I have a cleanout plug behind a finished wall in my bathroom. There is a Steel coverplate covering the cleanout. One night I noticed while the washer was draining I heard a jingling sound. It turns out that the screw holding the cover on had rusted out. Basically the setup is the screw goes through a hole drilled in the cleanout and goes into the pipe. I am not sure what the screw actually attaches to, but any new screws I have tried to put in there are not holding and therfore are not keeping the cover on. Temporarily I have siliconed the hole so it doesn't leak, but that doesn't allow me to put the cover plate back on. Is there something that I am missing? How do I close it up, put this cover on and make so it doesn't leak? If this is too vague and you need a better explanation please let me know and I will do my best as right now I am scratching my head about this!


Quick note... this is PVC drain piping!

A couple options here...

1) Remove old cap and replace with a regular cap with no hole in it and then go out and purchase a spring loaded access panel (6"x6".. sold at all home depot stores). Then you would just need to cut out a 5"x5" square and place new access panel into hole. This access panel is especially nice as it just unclips by pushing left or right and can be painted or wall papered to match room.

2) Or, you could purchase a slightly larger DRILL BIT AND a TAP and redrill the hole in the cap and then tap it with some new threads and set this all together as it was. If go this option then be sure to use some pipe dope on the new screw you use to screw into cap... ;)

Also, be sure to add pipe dope to cap when re-installing that!

Either option should get you up and running cleanly! Personally, I'd go with #1... :)

Good luck...

MARK

OK! You have a PVC Test Tee,( clean-out or inspection tee) (see image ) in the wall with a PVC Clean-out removable Cover,(see image) glued in place. This is covered by a Chrome Clean-Out Plate Cover,(see image). If you notice the chrome cover attaches to the clean out cover with a wood screw that screws into the PVC. If the screw isn't holding then you have too small a screw for the hole in the cover. Use a larger wood screw.
What disturbs me is the old screw rusted out. This tells me that the hole's all the way through. I would either purchase a new PVC cover and use a shorter screw or squeeze a little Silcon Jel in the hole before screwing the chrome plateback on to caulk it shut. Good luck and thanks for rating my reply, Tom
Mark and I are posting on top of each other again.

It is an easy fix:

The screw that originally came with the C.O. cover should be Stainless Steel. It is screwed directly into the ABS or PVC plug. If it fell out, get new screw 1 size bigger in diameter. Re-insert into the same hole.

If for any reason you cannot use the original C.O. plug, than go to Home Depot, get new one for $2.00, install it in place of the old one - and proceed with screwing screw through the plug. Use Drill with Phillips bit. Don't overtighten. Go easily in until entire screw is in. Finish last turn by manually with screwdrive.
Milo, Didn't I just say that?

Well, I got the old cleanout plug out and replaced it with a new one. The hole was all the way through and leaking water periodically. This is the line from my washing machine. I had a hell of a time getting the plug out! I actually muscled it out with a steel bar I picked up at Lowe's. Still working on a way to cover this whole thing up. I like the idea of the access panel, but can't seem to find one small enough. Home Depot is a bit of a ride for me, and the smallest Lowe's had was 6"x9" I would prefer a 4X4 or 6X6 at the max. Any suggestions on where I could get one?

Hi bmccarron...

Home depot or can also look online... ;)

6"x6" is smallest I know of... They are out there!

You could also build one out of finish pine and trim edges with finish trim... just another idea.

Good luck!

MARK