N.Y.C. Admin. Code § PC 708: Section PC 708: Cleanouts

708.1 Cleanouts required.

Cleanouts shall be provided for drainage piping in accordance with Sections 708.1.1 through 708.1.12.

708.1.1 Horizontal drains and building drains.

Horizontal drainage pipes in buildings shall have cleanouts located at intervals of not more than 100 feet (30 480 mm). Building drains shall have cleanouts located at intervals of not more than 100 feet (30 480 mm).

Exception:

Horizontal fixture drain piping serving a nonremovable trap shall not be required to have a cleanout for the section of piping between the trap and the vent connection for such trap.

708.1.2 Building sewers.

Building sewers smaller than 8 inches (203 mm) shall have cleanouts located at intervals of not more than 100 feet (30 480 mm). Building sewers 8 inches (203 mm) and larger shall have a manhole located not more than 200 feet (60 960 mm) from the junction of the building drain and building sewer and at intervals of not more than 400 feet (122 m). The interval length shall be measured from the cleanout or manhole opening, along the developed length of the piping to the next drainage fitting providing access for cleaning, a manhole or the end of the building sewer.

708.1.3 Building drain and building sewer junction.

The junction of the building drain and the building sewer shall be served by a cleanout that is located at the junction or within 10 feet (3048 mm) of the developed length of piping upstream of the junction. For the requirements of this section, the cleanout access shall not be provided by water closet removal.

708.1.4 Changes of direction.

Where a horizontal drainage pipe, a building drain or a building sewer has a change of horizontal direction greater than 45 degrees (0.79 rad), a cleanout shall be installed at the change of direction. Where more than one change of horizontal direction greater than 45 degrees (0.79 rad) occurs within 40 feet (12 192 mm) of developed length of piping, the cleanout installed for the first change of direction shall serve as the cleanout for all changes in direction within that 40 feet (12 192 mm) of developed length of piping.

708.1.5 Cleanout size.

Cleanouts shall be the same size as the piping served by the cleanout, except that cleanouts for piping larger than 4 inches (102 mm) need not be larger than 4 inches (102 mm).

Exceptions:

1. A removable P-trap with slip or ground joint connections can serve as a cleanout for drain piping that is one size larger than the P-trap size.

2. Cleanouts located on stacks can be one size smaller than the stack size.

3. The size of cleanouts for cast-iron piping can be in accordance with the referenced standards for cast-iron fittings as indicated in

Table 702.4

.

708.1.6 Cleanout plugs.

Cleanout plugs shall be of brass, plastic or other approved materials. Cleanout plugs for borosilicate glass piping systems shall be of borosilicate glass. Brass cleanout plugs shall conform to ASTM A 74 and shall be limited for use only on metallic piping systems. Plastic cleanout plugs shall conform to the referenced standards for plastic pipe fittings, as indicated in

Table 702.4

. Cleanout plugs shall have a raised square head, a countersunk square head or a countersunk slot head. Where a cleanout plug will have a trim cover screw installed into the plug, the plug shall be manufactured with a blind end threaded hole for such purpose.

708.1.7 Manholes.

Manholes and manhole covers shall be of an approved type. Manholes located inside of a building shall have gas-tight covers that require tools for removal.

708.1.8 Installation arrangement.

The installation arrangement of a cleanout shall enable cleaning of drainage piping only in the direction of drainage flow.

Exceptions:

1. Test tees serving as cleanouts.

2. A two-way cleanout installation that is approved for meeting the requirements of Section 708.1.3.

708.1.9 Required clearance.

Cleanouts for 6-inch (153 mm) and smaller piping shall be provided with a clearance of not less than 18 inches (457 mm) from, and perpendicular to, the face of the opening to any obstruction. Cleanouts for 8-inch (203 mm) and larger piping shall be provided with a clearance of not less than 36 inches (914 mm) from, and perpendicular to, the face of the opening to any obstruction.

708.1.10 Cleanout access.

Required cleanouts shall be provided with access. Cleanouts on concealed piping or piping under a floor slab or in a crawl space of less than 24 inches (610 mm) in height or a plenum shall be extended through and terminate flush with the finished wall, floor or ground surface or shall be extended to the outside of the building. Cleanouts with openings at a finished wall shall have the face of the opening located within 1 1/2 inches (38 mm) of the finished wall surface. Cleanouts located below grade shall be extended to grade level so that the top of the cleanout plug is at or above grade. A cleanout installed in a floor or walkway that will not have a trim cover installed shall have a countersunk plug installed so the top surface of the plug is flush with the finished surface of the floor or walkway.

708.1.10.1 Cleanout plug trim covers.

Trim covers and access doors for cleanout plugs shall be designed for such purposes and shall be approved. Trim cover fasteners that thread into cleanout plugs shall be corrosion resistant. Cleanout plugs shall not be covered with mortar, plaster or any other permanent material.

708.1.10.2 Floor cleanout assemblies.

Where it is necessary to protect a cleanout plug from the loads of vehicular traffic, cleanout assemblies in accordance with ASME A112.36.2M shall be installed.

708.1.11 Prohibited use.

The use of a threaded cleanout opening to add a fixture or to extend piping shall be prohibited except where another cleanout of equal size is installed with the required access and clearance.

708.1.12 Base of stack.

A cleanout shall be provided at the base of each waste or soil stack.