Can anyone tell me what tool is used to open the clean out valve?

Why can't it be tool-less to get in?

Any tips on snaking it out?

Any snake recommendation? I have a short line (20 feet at most).

Anyone head of Root Kill? A plumber recommended to friend when plumber
couldn't get flow problem resolved. Available at Home Cheapo. Anyone
use it?

I know it's not a root problem. It just plain gunk.

On Mar 17, 1:50 pm, "MRS. CLEAN" wrote:
Can anyone tell me what tool is used to open the clean out valve?

Why can't it be tool-less to get in?


The couple of times I've done that, I just remove the toilet in the
basement bathroom and go out that way. Trying to crack open the cap
on a 40 year old main cleanout seems like a bad idea. And, I think
it's easier to work with the opening at floor level than chin level -
where most cleanouts seem to be for some reason. Replacing the toilet
only takes a couple of minutes. Depends on the layout whether that's
a good idea or not.

Any tips on snaking it out?


Fill the line with hot water. Might help soften whatever is stuck in
there and you get visual feedback when you've cleared the
obstruction. But don't stop there. Keep going as far as you can or
are comfortable with before declaring it fixed.

Any snake recommendation? I have a short line (20 feet at most).


I've used 3 different types. Home Repo rents a snake for 4" line for
about $70 a day. It worked great. Years later I rented one from the
local tool place that was just too big and too hard to use. The snake
came in 10' sections and had to be assembled one at a time. All I
managed to do was push the plug farther down the pipe and is was
backed up again the next day. So I sent the S.O. to a different
rental place the next afternoon and when I got home a much smaller
version of the H.D. style snake was waiting. It was for 3" or maybe
even 2" but it worked surprisingly well. What it lacked in size and
power it made up for by being very easy to use. It took a long time
to get the line cleared.

On Mar 17, 3:35*pm, The Reverend Natural Light
wrote:
On Mar 17, 1:50 pm, "MRS. CLEAN" wrote:

Can anyone tell me what tool is used to open the clean out valve?

Why can't it be tool-less to get in?

The couple of times I've done that, I just remove the toilet in the
basement bathroom and go out that way. *Trying to crack open the cap
on a 40 year old main cleanout seems like a bad idea. *And, I think
it's easier to work with the opening at floor level than chin level -
where most cleanouts seem to be for some reason. *Replacing the toilet
only takes a couple of minutes. *Depends on the layout whether that's
a good idea or not.

Any tips on snaking it out?

Fill the line with hot water. *Might help soften whatever is stuck in
there and you get visual feedback when you've cleared the
obstruction. *But don't stop there. *Keep going as far as you can or
are comfortable with before declaring it fixed.

Any snake recommendation? *I have a short line (20 feet at most).

I've used 3 different types. *Home Repo rents a snake for 4" line for
about $70 a day. *It worked great. *Years later I rented one from the
local tool place that was just too big and too hard to use. *The snake
came in 10' sections and had to be assembled one at a time. *All I
managed to do was push the plug farther down the pipe and is was
backed up again the next day. *So I sent the S.O. to a different
rental place the next afternoon and when I got home a much smaller
version of the H.D. style snake was waiting. *It was for 3" or maybe
even 2" but it worked surprisingly well. *What it lacked in size and
power it made up for by being very easy to use. *It took a long time
to get the line cleared.

Thanks for the info.

The clean out valve is ground level in backyard and there's no second
toilet. I will try going thru the throne I just don't want the
porcelin scratched...

On Mar 17, 6:23*pm, "MRS. CLEAN" wrote:
On Mar 17, 3:35*pm, The Reverend Natural Light





wrote:
On Mar 17, 1:50 pm, "MRS. CLEAN" wrote:

Can anyone tell me what tool is used to open the clean out valve?

Why can't it be tool-less to get in?

The couple of times I've done that, I just remove the toilet in the
basement bathroom and go out that way. *Trying to crack open the cap
on a 40 year old main cleanout seems like a bad idea. *And, I think
it's easier to work with the opening at floor level than chin level -
where most cleanouts seem to be for some reason. *Replacing the toilet
only takes a couple of minutes. *Depends on the layout whether that's
a good idea or not.

Any tips on snaking it out?

Fill the line with hot water. *Might help soften whatever is stuck in
there and you get visual feedback when you've cleared the
obstruction. *But don't stop there. *Keep going as far as you can or
are comfortable with before declaring it fixed.

Any snake recommendation? *I have a short line (20 feet at most).

I've used 3 different types. *Home Repo rents a snake for 4" line for
about $70 a day. *It worked great. *Years later I rented one from the
local tool place that was just too big and too hard to use. *The snake
came in 10' sections and had to be assembled one at a time. *All I
managed to do was push the plug farther down the pipe and is was
backed up again the next day. *So I sent the S.O. to a different
rental place the next afternoon and when I got home a much smaller
version of the H.D. style snake was waiting. *It was for 3" or maybe
even 2" but it worked surprisingly well. *What it lacked in size and
power it made up for by being very easy to use. *It took a long time
to get the line cleared.

Thanks for the info.

The clean out valve is ground level in backyard and there's no second
toilet. *I will try going thru the throne * I just don't want the
porcelin scratched...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Trust me don't go thru the throne. Use the clean out on the line going
out to the street that is what it is for . Also if you have gunk it is
not running fast enough .

On Mar 17, 6:25*pm, jim wrote:
On Mar 17, 6:23*pm, "MRS.CLEAN" wrote:





On Mar 17, 3:35*pm, The Reverend Natural Light

wrote:
On Mar 17, 1:50 pm, "MRS.CLEAN" wrote:

Can anyone tell me what tool is used to open thecleanout valve?

Why can't it be tool-less to get in?

The couple of times I've done that, I just remove the toilet in the
basement bathroom and go out that way. *Trying to crack open the cap
on a 40 year old main cleanout seems like a bad idea. *And, I think
it's easier to work with the opening at floor level than chin level -
where most cleanouts seem to be for some reason. *Replacing the toilet
only takes a couple of minutes. *Depends on the layout whether that's
a good idea or not.

Any tips on snaking it out?

Fill the line with hot water. *Might help soften whatever is stuck in
there and you get visual feedback when you've cleared the
obstruction. *But don't stop there. *Keep going as far as you can or
are comfortable with before declaring it fixed.

Any snake recommendation? *I have a short line (20 feet at most).

I've used 3 different types. *Home Repo rents a snake for 4" line for
about $70 a day. *It worked great. *Years later I rented one from the
local tool place that was just too big and too hard to use. *The snake
came in 10' sections and had to be assembled one at a time. *All I
managed to do was push the plug farther down the pipe and is was
backed up again the next day. *So I sent the S.O. to a different
rental place the next afternoon and when I got home a much smaller
version of the H.D. style snake was waiting. *It was for 3" or maybe
even 2" but it worked surprisingly well. *What it lacked in size and
power it made up for by being very easy to use. *It took a long time
to get the line cleared.

Thanks for the info.

Thecleanout valve is ground level in backyard and there's no second
toilet. *I will try going thru the throne * I just don't want the
porcelin scratched...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Trust me don't go thru the throne. Use thecleanout on the line going
out to the street that is what it is for . Also if you have gunk it is
not running fast enough .- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes, it's an older house and the plumbing is running slow. I plunged
and snaked and found no blockage at the toilet.

The line is 20 feet. Picture a straight line to the clean out vavle
in back yard, right to left. At the right is the clean out vavle. 12
feet left is the tub, 3 feet is the kitchen bath sinks back to back,
and 3 feet more is the toilet. It's very simple.

I ran water in the kitchen sink, bath tub and flush the toilet for 2
hours to no avail. I can try the throne. If that doesn't work, I can
buy the tool to open the clean out valve, I guess.

Will running copious amounts of water do anything?

Trust me don't go thru the throne. Use thecleanout on the line going
out to the street that is what it is for . Also if you have gunk it is
not running fast enough .- Hide quoted text -

The toilet is flushing slow, even holding handle down doesn't get a
complete empty. I plunged and snaked and found no blockage at the
toilet.

The line is 20 feet. Picture a straight line in back yard, right to
left. At the right is some kind of pipe at ground level outside and
no visible way to open it. 12 feet left is the tub, 3 feet is the
kitchen bath sinks back to back, and 3 feet more is the toilet.
Between the sinks and toilet, under the kitchen sink is the clean out
valve hectongal (something to turn with a pipe wrench).

I ran kitchen water but it might miss the problem if it is between the
toilet and the sink. The only thing running slow is the toilet. The
tub and sink are working fine. I think I have isolated the problem.

The solution is opening the clean out valve with a pipe wrench under
the sink which is before the sink drain but after the toilet (note to
self: buy pipe wrench) and snake. It is isolated so I may not need to
go to the expense to renting a machine.

Any other suggestions? Should I post pictures