There is a white PVC pipe sticking out of the ground in my yard. It must have been put there when the house was built, before I was the owner.
What is this pipe for? It is about 4 or 5 inches in diameter and has a cap glued into the top to seal it. Or at least I think it is glued as I cannot seem to pull the cap off.
I think it might be related to the outdoor drainage system as the downspouts seem to pour into similar white PVC pipe. But if this is supposed to be some sort of access pipe, I can't figure out why it is sealed.
The reason why I am asking is because I want to dig out around the pipe, cut it off below ground level, re-seal it, and bury it under a layer of flagstones. It is right in the way and I keep tripping over it.
Best Answer
They can be quite hard to remove even if not glued. I'd assume it is a cleanout.
Remove the top (I usually use a hammer and a piece of wood to bang under the lip--you'll have to dig a bit). If the top does not come off, just cut it off with a reciprocating saw. You can always put another cap on or get a coupling if you need more length. Once the cap is off you can yell into it and have someone listen to your rain drain risers to see if it is connected.
If it smells or you can't hear the other person it could be a sewer cleanout.
You could keep it right at the level below the flagstone and have a removable flagstone if you want to keep the cleanout some what accessible.