Correction.... sorry, I noticed a mis-type in my previous message. The electrician will "now" have to wire further through the attic to get to the other spot.

edie, any time you connect a pressure line to a gravity sewer line it should be an indirect connection to eliminate the potential of pumping sewage into the house or sewage into the pool system. This is a case where size doesn't matter. Any county health dept should not allow this type of cross connection. I have never heard of a 2 inch gravity sewer line unless its a gray water line.

If for some archaic code reason, you are required to connect you backwash to the sewer line, you don't have to connect at a cleanout but can connect anywhere in the line provided you use an indirect connection.

You might want to get another plumber on the job.

The plumber will be tying into the cleanout with a deep well trap, which is, according to my understanding, the indirect connection. The tie in has to be at a cleanout as the actual sewer lines underground are terra cotta. This is a code requirement. I had to google "gray water line" to find out what it was, but no, this is not the case. This house was built in 1964, and the other cleanout is newer as it looks to have been installed when a bathroom was added on at the back of the house. What is hard to understand, is that the new cleanout had to have been extended from somewhere, I guess, because I cannot believe that this 2" cleanout within a 3" cast iron pipe was the only cleanout for a 3,000 sq.ft. house. We are calling another plumber for additional input and quote.

Thank you.

An indirect connection allows water to spill outside of the connection therefore relieving the pressure in case of a blockage down the line. Otherwise your lowest toilet becomes the pressure release point. The first plumber seemed to realize this as a potential problem.

Are you required to backwash to the sewer line?

Yes, here in the city we are required to backwash to the sewer line. I am told that this is the purpose of the "deep well trap" that will be installed into the side of the cleanout under ground. So, although I would rather keep the equipment where it is, I may need to get used to having it close to the other cleanout as it will then be right next to it and is a much wider pipe for the water to flow down to the sewer.

In our previous home, I had a pool built and they dug a trench around the corner of my house to the cleanout at the side and it was a perfect set up. The lay of our current yard and cleanout locations, as well as other utility pipes underground due to a back house in the back of our yard, is certainly making this experience a little more challenging.

Well, it sounds like you on top of the situation.

I would question moving all of the equipment just to satisfy the needs for one line. Choosing an equipment location is tough when you figure in all the conditions and priorities.

1. aesthetics
2. elevation
3. convienience
4. efficiency
5. cost

Its an important decision and hard to balance the conflicts somtimes. Stay with it!

Yes... this is completely my issue, as I am sick that the location of the cleanout that we are being told we need to use is totally changing the location of my equipment. I am hoping there is a good solution. Pool builder is due back tomorrow morning, since we finally had a full day without rain today. I have put my husband in charge of talking with him about our options, and I will wait to see the results.

I just spent the last 20 minutes or so sitting on the steps of my new pool (or pond, as I like to refer to it)after climbing over the mound of dirt to get to it.... I am so excited.... so I hope all works out.

When I add pool baths or pool houses which don't offer slope to the sewer cleanout I use a grinding lift station and plumb it in 2" to the cleanout. Use a swing check valve and a vented cleanout cap. I've done it for decades without problems. Until the dreaded day that the pump died and had to be replaced.
Well you know what plumbers say about some jobs, it's just their bread and butter, LOL!!!
I wouldn't sweat it.
Now, if you favorite cleanout is really 2" you'll have to move to the larger one regardless. You can't pump a 2" pressurized line to a gravity drain of equal size It should be a minimum of 3" and preferably a 4"

See ya,
Kelly

We have a green 3" pipe outside the front corner of our home that has a PVC pipe that comes UP next to it and water flows from this pipe into the green 3" pipe....what is this and where is the water coming from?? We have an in ground pool in the backyard, and pool filter/heater/controls are on the opposite side of the house from where the green pipe & PVC pipe are draining....we are new home owners & first time pool owners. Any help or answers?

If it is the pool backwash, then it should only be running when you backwash the filter (unless you have a leaking backwash valve which would require constant refilling of the pool).

I would guess that its a sump pump keeping your foundation or basement dry. If it runs for a couple of minutes and stops for a while this is probably the case.