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Cleanouts

A plumbing cleanout is a pipe tting with a removable plugthat allows access to drains without removing a plumbing xture,pipe, or tting. It is designed or ease o access to clogged sanitaryor storm drainage piping systems. Cleanouts enhance the main-tenance o drainage systems by allowing an auger or a plumberssnake to clear a plugged drain. Tus, they should be placed inaccessible locations throughout a drainage system and outside thebuilding, as these augers have limited length.

Cleanouts provide access to horizontal and vertical lines toacilitate inspection and provide a means o removing obstruc-tions such as solid objects, greasy wastes, and hair. In general,cleanouts must be gas- and water-tight, provide quick and easyplug removal, allow ample space or the operation o cleaningtools, have a means o adjustment to nished suraces, be attrac-tive in appearance, and be designed to support whatever trafc isdirected over them.

DESIGN DETAILS

Some cleanouts are designed with a neoprene seal plug, which

prevents reezing or binding to the errule. All plugs are machinedwith a straight or running thread and a ared shoulder or theneoprene gasket, permitting quick and certain removal when nec-essary. A maximum opening is provided or tool access. Recessedcovers are available to accommodate carpet, tile, terrazzo, andother surace nishes and are adjustable to the exact oor levelestablished by the adjustable housing or by the set screws.

Waste lines typically are laid beneath the oor slabs at a dis-tance sufcient to provide adequate backll over the joints. Clea-nouts then are brought up to oor-level grade by pipe extensionpieces. Where the sewer line is at some distance below grade andnot easily accessible through extensions, small pits or manholes

with access covers must be installed. When cleanouts are installedin trafc areas, the trafc load must be considered when the mate-

rials o construction are selected.

SIZING

Te size o the cleanout within abuilding should be the same size as thepiping, up to 4 inches. For 6-inch and8-inch diameter pipe, 4-inch cleanoutsare adequate or their intended purpose.However, 6-inch cleanouts are recom-mended to allow or a larger variety oaccess needs such as or sewer videoequipment. For pipe 10 inches and larger,8-inch cleanouts are recommended.

A maximum distance between clea-nouts o 50 eet should be maintained orpiping 4 inches and smaller and 75 eetor larger piping.

INSTALLATION TIPS

Cleanouts should be provided at the ollowing locations: 5 eet outside or inside the building at the point o exit

At every change o direction greater than 45 degrees or Inter-

national Plumbing Code (IPC) projects and 135 degrees orUniorm Plumbing Code (UPC) projects

At every change o direction and every 200 eet o exteriorunderground sanitary sewer piping larger than 8 inches indiameter with manholes or IPC projects

At the base o all waste and soil stacks

At horizontal drains, not more than 100 eet apart

At building sewers not more than 100 eet apart

At the junction o the building drain and the building sewer(see Figure 1)

Optional locations include: At the roo stack terminal

At the end o horizontal xture branches or waste lines

At xture traps (Fixture traps can be pre-manuactured withcleanout plugs, although some codes prohibit the installationo this kind o trap.)

RESOURCES

Plumbing Engineering Design Handbook, Volume 2. Chapter 1:Sanitary Drainage Systems. American Society o Plumbing Engi-neers. 2006.

International Plumbing Code Section 708: Cleanouts. International Code Council. 2003.

Uniorm Plumbing Code Section 811: Cleanouts. InternationaAssociation o Plumbing and Mechanical Ofcials. 2003.

By JameS e. StenqViSt, CPd, leed aP

Plumbing deSign y h numbeRS

Figure 1 Cleanouts at sewer junction

Source: 2003 International Plumbing Code Commenta

WWW.PSDMAGAZINE.ORG28 Plumbing Systems & Design JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009

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JAMES STENqVIST, CPD, LEED AP, is a projectengineer with Diversifed Technolog Consultants in North

Haven, Conn. For more inormation or to comment on thisarticle, e-mail articles@psdmagazine.org. This article is meant to

provide some basic guidelines. Alwas check all relevant codesand resources or a particular project.

Cleanout Plugs

Brass

ABS or PVC plastic

Raised square heads

Counter-sunk rectangular slots

Access covers with corrosion-resistant asteners

Gas and water tight

Access covers

Materials

Cast iron body

Brass body

Galvanized wrought iron

Galvanized steel

Copper

Brass pipe

Plastic plug

ABS plug

ClearanCe

18 inches or pipes 6 inches and smaller

36 inches or pipes 8 inches and larger

(Tese are minimum conditions that will allow the cleanoutto be serviced. Additional clearance should be providedwhere possible.)

seleCtion Criteria

Shape o top (round or square)

Style o top (nish styles, or carpet or tile, loading class)

rac type (oot or vehicles)

Material selection

Outlet type (adjustable, spigot, inside caulk, no-hub, gasket)

Body type (waterproo membrane, wide fange, or castfange)

loading ClassifiCations

Light duty: Sae live load less than 2,000 pounds

Medium duty: Sae live load between 2,000 and 4,999pounds

Heavy duty: Sae live load between 5,000 and 7,499 pounds

Extra-heavy duty: Sae live load between 7,500 and 10,000pounds

Special duty: Sae live load more than 10,000 pounds

CHeCKliSt FOR CleanOutS to comparatively low petroleum prices, recent history not-withstanding. Some pioneering U.S. installations are under-way and urther, more rapid development should ollow.

SyNERGy OF GRDs

GRDs, more than any other type o grease interceptor, arereceiving increased attention by regulating authorities andood service establishment operators because o reducedmaintenance requirements (e.g., training), resulting in lessFOG escaping to the collection system and treatment works.

wo convening actors make a GRD interceptor the new,mean, green grease machine. One is the energy opportunitydescribed above. Second is the chemical evolution o FOGitsel.

odays FOG is comprised o more modied vegetableoilssuch as zero trans-atty acid varietiesthan animaland dairy ats o the past. Te traditional FOG composition issusceptible to hydrolysis, the process by which water breaksdown the FOG molecular structure, releasing glycerin andatty acids. However, new, modied vegetable oils react morequickly to contact with water and begin dropping glycerinalmost immediately.

Glycerin, once separated rom the FOG molecule, hasa specic gravity greater than water, so it wont oat andisnt retained by the interceptor. It escapes to the collectionsystem, providing carbon or bacteria. pH drops at depositionsites and interceptor bottoms, accelerating corrosion.

Te atty acids remaining in the interceptor have a lowerpH than the unmodied molecule, accelerating halo corro-sion at the static water line in interceptors. Te divorced attyacids o modied oils have a greater afnity or places whereoxygen is available, such as iron oxide in collection systems

and lit station pumps where atty acid deposits are chemi-cally bonded rather than simply mechanically attached.

Because o the changing molecular structure o FOG, theneed, rom a pollution prevention perspective, to quicklyremove separated FOG rom the interceptor is greater thanever beore. Te rewards o continuous FOG removal aregreater pollution prevention, reduction o the need or spe-cial receiving and processing equipment or FOG disposal at

wastewater treatment plants, and a product more suitable ornew energy opportunities. Te GRD type o interceptor llsthe bill on both counts.

FeatuRe: GRDs THE MEAN, GREENGREASE MACHINE

continued rom page 17

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009 Plumbing Systems & Design 2

MAX WEISS is a consultant with Ja R. Smith Mg. Co. Hehas authored several articles relating topretreatment, bioremediation, and on-sitedisposal utilizing fxed flm technolog. Heserves on several U.S. and Canadian task groupsand committees regarding grease interceptordesign, manuacture, classifcation, sizing,application, operation, maintenance, dischargeregulation, and water reuse. He can be reacheddirectl at max@weissresearch.net. For moreinormation or to comment on this article,e-mail articles@psdmagazine.org.