So I've just bought my first house and before we fully move in, we've been doing some work (floors, painting, etc.). I noticed at some point that if someone is using the shower or flushing a toilet, it seems you can hear gurgling in all the other pipes. I knew this wasn't good and then it happened – the toilet on the ground floor overflowed with sewage while someone was taking a shower upstairs. Super.
So in the house closing, they included a home warranty. Yesterday (I wasn't there for this; this is what I was told) the plumber finally came and was very confused because he couldn't find the plumbing cleanout. My husband didn't know where it was either since we've just moved in. We looked at the home inspection report and it's not mentioned in the plumbing section. The plumber had to leave and says he'll send someone else with a smaller tool or something (I thought usually they just take the toilet off but whatever).
Anyway. The house was built in 1994. Is it common that even fairly modern houses just don't have plumbing cleanouts? This seems very strange to me. I've seen things online saying sometimes they've been cut off and buried for aesthetic/mowing purposes or drywalled behind walls or something but we're only the third owners of this house so I don't know if that would be the case.
I guess I'm asking two things: 1. obviously I suppose it's possible that it doesn't exist but is it probable considering the plumber couldn't find it after searching or is he maybe a moron? I didn't spend any time looking last night because I got home fairly late (I have a lot more plumbing knowledge than my husband although still meager and up 'til now have never lived in a house younger than the 1920s); and, 2. I realize it will probably be expensive to have one installed in the event that it doesn't exist; should I put it on my saving-up-for list? The house is in a cul-de-sac kind of at the bottom of a hill so I'm worried about this.
Appreciate any help/insight. Thank you.
Edit: Sorry, not enough info. The house is on a slab; no basement or crawlspace. It is hooked up to a municipal line (city sewer/water).
Best Answer
You have 2-3 cleanouts for sure in a house built in 94 in the US.
The roof. The main stack will have a roof exit. Depending on type of home and where the problem is this is often the easiest to snake.
The mainstack in basement (or first floor if there is no basement). Find your main stack. it should have a cleanout that you can open with standard monkey wrench. You can buy decent DIY snake to clean out your own from there.
Find the closest sewer to your house. Draw a straight line from stack to the sewer or draw a line from stack directly out the front out your house. You should have about an 8 inch covered pipe. These are usually closer to the street but really differs. Also most are in the front yard since sewers are often laid with roads but this can differ too.
Thoughts on your plumber... If he can't find a cleanout I would not invite him back to do any other work. If you have a new house and main stack is covered with a wall (would have been done by previous home owner) plumber should have insisted on opening walls until he found it.
If you have full access to main stack and there is no cleanout it is rather easy to cut a block of PVC off and put a cleanout T in. This is literally a half hour job - and obviously you need one.