Sewer Cleanout Installation in Greeley, CO

No easy way into your sewer line? A cleanout gives a sewer pro direct access to clear a clog or run a camera, without pulling a toilet or working from the roof. Call SewerProof Greeley to talk to a local sewer pro about sewer cleanout installation in Greeley, where it should go and what the job involves.

Call (970) 771-0141One-way or two-way?

Talk to a local sewer pro

Need a cleanout added?

Tell us about your home. A local pro will explain where a cleanout would go and what the job involves.

Call (970) 771-0141
  • Placement explained before any digging
  • Price explained before work starts
  • Answered 24/7, nights and weekends
  • Answered 24/7, nights and weekends
  • Camera check before any dig
  • Price explained before work starts
  • Local Greeley-area sewer pros

What is a sewer cleanout?

A sewer cleanout is a capped pipe that leads straight down into your main sewer line. Take the cap off and a sewer pro can send a cable, a hose or a camera into the line. Outside, it usually looks like a white or black pipe about 3 to 4 inches across, or a round cap marked “Sewer” or “Clean Out”.

One-way and two-way sewer cleanouts, and where a cleanout can go in GreeleyA one-way cleanout has one riser that opens the line toward the street. A two-way cleanout opens the line in both directions, toward the house and toward the street. In Greeley the cleanout must be on your property, not in the public right-of-way where the City main runs.Your propertyPublic right-of-wayNo cleanouts hereHouseto houseto streetCitymainOne-wayOpens toward the streetTwo-wayOpens both directionsCap at ground levelColorado code, cleanout where the house drain meets the sewer:a two-way fitting with one riser no deeper than 4 feet,or a two-riser cleanout with back-to-back fittings.City’s side

There are two main types. A one-way cleanout opens the line toward the street. A two-way cleanout opens it in both directions, toward the house and toward the street. In Greeley, a cleanout has to sit on your own property, not in the public right-of-way.

On this page 9 sections
  1. Does your house have a sewer cleanout?
  2. Do I need a sewer cleanout?
  3. One-way or two-way cleanout?
  4. Where a cleanout can go in Greeley
  5. How sewer cleanout installation in Greeley works, step by step
  6. What happens to your yard
  7. What does a sewer cleanout cost in Greeley?
  8. Using and caring for your cleanout
  9. Frequently asked questions

Does your house have a sewer cleanout?

Many homes have one and the owners don’t know where it is. Others, especially older homes, never had an outside cleanout at all. Here’s where to look:

  • Outside by the foundation A short capped pipe sticking up near the front or side of the house, often close to where the sewer leaves the home.
  • In the yard A cap at ground level somewhere between the house and the street. Grass or mulch can hide it.
  • Inside the home On the basement floor, in a utility room, crawl space or garage, or near a bathroom or laundry area.
  • Buried or covered Landscaping, a patio or a remodel can bury a cleanout. A sewer camera with a locator can find where the line runs and where a cleanout should be.
  • No cleanout at all Some older homes never had one. Clearing or scoping the line then means pulling a toilet or working from a roof vent.
  • Find it before an emergency Know your cleanout. In a backup, a sewer pro who can get straight to the line saves time, mess and money.

Do I need a sewer cleanout?

If your home has no easy access to the main line, it’s worth asking to add a sewer cleanout in Greeley, CO. It’s one of the most useful small upgrades you can make. A loose or missing cleanout cap can also let sewer gas into the house; see what causes a sewer smell. Here’s why:

  • Faster clearing. A cable or hose goes straight into the main line instead of through a toilet or a roof vent.
  • Easier camera checks. A camera can run the line without pulling a toilet, so the inspection is simpler.
  • Less mess inside. Work happens outside the house instead of in a bathroom.
  • Code for new work. Colorado’s plumbing code calls for a cleanout near the point where the drain inside your home meets the sewer line outside.

Your situation

Add a cleanout now?

No outside cleanout, and the main line has backed up before

Yes, it will make every future visit easier

Big trees and an older line that needs regular clearing

Yes, it saves effort on each clearing

A sewer repair or new line is already planned

Yes, add it during the same dig

A working cleanout you can reach

No, just keep it clear and know where it is

One-way or two-way cleanout?

The difference is which way a sewer pro can reach into the line:

One-way cleanout

Two-way cleanout

Opens the line toward

The street only

The street and the house

Good for

Clearing and checking the line out to the City main

Reaching both the house side and the street side from one spot

Fittings

One riser

One riser on a two-way fitting, or two risers back to back

Colorado code at the house junction

Not the listed option

A two-way fitting with one riser no deeper than 4 feet, or a two-riser cleanout

Colorado’s plumbing code says that when a cleanout is installed where the building drain meets the building sewer, it should be an approved two-way fitting with a single riser no deeper than 4 feet, or a two-riser cleanout made of back-to-back fittings. That’s why a 2-way cleanout installation in Greeley is the most common choice at the house. Ask your installer which type fits your line and why.

No cleanout at your house?

Call and ask about adding one. A local sewer pro can explain where it would go, which type you need and what the job involves.

Call (970) 771-0141

Where a cleanout can go in Greeley

City of Greeley standards say cleanouts aren’t allowed in the public right-of-way or a sanitary sewer easement. So any outdoor sewer cleanout install in Greeley goes on your side, usually close to the house where the sewer line leaves the foundation.

Ask where the cap will sit. A spot clear of the driveway and away from mowers is easier to reach and less likely to get damaged. Ask too how the cap will be protected from freezing and traffic.

Your side and the City’s side

  • Your side: the service line from the house to the tap on the City main, including any cleanout
  • City side: the public sewer main in the street
  • New service lines in Greeley are PVC SDR 35
  • Read our homeowner section on who pays

How sewer cleanout installation in Greeley works, step by step

  • 1 Find the line and its depth. A camera and locator show exactly where the sewer runs and how deep it sits.
  • 2 Permit and utility marks. The permit is pulled and buried utilities are marked through Colorado 811 before any digging.
  • 3 Dig a small pit. The crew opens a hole down to the pipe, usually near the foundation. It’s sized to the job, not a trench across the yard.
  • 4 Cut in the fitting. A section of pipe is cut out and the cleanout fitting and riser go in, sealed to the old pipe.
  • 5 Inspection. Sewer service work in Greeley is inspected before the hole is filled in.
  • 6 Backfill and cap. The pit is filled and packed, and the cap is set at ground level.
Sewer cleanout installation in Greeley: exposed PVC sewer pipe in a small pit dug down to the line
Most of the work happens in one small pit dug down to the sewer pipe.

A simple installation can take a few hours. A deeper line, concrete on top or tight access can stretch it to a day or more.

What happens to your yard

A sewer line cleanout installation in Greeley means one small hole, not a torn-up yard. Still, ask for the restoration plan in writing so you know what gets put back:

  • How big the pit will be The planned size and depth of the hole, and where the dirt will go while the crew works.
  • Grass and plants Whether sod is replaced, the area is seeded, or the soil is just leveled.
  • Sprinkler lines Whether broken sprinkler lines near the pit are repaired.
  • Concrete Whether any cut concrete or pavers are replaced, and how.
  • Extra soil Whether extra dirt is hauled away or spread on site.
  • Cap height Where the cap sits so it is easy to find and safe from mowers.

What does a sewer cleanout cost in Greeley?

Prices to install a sewer cleanout in Greeley swing a lot from one home to the next, so we don’t list one number. These are the things that move your price:

  • Depth of the line A deeper pipe means a bigger, longer dig.
  • What sits on top Lawn is easier to open than a patio, a driveway or a basement floor.
  • One-way or two-way A two-way fitting or two risers adds a little material and work.
  • Old pipe material Tying into clay or cast iron can take more care than tying into PVC.
  • Permit and inspection The permit and City inspection are part of the job.
  • Restoration Sod, sprinklers and concrete may or may not be in the quote.

Adding a cleanout during a sewer repair you already need usually costs less than a separate job, because the pipe is already exposed. Ask for a written quote that lists each part of the work.

Using and caring for your cleanout

Should you see water in a sewer cleanout?

Looking down an open cleanout, the pipe should be mostly empty, with water running along the bottom when someone uses a drain. Water standing up in the riser, or wastewater pooling around the cap, means the line is blocked somewhere past the cleanout.

Can I open my sewer cleanout myself?

Not when the line is backed up. A full line can push sewage and sewer gas out the moment the cap comes loose. Leave it closed and call a sewer pro. When the line is flowing, there’s little reason to open it.

  • Cracked or missing cap? Replace it soon. An open pipe lets in dirt and lets out sewer gas.
  • Pop-up relief caps lift during a backup so wastewater spills outside instead of inside. Ask whether one fits your setup.
  • Keep it findable. Mark it on a sketch of your yard and keep plants and mulch off the cap.

Frequently asked questions

It depends on how deep the line is, what’s on top of it, the type of cleanout, the old pipe material, the permit and the yard restoration. Ask for a written quote that lists each part.

If your home has no easy access to the main line, a cleanout makes clearing and camera checks faster and cleaner. It’s most useful for older lines, homes with big trees and lines that have backed up before.

Look outside near the foundation, in the yard between the house and the street, or inside on a basement floor, utility room, crawl space or garage. If you can’t find one, it may be buried or missing.

Colorado’s plumbing code calls for a cleanout near where the building drain meets the building sewer, and sets the fittings for it. Your installer should explain what applies to your line.

A two-way cleanout opens the sewer line in both directions, toward the house and toward the street, so a sewer pro can reach either side from one spot.

Not if the line is backed up. Sewage and gas can push out when the cap comes off. Leave it closed and call a sewer pro.

Talk to a local pro about adding a cleanout in Greeley

Tell them about your home and where your sewer line runs, ask which type of cleanout fits and how the yard will be put back, and get a written price before work starts. One call, any hour, gets you a local sewer pro who handles cleanout installation in Greeley, CO and nearby towns.

Call (970) 771-0141