drum trap cover

[mike]

Hey guys. I recently bought a house (about 2 years old - built by the guy I bought it from) and when I had the inspector come in he mentioned that I would want to get a cover for the "sewer cleanout" in the basement. I went to the hardware store today and the guy had no idea what I was talking about, but he directed me to a drum trap cover. I told him I was going to go check the diameter of the pipe. I then googled drum trap cover to find some and read about how they are only in old houses. Can somebody point me in the right direction?

[Joe]

The right direction is right down to the parts counter of the nearest plumbing supply house that will sell to the public. Unfortunately, in some areas there is a distributor/plumbers cartel and they won't talk to you or sell you parts (you could kill yourself with a 3/4" copper el or other lethal repair items and they don;t want to be liable...right). Even.cruising the plumbing section in one of the box stores could be productive. People at Ace Hardware and True Value are better than average at helping out. look for a flat disc-like thing with threads on this edges IIRC. HTH

Joe

[Speedy Jim]

If your cleanout fitting has female threads, you want a "cleanout plug":

You can also use a "dollar plug" which has an expanding rubber seal:

[Jim Redelfs]

If it is indeed a sewer clean-out, a threaded, 4-inch plug is what you need.

This SOUNDS like the plastic cover found over a groundwater sump (hole) in a corner of the basement floor. Such a cover has a radius, 2-inch-wide slot to accommodate a pump and its connections.

[buffalobill]

buffalo ny: what's beneath your basement floor varies with its altitude above or below the sewer line. a trap needs water to be added to block sewer gas [methane from decomposing] and anything else accidentally poured into the neighborhood sewer such as gasoline from a car accident, from seeping into the house. if this is a cleanout with no trap below it it must be closed by a removable cover. if this is the main floor drain that leads to a trap and maybe a check-valve, it may need a slotted cover to accept water but discourage debris. owner built homes may be built with various combinations of love, experience, ignorance, and wisdom, and as codes evolve what's been okay for a hundred years may be substandard tomorrow. thank your inspector for the tip. many plumbing parts pictured in the online catalog at: