My home was built in 1965. I believe there is a partial clog in the main line (basement toilet bubbles, laundry room floor drain overflows). I called a drain-cleaning service but they were unable to locate the main clean-out.

We have scoured the house for one. It's possibly behind drywall--we've opened it in some places we thought were likely and would rather not tear anymore out on a wild goose chase. The floor is tiled. The former owners never had a drainage problem and do not know of any hidden cleanout (they built the house and know every inch). I know where our line meets the main city sewer line (on the west side of the house) and where the water comes in (on the east side of the house). The house has a lot of vents on the roof and I don't know which one would be the main stack. Nobody I call seems to be any help--maybe I'm asking the wrong questions?

I'd greatly appreciate any help and ideas!

If it is an Iron Sewer line, a metal detector may help follow the sewer path.
Worse case, where it meets the house, have a plumber install a clean out where it meets the house.

The sewer should leav your home along the front wall most of the time. Do you have any clue where it is in the front yard, thecity can help locate their riser and then draw a line to the house. The should be a clean outt outside about 18" from the foundation. They can get covered over in time and seem to disappear. Even in 65 most sewer lines were PVC and it could leave your home through the wall, not just under the floor. Flush your toilets and listen in the basement for the noise.

Thank you for the answers so far.

We don't know where the line leaves the house. We do know where it meets with the city line, but it is about 10 feet west of our house, so it has to turn somewhere--which means it can meet up with the house pretty much anywhere. We have an almost fully-finished, walk-out basement. The work room is on the front wall of the house and the cinderblock is exposed there--but no pipes. We believe it all runs under the slab.

Across the entire front of the house is a 4' wide breezeway, with the garage in front of most of that (no water or floor drain in the garage).

We've tried the flushing and listening but can't find a thing.

The burping toilet is in the back west corner of the house. The laundry drain that overflows is in the middle of the east wall of the house. The drain directly south of that one (just on the other side of the wall) hasn't backed-up at all.

I found someone via Craigslist that will come tomorrow to try to snake the line via the downstairs toilet--and reset the toilet which wasn't done so well originally so I guess some good will come of this. :)

Craig's list is great for lots of things. I'd rely more on customer testimonials and the yellow pages but good luck and keep us informed how it goes. This person must use a sewer auger and not a snake.

Call your city plumbing office. Most municipalities require a drawing of sewer lines be filed with their office as part of the permit process.

Now why didn't I think of that? Good one Harold.

No need to cut up your walls or go into high expense to do simple sewer cleaning. Do this: Remove toilet in the basement and snake your sewer line through closet ring opening.

Since it's PVC, they do make a transmitter you could put on the end of a snake and locate.

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I know where our line meets the main city sewer line (on the west side of the house)

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Then that's where I'd start looking. Our code mandates a cleanout shall be installed not over 18 inches out from the foundation and brought to grade.
Over the years soil and dirt may hide the cleanout so we take a pointed rod call a "probe" and poke around the foundation until we strike metal. Keep looking! It's there someplace. Good luck. Tom

Update: We found someone to remove the downstairs toilet and work from there. He was able to clear the clog which I am very happy about. A full shower after three weeks was very welcome--as was getting all the laundry done.

Do I need to know where the main clean-out is or can we just do the toilet method again if needed in the future?

The city (Minneapolis) does not have records beyond where the line meets the curb (along east edge of property line--sewer line hits curb at the very west edge) so we know where it hooks in and where it hits the curb--but nothing between the curb and the house. We also know where the water supply leaves the street--but not where it enters the house. We know where the meter is but the line slants down toward the center of the house. So, we think the clean-out is inside in the front center of the house but I'd have to rip-up tile to find it. It's in a storage room but I don't want to go through the hassle and mess if I don't have to.

Our pipes are not PVC--the previous owner (who had the house built) didn't like PVC.

I am glad my advice worked out for you... In addition:

1. City doesn't keep record of any plumbing on your property. Going down to the Department of Street Maintenance will tell you, at what point, what angle, and what depth City lateral enters your property. Nothing more...

2. No, you don't have to install clean out or to know location of your sewer - unless you start having sewer blockage problems. Then, it will become necessity...

3. It is relatively easy for plumber to locate your sewer regardless of what type of sewer pipe you have. Pipe locators and its transmitters will work with C.I. clay and all plastic pipes. Besides, an experienced plumber will probably be able to tell you where your sewer pipe exists your house just by looking at configuration of your house, location of your roof vents and position of your bathrooms.

I would still try the Metal Detector.
I think Radio Shack has/had? One for $20, cheap, but would work great for this.

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Do I need to know where the main clean-out is or can we just do the toilet method again if needed in the future? ]

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Of course you can pull a toilet and snake from there but that's a lot of extra work and can get very messy. The two things a homeowner should know the location of are the house shut off,( in case there's a pressure leak) and the house cleanout, ( so you can snake the sewer from the outside.). You can purchase a metal detector as Stratmando suggected or poke around the house until you find it, but I wouldn't quit looking. Good luck, Tom

After having the line cleared from the toilet we have had no problems and today I found the clean-out! I ripped-up carpet and the tile that was underneath and there it was.

So now I have a new question. The clean-out is in a finished room. Can a main line be cleaned without making a mess of the room? The bathroom got pretty dirty when they cleaned the line that way. We'll be putting a new floor down in the room where the cleanout is and I'm wondering if it's even worth making an access panel.

Thanks

There is always some mess when snaking main line. But some plumbers carry tarps and are pretty good in protecting your walls and floors. I would not worry about it too much. You won't be cleaning your main sewer too often... unless you want to go the extra mile and install an exterior clean out.

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So now I have a new question. The clean-out is in a finished room. Can a main line be cleaned without making a mess of the room?

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Snaking a sewer line's always a messy job. You have umptynine feet of black grease covered cable to contend with. That's why, in my area we bring our cleanouts up the surface 18" OUTSIDE the house foundation. If you're concerned look into the cost of cutting in a cleanout outside the house instead of having it in a finished room. Good luck, Tom

1) Can you snake up the house from the main cleanout, or just down to the sewer line?

2) Is it safe to test the toilet, sink or tub when the main cleanout is open? How likely is it to overflow?

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). I called a drain-cleaning service but they were unable to locate the main clean-out.

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If we can't locate the house clean out we snake from a roof vent'
Pulling a toilet is alwaysn the last option.

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Can you snake up the house from the main cleanout, or just down to the sewer line?

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Not a good idea to snake against the flow. You stand a chance of coming up through a toilet and damaging it.

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Is it safe to test the toilet, sink or tub when the main cleanout is open? How likely is it to overflow?

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Yes! If you have a blockage in then sewer line the backup will come out of the open cleanout and not any of your fixtures. Regards, Tom