How to Investigate the Inside of Your Drain Pipes
Every sink, bathtub and toilet in your house connects to the main drain pipe via a series of connecting pipes. The main drain takes waste and sends it to the septic system or city sewer system. Every main drain as an access point called a "drain cleanout." You can use this access point to gain a visual aid of what is going on inside your pipe. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Locate the main drainpipe access point in your basement. You can do this by locating the drainpipe as it enters the basement through the basement ceiling. It travels down one wall, bends 90-degrees as the pipe reaches the floor, then travels in one direction until it runs into a foundation wall, as it exists the home. At some point close to the wall, you can locate a cut in the concrete floor or a cover over the floor that allows access to the drain cleanout. If not, you have no way to access the inside of the main drain without removing a toilet or sink drain.
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Remove the cover and locate the two bolts that give access to each side of the drain trap. If your pipe is cast iron, the bolts are also metal. If the drainpipe is plastic, the caps are plastic.
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Remove the caps with a pipe wrench. Be careful if the pipe is cast iron; it is old, and you could possibly crack the pipe or strip the cap.
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Tips & Warnings
Expect a strong odor from the sewer system to fill up the basement very quickly. If possible, open windows or doors to allow fresh air into the room. If you experience a headache, close the caps and complete your inspection at a later time after your headache goes away.
