Main Septic Line Clean Out

[xtr1c0]

Hi, I have a main line to my septic tank which has a clean out cap in the basement which is a 3 1/2" brass cap and there is a rubber gasket around it. When I try to turn the cap to remove it it just spins. My question is how do I remove this cap and is there a better one to use that will be easy to get off & on. Here is a picture.Sorry the picture is so big.

 

[johnjh2o]

It looks like you may have to cut it out. But before doing that I would try some heat on it.
When you replace it use T tape so it will not lockup on you the next time you have to remove it.

John

 

[phishfood]

Can you take a picture of the fitting that the rubber gasket attaches to?

 

[phishfood]

John beat me by no more than 20 seconds, lol.

 

[johnjh2o]

Sorry, the rubber that is holding the clean out in was used for cast iron joints in place of lead and oakum. There was a tool that was need to force the casket and clean out into the hub. I'll see if I can find a picture of one. Here is what they looked like.

http://www.charlottepipe.com/Documents/Hub_and_Spigot/Hub_and_Spigot_Installation_Procedures.pdf
John

 

[xtr1c0]

Johnjo2o, Did that tool have the capability of removing a cap also? I was wondering how it would grab at just the end cap. Also, here is a side view that phishfood wanted.

 

[johnjh2o]

No the puller will not remove the clean out. At this point I would cut the brass plug out. There not that heavy. When you replace the plug use T tape on the threads of the plug to make it easier to remove the next time you need to.

John

 

[xtr1c0]

OK, thanks. I assume the rubber sleeve would still be good as long as I don't mess it up cutting the plug out, right? Or are they cheap enough anyways.

 

[johnjh2o]

What I'm saying is to just cut the brass plug out and let the fitting remain. Then just replace the plug.

john

 

[xtr1c0]

The brass cap is screwed into what looks like a thin walled steel ring,which is inside the rubber sleeve, which is in the pipe itself. So you're saying be careful not to damage the steel ring that the cap screws into, right? Sorry if I'm being thick.

 

[johnjh2o]

The steel ring is a cast iron fitting that needs to remain. You need that to replace the plug after you cut the old one out. Can I ask why your trying to remove the plug?

John

 

[xtr1c0]

Hey, sorry it took me so long to respond. I was originally trying to remove this cap because we had a septic system failure and after the tank was pumped out the plumber snaked the line from the outside (in the tank) in. He shoved some of the solids back into the clean-out area and it ended up working its way back under the opening of the main line. I ended up using a garden hose with a nozzle attachment to spray a jet of water from the outside in and managed to remove the pieces that the guy didn't get. Shouldn't he have snaked the line from the inside out so that he could actually see that the line was clear? By the way, the outfit I called that day was Mr. Rooter, which is a franchise, and they ended up being a bad company to do business with. They tried to collect money on the septic system job without getting the proper permits or doing any initial testing of my soil. That is another story but the clean-out was only a smallpart of it.

 

[johnjh2o]

Some of the best advice I could give is don't use any company with Rooter in there name.

John

 

[stevemachine]

Haha I couldn't agree more John. Mr rooter is brutal. Ive already come across their scabby work here in Edmonton.

 

[xtr1c0]

Yeah, I found out the hard way and feel like a complete idiot for having hired them. They were a bunch of idiots. That's ******of Waterford, New York, owned by ****, a first class scumbag.

 

[xtr1c0]

sorry - i just felt like the guy was purposefully trying to screw me and i will be reporting him to the better business bureau and also trying to keep others from getting screwed

 

[havasu]

No need to apologize. We've all been ripped off and need to vent, but just not in an open forum.