My home warranty says it will only use accessible ground level cleanouts. The builder put the cleanout in the basement close to the ceiling. It is accessible and if it was outside it would be at grade. They say they won't use it and I have to pull a toilet. DO I have an argument?

Are they telling you that or is it written in the contract? If it is not contractual, I would argue. They expect the cleanout to be at grade. In my house, the cleanout is 1 ft. above the basement floor. My guess is yours is high because of where the main exits the house. I will assume there is no basement rough in. I have not seen a house constructed in the last 20 yrs. at least in the Atlanta area, that did not have an outside cleanout.

Hi Dave

My guess is that if you have a toilet on the lower level then there is a cleanout somewhere on that level... you just haven't found it yet. The cleanout could be inside or outside the foundation, or it could be that the toilet is sitting on the cleanout... maybe?

How long have you lived in the home?

Back to you...

Mark

Dave,
Many jurisdictions allow a toilet connection to serve as a cleanout as long as it has a gravity connection to the main soil pipe / drain...

Hello DaveHome1,

I am sorry to say, but clean-out below the ceiling does not qualify as ground level clean-out. There are three main reasons drain cleaning companies do not like to use interior / overhead clean-outs :

1. They have to lower heavy equipment down the stairs - and then pull it back up. That is not only dangerous move but in many cases it requires two technicians to bring the snake down - and up - the stairs. Also, stairs, walls and doors may get damaged during snake transport throughout your house

2. When technician opens overhead clean-out, there is a good possibility of sewage discharge from the clogged pipe. Not only such spill creates health hazard, it may also contaminate your floors, walls, ceiling and / or possessions stored in that room.

3. Running 8' of loose snake upward is very dangerous and possibility of injury in very high.

All of those above may generate customer complaints or even possible lawsuit.

I suggest you install clean-out on the outside, right where the pipe exits the house. It is a good investment that eliminates all mentioned above

Hope that helps

Milo