I have a 1950s home and it started to smell like poop in the basement. It didn't overflow, I see the water, but when the cap is off the smell is terrible.
There's a hole in the concrete floor where the sewage/waste cleanout is and an old cast iron plug that's 1/4"-3/8" too big for the hole so it just sits on top (from whoever left it).
I've gone to big box stores and bought a 3 1/2" and 4" cleanout plug, and the same sizes for expandable test plugs.
The cast iron pipe area I cleaned out with a screw driver and a tooth brush, and I don't see any threads (large or small).
The 4" sizes are roughly 1/4" too big and the 3 1/2" would fall through.
Is there any other option just to plug it even if temporarily so I'm not breathing this in for days to come?
I used a plastic container to sit on top, weighted down, and I placed plywood on top of the hole to seal it temporarily but it is not effective.
Help!
Best Answer
First, measure the OUTSIDE diameter of the cast iron pipe where this opening is. Then go to the hardware store and by a Fernco coupler of the appropriate size. The coupler is basically a short tube made of rubber, with hose clamps.
You'll also need a PVC threaded cleanout fitting, and a cleanout cap. Pick the size of that based on the Fernco couplers available to you at the hardware store.