Sewer Cleanout Cedar Rapids
What is a Sewer Cleanout?
There are many different pipes in a home that you may never think about, such as your cleanout for the sewer. However, this pipe is very critical for your home’s plumbing safety. Thankfully, fully understanding the nature of a sewer cleanout in Cedar Rapids, Iowa can ensure that you don’t make any mistakes with your plumbing. It also helps to ensure that you don’t have any leaks in your basement any time soon.
Cleanout Definition
The sewer cleanout is as part of your plumbing system that you probably barely ever consider. If so, you aren’t alone. This part of a plumbing system is often quite complex and hard to fully understand without professional help. Typically, this part is something that you don’t have to worry about because you will have experts who can manage this issue for you without any trouble.
Simply put, the cleanout is the pipe with a cap on it that helps to provide easier access to your sewer line. Its name hints at what it does – provides easier access for pipe cleaning. Typically, it is positioned in such a way that you can use this access point to clean out multiple areas of your sewer system more efficiently and effectively. That makes it a handy place to focus on when doing your early plumbing cleaning needs.
The location of this pipe is typically along a lateral sewer line and provides the most comfortable access to this area. When properly maintained, the cleanout should last for years without any trouble. However, it may run into complications if you aren’t dilligent. As a result, you need to fully understand these elements to ensure that you avoid them in your home as much as possible.
Common Cleanout Issues
Although the sewer cleanout in your home is probably not a significant maintenance concern, issues may affect it from time to time. These problems develop because people so rarely use this pipe access system and may leave it unused for decades at a time. Unfortunately, this means it can wear down and cause problems that may require maintenance to manage appropriately.
For example, the cap of your cleanout pipe may end up getting rusted shut or stripping out over time. When this happens, the lid can be nearly impossible to close. Even worse, you may end up making it impossible to open as well. When this happens, your pipe is going to be harder to clean. And if the cap doesn’t stay closed, you may end up suffering from severe leaks in your basement.
Even worse, leaks may develop in the cleanout or clogs that can crack the pipe’s general surface. And since it is usually located in the basement, your cleanout may also suffer from freezing-related problems. A burst cleanout is no good and will cause even more complications in your home’s plumbing. As a result, you need to do what you can to maintain this often forgotten area of your plumbing system.
Maintaining Your Cleanout
The cleanout must be occasionally managed to keep it as strong and durable as possible. This process is one that most homeowners should be able to handle on their own. You don’t have to do too much maintenance here, but do have to perform some at least once or twice a year. As you complete this maintenance, make sure to also pay attention to any elements on the pipe that may be outside of your ability to fix.
For example, you need to make sure that you turn off your water at least once a year and remove your cap. This action helps to keep it free of rust or other buildups that may cause it to stay shut. Another good step is to wipe down the cap inside and the threads on which it fits. Doing so will help to keep your lid shut but also make it easier to open when you need access.
You also need to clean out any debris that may have built up throughout the interior of the access pipe. This debris can collect here because of the nature of the sewer cleanout. Thankfully, you shouldn’t have to do too much cleaning to get good results. Just pay attention to the potential for clogs and other debris that may build up on the pipe threads and inside, and you should be pretty okay with your maintenance.
Why Professional Help is Smart
If you think that your sewer cleanout is experiencing any issues, you may want to hire professionals instead of doing maintenance yourself. This option is an excellent idea because it can ensure that you get the best results for the best money. While you might end up spending a little more cash than you might expect, you can still achieve good results if you are smart with your maintenance needs.
For example, experts can figure out if your cleanout cap is rusted shut and will work hard to ensure that it is not. This process can be a surprisingly tough one because it requires you to focus on many different elements of your plumbing. However, experts can figure out the problem quite quickly and will work to make sure that your cap is both easy to remove and comfortable at the end of its pipe for years.
You may also want to hire a professional if you notice any breaks in the lines, cracks, or other issues that may complicate your plumbing. This step is usually smart because it can help to ensure that you get the best results without spending too much money. Remember: DIY maintenance, when done improperly, will also end up costing more than directly paying a professional for the first repairs.
Don’t Hesitate to Contact Us Today!
So if you want the best sewer cleanout Cedar Rapids, Iowa has to offer, please contact us at Magic Men Sewer and Drain Cleaning right away to learn more. Our experts have years of experience working on plumbing areas that other professionals may miss. We pride ourselves in comprehensive care and the kind of service that we would give our families.