A clogged drain can be very frustrating, so it can be easy to impatiently pour powerful chemicals down the drain immediately, but this might make the process worse. The most effective way to handle clogs is to call a drain cleaning expert, who will be there as soon as possible.
There may be times when you hear noises coming from your plumbing system. Sometimes, they are meaningless, but at other times, they are signs of trouble. Gurgling sounds could indicate clogged drains or inadequate or blocked venting.
Old water and sewer lines sometimes consist of fiber conduit commonly called “Orangeburg.” Consisting of ground wood fiber bonded with a water-resistant adhesive and coated with tar pitch, one fiber pipe in Boston was installed in 1865 and remained in service until 1927.
While it’s tempting to clean drains on your own, you should resist this. This is because using snakes to clean drains can damage pipes if you lack experience, and many drain-cleaning chemicals are not safe. Our professionals use safe methods of drain cleaning.
A slowed or stopped flow of water isn't always the result of a simple blockage. It could be a broken or cracked pipe in your system, or even erosion of older pipes. Call a professional to make sure you get the right diagnosis and the right cure.
Sewer lines backing up is not only a disgusting option, but it can be an unsanitary and dangerous one. In some cases, sewage can back up into the home through the toilet.
If you'd rather not dump potentially harmful de-clogging chemicals down your drains, then you might opt for hydro jet cleaning instead. With hydro jet cleaning, high-pressure water is shot down the drain to thoroughly clean the pipes and remove and minor blockages that are present.
If you want to keep the water flowing freely through your drains, you’ll need to schedule preventive cleaning maintenance. This will not only keep your drains clear, but it helps to determine any potential problems with your pipes.
While many fiber optic technologies rely on infrared light, drain line inspection cameras use visible wavelengths. The technology is advanced, but the principles are basic: it shines a light on an area or object so the camera and human eye can see it.
While a clog may seem to suddenly appear, the truth is that clogs build up slowly over time, first slowing, then clogging your drain. Fortunately, these can be stopped before they become problems by regular drain cleaning experts.
Drought conditions can affect your sewer lines, because tree roots enter tiny cracks in the pipe seeking water and nutrients in dry weather. Drain cleaning prevents the roots from growing to the point where they block the sewer line or rupture the pipe.
If you don’t have a garbage disposal, you should avoid letting food scraps go down the drain. This can be achieved by using a drain strainer in your kitchen sink.
When moisture in soil freezes, it expands, which can cause the ground to heave or move upward. Wet soil clinging to one section of drain pipe can magnify the upward movement. The effect is called frost lensing, and it can cause pipes to crack or buckle.
Soap scum and minerals can build up inside your pipes, eventually causing a clog. This is particularly an issue for those areas that have hard water, which contains and excess amount of minerals that will eventually clog pipes.
Glub-glub noises in the toilet while a shower is running, followed by the toilet not flushing and the shower drain backing up, indicate a problem in the main sewer line, and is probably too far for a consumer-grade snake to reach and clear.
The branching system of underground sewer and drain pipes common in most US cities today goes by many names. They may be referred to as the "house connection sewer (HCS)," "house lateral," "building lateral," or "sewer lateral system."
If you'd rather your toilet stay functional, perhaps it would be best to stop stuffing it with sanitary products. Because they don't really degrade, napkins, tampons and the like will definitely clog up the toilet and leave you with an unpleasant situation.
Heavy grease and oil can easily clog sinks and drains in commercial kitchens. If you don’t want to run into major plumbing issues, let our experts offer you the best drain cleaning service.
One diagnostic tool used by professional drain cleaning services is a micro-video camera. These cameras can be thread into your drain to the source of the blockage. This permits the technician to observe the exact location of the clog and the cause of it.
If you've every seen a sidewalk buckle and crack because a tree or plant root grows through it, then you understand what can happen to your pipes over time. Fortunately, sometimes these are just clogs, not full breakages, and the clogs can be cleaned out.
Sewer jetting uses high-pressure streams of water to clean sewer, septic, and drain lines. Jetting is an efficient way to clear soft stoppages, which are readily knocked loose and flushed away. This method is also used to thaw and clear ice from frozen drain lines.
If you have a septic system, and the drains are clogged, we recommend exhausting all possibilities of potential sources for clogged drains. Clearing in-house clogs or replacing broken pipes is easier and less expensive than replacing a septic system.
In an older home, tree roots are usually the main cause of a clogged drain. In newer homes, common causes of clogging include paper towels, feminine hygiene products and certain types of toilet paper.
Nothing is a bigger indicator that it’s time to have your drains cleaned than when they run slower than usually. Drain clogs will affect the rate at which water flows in your home, causing water to drain away very slowly.