[LazyPup]

Yes,,,that is you cleanout..

Are you drains completely stopped up or just very slow to go down?

If they are just very slow to go down, odds are if you allow a few hours before opening the water should be down and no problem, but if they are completely stopped up i would expect water to be standing in that pipe.

Also, that appears to be cast iron pipe, which has been painted. If so, no doubt that cleanout has not been opened in years. In all probability it will not open? Fortunately those caps are very brittle, and you may end up having to break the cap out, then replace it with a new one. A hammer and a narrow (3/8") cold chisel should do the trick, but work carefully and make sure the stress in inward on the cap, not outward against the pipe hub as you do not want to break the hub.


Once the cap is out and the drain has been snaked, clean the threads of the cleanout hub with a wire brush and install a PVC cap which will not corrode and will be easier to get out in future.

That appears to be at the base of the main vent riser. Another option would be to go on the roof and snake down from the main vent opening, but that would be determined by the height of the house, pitch of the roof and how much snow you happen to have now. Normally on a one story house in descent weather the roof vent is the simplest route, but a multi story, i would prefer breaking the cap out.