10/26/2026
This is the definition of a small problem turning into something bigger than it had to be. Thereās a few different factors at play here and Iāll explain them step by step.
1. A cleanout is a portion of the piping that myself, and other drain cleaners, can access to snake out a clog. This is the portion that was broken and leaking in this situation. It was, unfortunately, installed directly below a drain that was frequently used and essentially had continuous flow through this broken part - in other words, it had a nearly continuous leak.
2. The clean-out was so flush against the wall, that the break leaks in front and behind the wall were silently wreaking havoc on everything. Thus, creating the one word nobody wants to hear - mold š·
3. I am called in to find what is leaking, and to fix it. I cut out the wall to correct the first problem - the cleanout being below the drain. Instead of this incident-waiting-to-happen layout, I installed a new one above that drain and outside the wall so the owner can catch a leak with a bowl next time. *see pictures 2 and 3 for where the breaks are
4. The old piping was tubular white pvc, which I steer away from and donāt advise the use of it, because eventually each of those joints runs a higher risk of leaks. I opted for hard ABS pipe as a replacement - as this is much more āleak-proofā, and has a better internal diameter for flow and solids to move freely!
5. We unfortunately cannot make the mold disappear (but a magic mold removal wand would be fantastic š„²), but we are more than happy to be there to help stop leaks from causing more mold, or any other issues! And as always, thankful and honored to have the trust of our customers - especially in times where they need help from a company they feel can make things better for them, not worse š§
