How to Test a Residential Sewer Waste Pipe

Testing Your Lines

• 1

  Locate the main clean-out drain in your basement. Avoid using any plumbing fixtures for several minutes before you begin, to allow any water in the main sewage line to drain. The main clean-out drain is a section of pipe with a capped off section of diagonal pipe protruding from the side. Use the pipe wrench to remove the cap from the clean-out drain.

• 2

  Attach the rope and bicycle pump to the test plug, insert the plug into the clean-out drain and push it up towards the rest of your plumbing system until it's completely clear of the clean-out drain. The test plug is an inflatable bladder specially sized to fit inside sewer lines. Using the bicycle pump, inflate the test plug until it blocks the drain line.

• 3

  Locate the toilet in your home that's farthest from the main drain clean-out on the first floor. Close the supply lines to your toilet and flush it to empty the tank. Use a plunger to force the water in the toilet's trap out of the bowl, then remove the bolts securing the toilet to the floor. Carefully lift the toilet and put it to the side, taking care to preserve the wax ring between the toilet and the floor.

• 4

  Use the water hose to fill the septic line beneath the toilet until the line is filled with water. Monitor the level of the water line for 20 minutes. If the water level in the pipe doesn't drop noticeably, the septic system inside your house is working properly. A decrease of more than an inch indicates there is a leak in one of the plumbing lines in your home. Contact a professional plumber to locate and stop the leak in your plumbing.