot section from the toilet to the backwater that has no cleanout. Does that make sense? I can draw a diagram.
 

MattW24

New Member
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Seattle
Here is a crude diagram. I’m concerned about the section from the toilet to the backwater valve not having a clean out since it’s an upper terminus of that drain line. But it’s only a 3 foot section until it passes the back water valve and meets the main horizontal drain that has clean out access.
 

Attachments

  • 5BC848E7-B442-4FA7-8AFD-DC0432AB0F5C.jpeg
    5BC848E7-B442-4FA7-8AFD-DC0432AB0F5C.jpeg
    61.9 KB · Views: 100

Sylvan

Still learning
Messages
2,756
Reaction score
689
Points
113
Location
New York
A fixture such as a toilet can be used as a CO . Also Rigid and some other drain cleaning companies have a closet auger with a longer cable

General has a RAM Jet ( pneumatic ) that has a toilet cone you can use for stoppages without the fear of having a cable caught in a backwater valve
 

MattW24

New Member
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Seattle
A fixture such as a toilet can be used as a CO . Also Rigid and some other drain cleaning companies have a closet auger with a longer cable

General has a RAM Jet ( pneumatic ) that has a toilet cone you can use for stoppages without the fear of having a cable caught in a backwater valve
Thanks for the reply. I have read that you can pull a toilet to snake the line. I didn’t know about the pneumatic clean out method. That sounds cool. However I don’t think that pulling the toilet is an acceptable substitute for a required clean out in Seattle.

I was hoping that since the distance from the toilet to the backwater valves is less than 5’ I won’t need a clean out at the toilet end of the line. I just don’t know if it matters that it’s the upper end of that particular drain line. I want to make sure it passes inspection then in the future I can always pull the toilet to snake the line if that very short section backs up.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,798
Reaction score
4,412
Points
113
Location
IL
I am not a plumber. I expect you are OK cleanout wise.

What is the lowest drain on that 2 inch horizontal? Floor drain? Shower? Whichever, I would put a loud flood alarm there. Replace the batteries on a schedule. When the alarm goes off, stop using water upstairs and investigate.

There are backwater valves that are pretty good. They are "normally-open". The older cheaper check valves, now often adopting the name backwater valves to sound like the good kind, are normally-closed flapper valves. They reliably leak after a few years. Solids block the flapper from seating fully.

If your low spot is a shower, you could have a utility pump that could pump the leaked sewage to an upstairs drain such as a toilet. The pump might be able to overcome the leakage, and then some if the water is from the sewer main. If the water is due to a block in your line to the main, then the pump would not help much, if at all.
 

MattW24

New Member
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Seattle
Reach4

The lowest fixture is a shower which drains into the 2inch line. Good idea on the alarm. I will look into that. The back water valve is just a simple flapper on an ABS fitting with a sleeve for access. It imagine it could easily fail.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,798
Reaction score
4,412
Points
113
Location
IL
Last edited:
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks