[Alketi]

In my basement, the house plumbing exits to the sewer in a dug out corner. Th cast iron pipe is embedded in bare earth, with a Y clean-out.

I want to fill this with an inch or two of concrete, to seal the building envelope. However, I want to maintain the sewer clean-out in case there's ever a problem.

-- What's the best way to extend the cast iron cleanout vertically, so I can fill the bottom with some concrete? Or, is there any different advice?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Windows on Wash]

Dig it out, cut it loose, join to PVC, backfill.

 

[Alketi]

Dig it out, cut it loose, join to PVC, backfill.

Ouch. Well, I was hoping to not have to dig and cut the main 65-year-old cast-iron sewer line. If it disintegrate or something goes wrong, I'm screwed.

Any other options --

1. Will the cleanout accept a screwed-in PVC extension directly?

2. Just cement over the whole thing and hope there's never a downstream clog?

 

[hkstroud]

How far away is the nearest toilet?

 

[Ghostmaker]

You could try screwing with pipe dope and teflon tape a plastic Male Iron pipe adapter into the clean out once you get the brass plug removed.

If you cannot unscrew (doubtful) the brass plug you will need to cut and peel the sucker. I found a few hits with a hand sludge on the brass plug you can usually get them out.

 

[Alketi]

Thank you all for the responses.

@Ghostmaker I also spoke to a friend at work and he said he was unable to remove a similar cleanout in his basement, which was rusted together, and not even half-buried as mine is.

@hkstroud After a further search I noticed that the nearest cleanout is about 12 feet away, as part of the upstairs sink drain. Below is a picture showing both the alternate cleanout location and the corner with the sewer exit (x).

I should note that the basement has high radon levels, which is why I want to completely seal this open dirt section.

-- Considering the alternate cleanout, and the fact that if the downstream pipe (under my front lawn) were to ever got clogged that I'd likely have much bigger problems, why can't I just bury the entire open-earth sewer section in concrete and use the alternate cleanout if necessary?

 

[hkstroud]

, why can't I just bury the entire open-earth sewer section in concrete and use the alternate cleanout if necessary?

That is the best thing you can do. You will never get the plug out. If you did you couldn't screw anything into the hub. You would have to cut the hub and use shielded rubber coupling to connect a street 90 to make that point usable.

You can also forget the second clean out. No plumber is going to try to get the plug out of it either. If he did and tried to use it he would make a mess with his snake. Clean out should have been put at floor level.

If you have a problem, the plumber will pull the nearest toilet and snake from there. If the blockage can't be cleared from there, you will have to dig up the outside and put a clean out there.

 

[Alketi]

Thanks @hkstroud. There is a toilet about 10 feet further away from the vertical pipe cleanout I showed in the last picture. Maybe 20 feet in total from the sewer exit, but probably a bit longer when considering how the piping is likely run under ground.
@Windows on Wash, if I want to vapor seal the sewer exit, any advice on how to layer the plastic with concrete? My first instinct would be to put down the plastic first and then concrete on top, but I would think that would trap the moisture around the cast-iron sewer pipe. Perhaps sandwich the plastic between two layers of concrete?

 

[hkstroud]

Twenty feet should not be a problem. Last sewer I snaked was about 225 feet.

Fill hole with gravel, lay down some plastic and pour concrete.

 

[Ghostmaker]

Is the plug brass or cast iron? P.S. no way i would use a main sewer snake that high off the ground. NOT SAFE.