The lid on my sewer clean out has not been removed since the house was built 21 years ago. I'm thinking of using it to dump water while back flushing my sand filter. I put a wrench on the lid to try to turn it. It didn't budge. I'm wary of applying too much pressure and cracking the PVC pipe. Is there something like a penetrating oil that you could apply that will help loosen up the lid?
Lid on Sewer Clean Out
- Thread starter Homebrewale
- Start date
Hey Homebrew!!! Pics would help. If you have access to the pipe, or can dig up some access it might be easier to cut it and install a plug/cap/lid that isn’t welded shut.
It's just a typical 4" PVC clean out plug. If I can't turn it, I could just drill a hole through it big enough to get my reciprocating saw blade in it and just cut it into several pieces. Try to be careful not to damage the threads. Then just screw in a new plug.
NDS PVC S&D Cleanout Plug, 4 in. MPT 41P8 - The Home Depot
The PVC Cleanout Plug attaches to and removes easily from drainage fittings that make threaded connections to provide access to sewer and drain (S&D) pipe systems for cleanout. The 4 in. Male Pipe Thread
www.homedepot.com
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,798
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You could do as you noted with carefully cutting/tearing it out. But if you haven't done so already, I would give it some penetrating oil and let that sit for a day or so. Spray a few times throughout. Simultaneously tap around all surfaces of the cap and pipe (top & sides) to try and help the threads break loose a bit for a wrench. You definitely don't want the vertical base pipe to crack.
If all else fails, dig down a foot to expose clean pipe and have some room to work with and put a new one on.
At that point, I'll just keep running the backflush hose the extra 50' to the street.
Right now, I have plenty of other projects to do. I just had 5 large sweetgums removed today. I have a lot of work ahead removing the wood chips from the ground stumps and fixing my fence. I'm glad to get rid of them. Two were dropping a lot of sweetgum balls into the pool. They're a pain to deal with since the robot won't vacuum them up.
