Hello,
My neighbor and I will be digging a 9 foot deep hole on the side of my house to access my main sewer line which is about 3 feet inside the foundation of my house. Can anyone tell me the level of difficulty of this job...and how to do it? I want to install a cleanout so I can have access to my main from the side of my house. I think I have clay pipes...house built in 1963 in Seattle. Much thanks!!
Kevin

RickJ

The hardest part is the digging. Once you expose the drain it's easy from there.

You'll get a hub resembling a T that you'll shoot a vertical pipe off of. Just be sure to get a tee that has a curve on the side point up so that your vertical line that goes down to it (the cleanout itself) will curve away from the house (so that when you shoot a snake down it it will easily go DOWN the line).

Like this:

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iamgrowler

If it is clay, you will need to rent a snap cutter to cut the clay tile - Handy Andy up on Aurora usually has 1 or 2 to rent.

You will also need a length of pipe, a combination wye branch, a clean out adapter and plug and two concrete to plastic Fernco adapters, which can be readily found at the McClendons in Renton or White Center.

The only difficult part of this job is taking your time when cutting the clay pipe, too much pressure too soon can fracture the pipe beyond your cut.

dclynch

Digging a nine foot deep hole can be dangerous. Be sure you either dig a wide hole with a gradual slope or else properly reinforce the walls of the hole so they don't cave in.