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6 Top Reasons to Use Hydro Jetting to Clear Clogged Drains

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 11:37:16 GMT

Clogged drains pose a big threat to your home's structural integrity and the health of your family. With no easy access, wastewater can back up into your home and damage the foundation and other structural components. The blockage can also precipitate leaks, which, in turn, promote risky mold and bacteria growth.

A 2019 report says water damage claims due to leaks are on the rise, which highlights the risk blocked drains pose to your property. Luckily, advances in drain cleaning have made it easier to remedy clogged drain problems.

Hydro jetting has emerged as an effective method of drain cleaning. The innovative method involves directing high-pressure water through a hose and a specialized nozzle to clear debris blocking a drain. A drain cleaning professional uses a video camera to identify the location of the blockage to boost the efficiency of the cleaning process.

The following are the main benefits of hydro jetting to clear your home's blocked drains.

1. Non-Invasive

When clearing a drain using hydro jetting, no one has to dig up your landscaping. The technician only requires a single access route to the drain to commence the cleaning operation. The opening allows video inspection and provides access for the high-pressure hose and nozzle.

2. Efficient

The high-pressure water delivers a high rate of efficiency when cleaning a blocked drain. The video camera provides added accuracy to detect the location of the blockage. The water jet restores the drains to their initial condition to improve wastewater flow from your house.

3. Cost-Effective

The initial cost of hydro jetting a clogged drain might be high, but in the long run, you end up saving money. Due to the high-pressure water, this method cleans accumulated grime on the drain's surface in addition to the actual cause of clogging. The thorough cleaning ensures smooth flow of wastewater and reduces the risk of leaks, which, in turn, can protect you against future repair costs.

The non-invasive technique is also safer for the drain system and your landscaping as no extensive digging is involved. This drain cleaning method takes less time, meaning the entire cost of labor goes down when paying the contractor on hourly rates.

4. Eco-Friendly

No chemicals or other environmentally destructive products are involved in this drain cleaning method. You also have minimal destruction of the environment during the project, which makes this the most eco-friendly pipe unblocking techniques.

5. Flexible

Some other common drain unclogging methods are not effective for hard-to-reach places in the drains. Hydro jetting comes in handy in such situations by clearing blockage where other tools cannot reach. The flexibility of the equipment protects your plumbing and also guarantees more satisfactory results.

6. Hygienic

Traditional drain cleaning methods can miss the stubborn grime on the pipe's surface. Such grime provides ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive. Hydro jetting overcomes this challenge by cleaning pipe surfaces and making them inhabitable for any organisms. Your plumbing system becomes more hygienic after the cleaning job, which reduces the risk of infections in your home.

If you have recurring drain blockage issues, go for a more permanent solution through hydro jetting. The best professional drain cleaners now use this technology to offer better results for their clients.

For the best drain cleaning solutions around Elkhart and Goshen, Indiana, do not try risky and ineffective DIY techniques. Contact us at Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service for comprehensive clogged drain solutions. We will gladly visit your home, understand the exact nature of your clogged drain, and provide the best method possible to ensure complete success. Let us know how we can help you and your plumbing today.

4 Outdoor Drain Winter Maintenance Tips

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 13:52:11 GMT

Many homes today have outdoor drains that prevent standing water from accumulating in a yard after it rains. However, many homeowners do not realize that these drains are just as important during the winter months as they are during the rainy months of the year.

When melted snow and ice cannot flow through outdoor drains due to blockages or other drain problems, this water can instead seep into and under your concrete or asphalt driveway and into small cracks present in your home's foundation.

When the outdoor temperature drops below the freezing point again, water that has saturated your driveway or seeped into small foundation cracks can expand and damage your driveway or enlarge small foundation cracks.

In addition, water that pools on top of your driveway instead of flowing through its outdoor drain can refreeze into a sheet of ice that poses a slip-and-fall hazard to anyone who walks on it.

Learn four outdoor drain winter maintenance tips that can keep your outdoor drains working properly this winter.

1. Keep Drain Sumps Free From Debris

The area directly below an outdoor drain grate is called a sump. Debris can pass through the grate and into this sump year-round. This debris can block the flow of water into the sump or make its way into the outdoor drain pipeline, where it can create a clog that slows or blocks the flow of water through this pipe. During the winter, debris in the sump can also hold onto water and freeze, creating an ice blockage.

Remove debris from your drain sumps on a regular basis. This will keep water flowing smoothly through your drains and prevent deep blockages in your drainage pipe network that can be difficult to dislodge.

2. Install the Right Drain Grates

Do you find that you have to clear debris from your outdoor drain sumps frequently to keep water flowing through them? Then you should consider replacing your grates.

Choose a new grate with a fine mesh screen that will block the entry of more debris than a standard grate or replace your traditional grate with an atrium grate. An atrium grate is dome-shaped and protrudes from the ground. This grate shape also helps prevent debris from getting into your drain sumps more effectively than a standard, flat grate.

3. Melt Drain Ice Blockages as Needed

Outdoor drains can develop ice blockages that prevent water flow through them. Check your outdoor drains for ice blockages any time you notice pooling water around the drain grates during the winter.

To remove an ice blockage, fill a bucket with a mixture of hot water and salt or an alternative deicer and stir until the deicer is dissolved. Then, pour this solution into the frozen drain and allow it to stand until the deicing solution melts the ice.

4. Unblock Clogged Pipes When Necessary

If water pools around an outdoor drain free from debris and ice blockages during the winter, then a clog may exist deep within the drainpipe network. You can attempt to remove this clog by turning your garden hose up and placing the nozzle inside of the drainpipe until the blockage is clear.

If you cannot remove the clog on your own using this method, then contact a plumber. They can remove the clog using a special tool, such as a hydro-jet that projects water through the drain line much more forcefully than you can project it with a garden hose.

Well-functioning outdoor drains are important during the winter months and the warmer months alike. Keep grate surfaces free from snow and ice accumulation, and check your drains for ice and debris blockages that can prevent the flow of water through these drains during the winter. Contact the licensed plumbers at Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service for expert outdoor drain cleaning today.

The Do's and Don'ts of Pre–Drain Cleaning Prep

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 15:53:00 GMT

Do you have slow-flowing drains or complete backups? A professional cleaning service can clear clogs and keep your showers, sinks, and other fixtures in top shape. If you've scheduled this service, take a look at the do's and don'ts of to pre–plumbing appointment prep.

Do Remove Accessories and Extras

The plumber needs space to work. Between an area to easily move and places to put tools or other equipment, your well lived-in bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room may have restrictive clutter that can get in their way. Stop potential safety hazards and reduce the risks of damage (to your belongings) in each room with these simple tips:

Clear countertops . From the bottles of hair spray and lotion on your bathroom sink to the vegetable scrub brush in your kitchen, clear all countertops completely. This leaves a bare surface for the plumber to use as a work space and eliminates breakage risks to your items.
Remove items from under the cabinets . The countertop items you can see aren't the only things to move before your home's drain cleaning service. Remove cleaners or anything else under the sinks. The plumber may need to get into the pipes under kitchen or bathroom cabinets.
Keep the rest of the area clear . Along with items on and under the counters, remove obstacles such as bathroom area rugs, decorative knickknacks, wastebaskets, and other similar accents in the area.

Even though you should remove most items from the plumber's work area, leave the bottle of hand soap that usually sits on the counter where it is. The plumber will likely appreciate access to the cleanser after the service is complete.

Don't Use Chemical Drain Cleaners

Are you tempted to pour a bottle of drain cleaner into the clog as you wait for the plumber? A store-bought chemical cleaner should never become a pre-appointment prep step. While commercially available products may advertise as an easy answer, these products can:

Cause more damage to your plumbing system . A harsh chemical cleaner can corrode or damage your home's pipes. While this may remove the clog, it can also cause serious leaks inside of your walls or other areas of your home.
Keep a clog where it is . Even though the cleaning product may claim to clear all clogs, many of these do-it-yourself options won't fully remove the backup. Instead of a bottle or other cleaner product, your plumbing system needs professional help.
Cause safety hazards . Not only can a cleaner harm the plumbing system, but it can also harm you — or the plumber.

If you did use a drain cleaner, tell the plumber before they get to work. They need to know if the liquid-filled tub holds water or a combination of water and caustic chemicals.

Do Unplug Electrical Items in the Area

Electricity and water don't mix. Keep yourself and your plumber safe during the drain cleaning appointment and:

Remove hairstyling appliances . Unplug and remove your hair dryer, flat iron, or other electric styling appliance from the bathroom area before a drain cleaning. These items can go unnoticed and easily fall into a sink or shower.
Move electronics out of the area . The kitchen counter isn't the safest place to plug in your tablet or phone charger — especially if the plumber needs to work nearby.
Ask about outlets . Will the plumber need access to an outlet for their equipment? If the outlets in the area are already filled, don't force the plumber to decide which items they should unplug. Ask if they'll need an available outlet ahead of time.

You may not need to unplug larger appliances, such as a clothes washer or refrigerator. But do talk to the plumber about the potential for flooding and whether these electrical appliances will interfere with or pose a danger during the service.

Do you need to schedule a professional drain cleaning? Contact Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service for more information.

Common Plumbing Habits That Cost You Money

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 20:22:46 GMT

Homeowners usually want to save money on use and maintenance of their plumbing and drain systems. But saving on your drain care costs and water bill can go wrong if you don't follow the best practices for drain use at the same time.

Some popular habits meant to avoid spending money on plumbing or drains may actually turn out to be false economy, meaning they could cost more money down the road. Don't fall prey to these potential false economies. Here are a few examples of drain- and sewer-related habits meant to save money that could actually cause more problems and expense later.

1. Avoiding Plumbers

When you need drain services or other plumbing services, ignoring the problem will only lead to a worse issue, and maybe even a major disaster. And substituting amateur efforts to unclog a drain, for instance, can be nearly as bad.

Using a drain augur without the correct experience could actually damage your pipes. And using chemicals for DIY drain cleaning may turn out to be less cost-effective than it seems. In addition to the potential for injury, you have to consider potential damage to your plumbing.

Chemical drain cleaners cause a chemical reaction that can throw off a lot of heat, potentially distorting a drain pipe. And the chemicals can corrode metal drainpipes or metal components of plumbing fixtures. In the long run you could end up needing expensive repairs from these cleaners.

2. Leaving Faucets Dripping

The common practice of leaving faucets dripping or trickling in cold weather is intended to save money and effort from burst pipes. But this may cause drain problems if the trickle of water freezes in an uninsulated drain line. Frozen drains aren't just an inconvenience; they can often lead to a burst line or a flood or both, costing even more money than you saved.

If your water pipes are at risk of freezing, use other strategies like insulation and heat tapes rather than leaving the faucets on. You can also add insulation to any exposed drain lines to further reduce the chances of a frozen drain. Talk to your plumbing and drain professional about which options will work best for your exposed water and drain pipes.

3. Nursing Along an Old Dishwasher

While replacing an appliance may sound like an expensive and unnecessary undertaking, sometimes avoiding this expense isn't as helpful as it seems. So don't use money as an excuse to keep an ancient, breaking-down dishwasher. These appliances could send more hot water and energy down the drain than a new one would, increasing your water and sewer bill.

A dishwasher that's getting older and less effective may even leave some dishes dirty, which can cause even more expense by necessitating a second wash. And the old appliance may eventually start to require frequent and expensive repairs, unlike a fresh new appliance.

If buying a brand-new, water-efficient dishwasher is too expensive, search for a lightly used appliance that's not more than a couple years old. It could be newer and more efficient than your old one, yet still highly affordable.

4. Saving Water With a Brick

You may have heard the myth that placing a brick in your toilet's tank is a good way to save on your water and sewer bill, but you should be aware that this can also be a false economy. If you save a few gallons of water but then have to pay for drain services when brick particles start to clog up your drains, you may not save money after all.

As you can see, some efficiency and economy strategies are more worth trying than others. For more information on the dos and don'ts of drain care and use, get in touch with your local drain experts today.

4 Common Mistakes That Can Clog Drains

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:48:49 GMT

Your plumbing system does a lot of work, especially the drains, which have to remove massive amounts of waste without leaving clogs. Of course, there are many mistakes you can make that actually increase the risk of clogs, whether you realize it or not. Even trying to DIY your own clogged drain can cause further damage that will require costly repairs. If you want to learn more, check out these four common mistakes that can damage drains.

1. Using Your Garbage Disposal Like a Trash Bin

The garbage disposal is a great invention that allows you to easily rinse off dishes without worrying about getting big chunks of food in the pipes. However, it is not the same as your trash bin, and there are many items you should not put into the garbage disposal. First, only use your disposal for small amounts like the scraps left over after your dinner.

If your dinner consisted of a lot of starches like pasta or potatoes, however, it's best to toss it in the trash. Starchy foods easily turn into a sticky mess that can clog the drain. Similarly, stringy foods and hard items should be tossed in the garbage too. Stringy foods can get wrapped around the blades, and hard items may damage the system. Plus, the blades aren't sharp or strong enough to break up hard items.

2. Flushing Improper Items Down the Toilet

The toilet is strong enough to take toilet paper and your waste, but there are a lot of items that should not go into your toilet. For example, many people prefer flushable wipes over toilet paper, but even though they are marketed as "flushable," they can cause clogs as they don't break down like toilet paper.

Naturally, don't flush menstrual products down the toilet either. These products are designed to absorb liquid and expand, which is exactly what they do when you flush them, which can quickly create a massive clog. Flushing dental floss, hair, and similar materials can also clog a toilet. These don't break down, and they can actually create a net to trap more items. Other items you should not flush include paper towels, condoms, and medication.

3. Overusing Drain Cleaner

If you aren't using your plumbing system correctly, or you haven't maintained it, you may deal with a lot of clogs. It can be tempting to use over-the-counter drain-cleaning products to quickly and cheaply destroy the clog, but overusing these cleaners can lead to more expensive problems.

These drain cleaners use a lot of powerful chemicals like lye and bleach. While a little exposure may not harm your pipes, frequent exposure to these corrosive chemicals can actually damage the pipe. This is because the same chemicals that are used to break down the clog can also break down your pipes.

4. Mixing Metals to Join Pipes

If you've ever tried to DIY your own plumbing, you know that there are many different products and materials from which to choose, but this decision is extremely important because if you mix and match different types of metals, it can actually expedite corrosion, which can increase the risk of leaks and clogs.

This corrosion happens when you mix Nobel and base metals. Nobel metals are stingy, so they don't share electrons. Base metals, however, are too generous. As a result, the Nobel metal steals electrons from the base metal, causing the base metal to corrode faster than normal.

If you've noticed slow or clogged drains, don't try to fix it on your own. Harsh over-the-counter chemicals may work on one or two small clogs, but they can also damage your plumbing. If you would like to learn more, or if you need a quote for drain cleaning,  contact us  at Roto-Rooter Sewer and Drain Service. 

7 Things a Camera Line Inspection Can Find

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 20:00:27 GMT

The cause of plumbing problems isn't always immediately apparent. Your sewer line pipes lie several feet underground. This makes it difficult to diagnose plumbing issues. And when foreign objects and even living things enter your plumbing system, it can seem almost impossible to find and remove them. Camera line inspection can take the mystery out of plumbing issues like these.

Video or camera line inspections use a flexible rod with a camera attached to the end. The plumber inserts this through an access point into your sewer line and can then see what's happening in your pipes.

A camera line inspection can find many things in your home's pipes.

1. Pipe Bellies

A pipe belly is a section of pipe in a sewer line that has dipped or sunk in the middle, creating a "belly." The most common causes of pipe bellies are soil displacement or settlement, which pushes down on pipes and creates a pipe belly in certain spots. Pipes bellies gather debris over time, which will lead to pipe corrosion and blockages.

2. Sewer Line Channeling

In old and worn pipes, one common problem is channeling. Put simply, as water flows through the pipe, over time, its force may eventually cut a channel into the pipe. Channels become an issue when they wear away enough of a pipe to allow tree roots and other living things access to a pipe.

3. Cracked Pipes

The residential pipes that generally come under the most pressure are supply line pipes. Composed of brass, copper, or galvanized steel, these types of pipes can last anywhere from 20 to 70 years . But problems such as channeling and ground settlement can shorten this lifespan and cause cracks and breaks to occur. A camera line inspection can locate these cracks so that the pipe can be replaced.

4. Blocked Areas

Camera line inspection is also good at locating blockages in pipes. Buildups of sediment, grease, and sanitary wipes will all show up clearly during a typical inspection.

5. Invading Tree Roots

Tree roots are always on the lookout for more water. All it takes is one small crack to provide access for a tree's feeder roots. Those roots can then quickly multiply until they cause a blockage that can back up your toilets and drains. A camera line inspection can locate tree roots and identify the damaged areas of the pipe that granted them access.

6. Lost Jewelry and Toys

If you have young children, they might sometimes drop small toys and other objects into the toilet. These objects can become lodged in the toilet or the connecting pipes. A camera line inspection can locate these toys before they cause a serious blockage. A trained technician can also locate and remove any other items that got lost down the toilet or sink, such as wedding rings or jewelry.

7. Trapped Animals

Animals such as snakes and rats sometimes enter pipes from an access point outside. These animals can then find their way into a property via the toilet, or they might even block a pipe. In this case, a camera line inspection can locate both the animal and the access point. The property owner will then be able to remove the animal and seal the access point so that no other animals can access their plumbing network.

Is something unseen happening inside your home's pipes or sewer line? Then call Roto-Rooter™ Sewer-Drain Service today. We have the experience to take care of your plumbing problems, and our camera line inspection technology will find and diagnose most problems inside your home's pipes. We look forward to working with you.

Homeowner's Guide to Slow Drains and Partial Clogs

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 14:23:39 GMT

If you're a new homeowner, you may find the variety of things that can go wrong with your plumbing a bit overwhelming. Even if your drains still drain, for instance, they could be partially clogged and work more slowly.

Discover what you need to know about slow-running, partially clogged drains.

Learn Why Partial Clogs Are an Issue

They aren't a plumbing emergency, but partial clogs can be surprisingly insidious. One obvious reason why you'll want to dispense with partial clogs is because they can prevent your drains from operating at full efficiency, so the sink could take longer to drain. In addition, buildup in the drain can smell, attract bugs, and even develop into a complete drain blockage later.

Discover Symptoms and Lookalikes

The basic symptoms of a partial clog include slower draining, unpleasant drain smells, and maybe a gurgling sound. If you're unsure whether your drain has slowed down, try timing how long it takes to drain a specific amount of water (such as half a sink full). You can compare this against a similar size drain, or time the same drain again next week and compare.

If multiple drains act up at once, you may have a different problem with lookalike symptoms. A plumbing vent blockage, for instance, can cause drain smells and gurgling, in addition to slower draining than normal. So if you have widespread drain problems, call a plumber.

Know the First Steps to Try

You may have heard baking soda and vinegar can be a home remedy for clogged drains. However, this remedy is controversial and is less likely to work for a partial clog. Even if the fizzy mixture could expand to force a blockage out of the way, a partial clog will still allow some drainage, preventing the buildup of pressure that would allow this function.

A combination of washing soda and hot water poured down your drain may help to dissolve a layer of grease. But, depending on the size of the partial clog in your drain, this may or may not solve your issue. If you have a large buildup of grease, for instance, the degreaser may only remove the surface layer and leave the rest of the buildup intact.

Determine Common Locations for Partial Clogs

A clog can get started easily in an extra-narrow spot, kink, or another less-uniform area of the pipe's interior. One built-in spot that fits this description is the drain's p-trap. This trap area is designed to keep sewer gases out of your house, but it does present a more easily clogged spot because of its shape.

Realize When to Call for Professional Help

If you've tried a couple of things and the problem persists, or if you've tracked it over a few weeks and it's definitely getting worse, you'll need to bring in a professional plumber. Professional plumbing skills and tools can ensure that the problem is removed at the root. A professional plumber can also help you find out why the problem started in the first place.

Avoid Future Problems

Avoiding a future problem with partial or full clogs will include commonsense preventive measures (like putting grease into the trash rather than the drain) but also more targeted ones if your plumbing has special circumstances. For instance, if the problem was kick-started by hard water buildup, a water softener may help you avoid problems in future.

In addition, a regular drain degreasing habit (such as cleaning the drain with washing soda weekly) may help to keep buildup from going critical next time. Talk to your plumber about any special circumstances you may have, such as iron in your water, soap scum issues, or tree roots in the drains. These situations may require remediation to avoid future problems.

These tips and basics of partially clogged drains can help you to navigate that confusing time when you think your drain is acting odd, but it hasn't actually stopped draining yet. For more information on professional drain cleaning, troubleshooting, and diagnosis, as well as other plumbing services, contact Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service today.

When Should You Get a Video Line Inspection?

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 13:56:13 GMT

Plumbing has advanced considerably from the days when a plumber could get by with just a wrench and some know-how. Modern plumbers make use of a variety of high-tech gadgets to help them quickly and efficiently discover and fix problems with your pipes. Out of this arsenal of tools, the drain line camera may be the most useful.

Drain line cameras are relatively simple in concept: they are waterproof cameras attached to a long, flexible line. Your technician can use this camera to investigate the condition of hidden pipes in a non-destructive way. Although plumbers utilize drain line cameras in many different situations, here are three situations where you may want to specifically request this service.

1. You're Buying a House

There's a lot that goes into purchasing a new home, but inspections are a critical part of any purchase. Ensuring that your prospective house is free of any significant sewer or drainage issues can save you time, money, and frustration later on. Since sewer back-ups can potentially cause substantial damage to a home, early discovery is a great way to protect your investment.

In addition to a standard plumbing inspection, always request a video line inspection, as well. Your plumber will use their inspection camera to examine drains and even check the condition of the sewer lateral out to the municipal wastewater main. The use of a camera in this scenario can provide you with drastically more information than you would have otherwise.

Pre-purchase video inspections can also provide you with additional information about the sewer line itself. In older neighborhoods, sewer laterals can sometimes connect to multiple homes without clearly specified easements in any of the deeds. A video inspection can potentially clue you in if other homes connect to the same lateral.

2. Your Plumbing Is Old

If your sewer lines are old, then you may already be suffering from hidden problems. While it isn't necessary to schedule annual video inspections, having one performed might be a good idea if your plumbing is several decades old. Many sewer problems develop slowly and may go unnoticed for years before eventually causing considerable damage.

Video inspections are particularly useful for finding hidden breaks or root infiltration. While you may think that a sewer line break is a fairly obvious problem, they can sometimes be subtle. Small cracks in a sewer line may leak wastewater into the surrounding soil for years before being found. Issues such as this can be particularly troublesome if your home uses well water.

Root infiltration is another common problem that may begin long before your home's drains start to back up. Many homeowners simply become accustomed to slow drains, thinking that their plumbing is behaving as it always has. In reality, this may be one of many early symptoms of a root clog that a video inspection can quickly uncover.

3. You Need to Find a Pipe or Break

One exciting feature of most sewer line cameras is their ability to locate buried pipes. Modern inspection cameras can transmit a wireless signal to a receiver that can pinpoint the current location of the camera. This ability can be useful in many situations, including locating buried pipe. If you have an old drain pipe or sewer line that you can't find, a video inspection may be able to help.

Camera location features can be especially important when you have a break in your sewer line. Merely determining that a break exists isn't good enough, unless you intend to unbury the entire sewer pipe. By locating the camera when it is near the position of the break, your plumber can zero on the exact segment in need of repair.

Whatever your inspection needs, Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service can help. Give us a call today to schedule your sewer line video inspection!

Why Shouldn’t You Try To Fix a Floor Drain Clog?

Wed, 13 May 2020 15:40:01 GMT

Floor drains are a luxury that many homeowners take for granted. These important plumbing fixtures help prevent your home from suffering water damage when disaster strikes. Although their placement varies from home to home, they can often be found on lower levels in areas at high risk for flooding.

While you shouldn't have to spend much time worrying about your floor drains, a clog can be a problem. Not only will blockages prevent your pipes from effectively removing water in an emergency, but they can also cause water from outside to back up into your home. If you're concerned about one of your drains, here are three reasons you shouldn't try to handle the problem on your own.

1. You May Not Have All the Information

Depending on the age of your home, there are a variety of possible configurations for floor drains. Newer homes serviced by municipal sewer systems will typically deposit water into sewer lines, but this isn't true for every house. Since floor drains do not carry black water, they may empty into drainage ditches or other areas. This configuration is particularly common in homes with septic systems.

Without knowing where your floor drains lead, it can be a challenge to break up a clog on your own. If you have a septic tank, then you must be extra cautious to avoid depositing harmful chemicals or large solids into the system. Finally, you will need access to the drain cleanout plug to deal with any clog effectively.

Although it's always easier for professionals when you can provide this information, most experienced plumbers know how to evaluate an unfamiliar floor drain. More importantly, a professional can evaluate your specific situation to determine the least harmful and most efficient way to tackle the problem.

2. You Won't Have Proper Diagnostic Tools

A slow-running or backed-up floor drain is enough to tell you that a problem exists, but it won't provide any more information than that. In the past, plumbers had to rely on intuition and experience to guess at the underlying problem causing any clog. While these tools are still valuable, modern plumbers have a more extensive arsenal at their disposal.

Among these newer tools, the drain camera is the most useful. Your plumber can insert this specialized camera into your drain line to inspect its condition and to locate the problem. Not only does this tool allow a drain technician to find the clog, but it also lets them see the clog’s composition. This knowledge is essential to determine a removal approach that is safe for your sewer line or septic system.

3. You Can't Bring out the Big Guns

Even if you have a pretty good sense of the clog's location, you definitely won't have the high-end clearing equipment needed for stubborn blockages. For many homeowners, snaking a drain is the ultimate cleaning method. While snaking can be useful, it may not always be enough when a solid mass is blocking your drain pipe.

In the case of floor drains, clogs may result from large amounts of debris, such as leaves, soil, or even tree roots. To break up solid blockages, professionals often make use of hydro jets. These professional-grade tools use high-pressure water to cut through solid objects that may be blocking your drains. When combined with the intelligence gathered from using a drain camera, hydro jets are potent tools.

Not all plumbing problems require professional help, but floor drains present some unique challenges that are difficult to tackle for do-it-yourselfers. If you are experiencing backups in one or more of your floor drains, give Roto-Rooter Sewer & Drain Service a call. We can address problems of any size!

Backwater Valves and Sewage Backups: What You Need to Know

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 15:44:36 GMT

Sewage backup is not a problem that a homeowner usually wants to deal with. While gravity normally pulls sewage downhill, some circumstances exist where it can back up into your drains, especially basement drains.

A backwater valve is a device that ensures that wastewater can only flow into your drains — not back out of them. This guide will give you an overview of sewage backups, backwater valves, and whether you should install a backwater valve in your home.

What Causes Sewage Backups?

Sewage backups are from an obstruction or breakage in the sewer lines. In most cases, this will be a clog, often a result of flushing or pouring something down your drains that will not break down in your plumbing. With paper products, toilet paper is the only one safe to flush. Avoid flushing paper towels, baby wipes, and feminine hygiene products.

Fats, oil, and grease are food byproducts particularly prone to causing clogs. These substances go into your drain as liquids, but when they cool, they harden into sticky solids that readily cling to the inside of sewer lines.

In some cases, sewage backups are not a result of how you use your drains at all. If trees are in your yard above where your sewer lateral runs, the roots of the trees have perhaps grown into the lines and blocked them inside.

If you live in an older home, and you have frequent problems with sewage backups and basement flooding, your sewer lines may simply have deteriorated. Older homes were built with sewer lines of cast iron or clay, materials much more likely to break down than modern plastic pipes.

How Do Backwater Valves Prevent Backups?

Backwater valves are simple devices that contain a flap on a hinge that closes over the drain-facing side of the drain pipe. When water flows in the right direction down your drain, the flap remains in a horizontal position on the bottom of the valve casing.

Floaters are on either side of the flap that respond to the water level inside the valve casing. If sewage begins to back up toward your drain, the wastewater will push the flap closed. Many backwater valves have a clear panel on the top of the casing so you can watch for the valve to close correctly and call a technician if you have a likely problem.

Should You Install a Backwater Valve?

A backwater valve is usually on the main drain pipe that runs away from your basement drain. Many homeowners choose to hire professional plumbers to install backwater valves. This is because you must break through the concrete basement floor to reach the drainpipe, an arduous DIY task.

The homes that most frequently need backwater valves are those with drains lower than street level. If the elevation of your basement drain is lower than the nearest upstream manhole, sewage backup is likely to be a much more frequent problem. Gravity will not be able to properly assist in pulling wastewater down your sewer lines and into the municipal sewer.

Depending on where you live, local building codes may require you to install a backwater valve regardless of the elevation of your home's drains. Check with local authorities, building inspectors, or plumbers to determine if a backwater valve will be necessary due to local codes.

You have no reason to live with a flooded basement and risk exposure to wastewater harmful to your family's health. Contact us at Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service if your home needs a backwater valve or for any other sewer and drain needs. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

What You Need to Know About Spring Cleaning and Drain Maintenance

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 20:12:31 GMT

Why should you add a professional drain service to your spring cleaning routine? If you're new to drain maintenance, take a look at why you should make it part of your annual deep clean.

Spring-Time Clogs

Drains clog for a variety of reasons. From decades of wear and tear to what you put down the sink or flush through the toilet, your home's plumbing system will back up without the proper cleaning. While spring itself isn't a clog causer, some of the top seasonal activities can increase the risk for this type of plumbing problem.

In an ideal world, you'd never put anything down the drain that doesn't belong there. But this doesn't always happen. In the spring, some of the most common causes of clogs include:

Grass clippings and yard waste . Now that the weather is warmer, landscaping is a top priority. Plant debris and grass clippings (even if the clippings are only on your hands) should never go down the sink's drain. These can bind together and cause a major clog.
Mud . The spring showers turned your yard into a muddy play arena. After the kids and your pets track the muck inside, you wash the wet dirt off in the utility or bathroom sink. The mud and anything that's stuck in it (such as twigs) can clog your drains.
Eggshells . The shells from your Easter egg activity don't belong in the kitchen sink. These can damage a garbage disposal and eventually cause a clog.
Fruit peels. The fresh spring fruit salad you've made to celebrate the season doesn't have to clog your drains — but it can. Never put fruit peels or rinds down the sink's drain or into the garbage disposal.

If your home already has a clog or your plumbing system is slow to drain, now is the perfect time for annual maintenance. But that doesn't mean you should freely force these, and other clog causers, into the pipes. Continue to avoid commonly known cloggers and keep your drains mud, dirt, and debris free.

Spring Annual Maintenance

How often should you clean your drains? Even though you make take steps to prevent clogs, over time buildup can significantly slow your plumbing system. Provided you don't have a backup or a serious and sudden clog, annual maintenance should keep your system flowing smoothly.

You can schedule this service any time of the year — summer, fall, winter, or spring. But you should choose spring if:

You typically spring clean your home. If you have an annual deep cleaning day or week, add a draining maintenance service to the list.
You forget about your plumbing system . Drains are easy to forget about — especially if they don't have obvious problems. Spring can be a seasonal marker to remind you to clean your drains.
You had winter-time plumbing problems . Did your pipes freeze in the winter cold? Now that you've paid for repairs or replacements, keep your pipes in top shape with this annual cleaning.
You had excessive plant-growth in your yard . Tree roots can infiltrate main drain lines buried in your yard and cause backups. While cleaning won't remove the roots, the professional inspection can spot this plumbing problem.

Even though there are plenty of do-it-yourself drain cleaning methods available online, a spring clean is something you need a professional for. DIY drain cleaning chemicals can cause corrosion and self-snake methods may not completely remove the clog. Save time, and possible money, with a professional spring drain cleaning.

Are you ready to add professional drain maintenance to your regular spring cleaning routine? Contact Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service for more information.

Warning Signs You Have a Sewer Line Clog

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 21:14:07 GMT

Your sewer line is an underrated but important part of your home. In most homes, the sewer line is a horizontal drain pipe that runs underground from the house to the main sewer line run by the city. It moves shower, sink, and toilet wastewater from the house to that main line.

When you consider what gets flushed through the sewer line, you probably don't want to dwell on the details very much. You probably also don't want to have to clean up the backflow from a fully clogged sewer line. Indeed, professional clean up after a sewer backup can be costly. Know the signs of a clogged sewer line so you can have it unclogged before it backs up.

Multiple Fixtures With Clogs or Backups

When you have standing water in one sink, you probably realize you have a localized clog. You can have the plumbers come in to root out the clog. However, if you have several fixtures in which the water fails to drain, the clog is not localized. Indeed, multiple clogged fixtures are a prime warning sign of a clog in the sewer line.

The same logic applies to water backing up into your sinks. If water is backing up into multiple fixtures, the problem is with the main line. You'll notice the problem first in low-lying fixtures, such as toilets and shower stalls. You'll also notice this issue on the ground or basement floors first.

Toilet or Pipes Gurgling

Homeowners often don't notice the regular sounds of their plumbing, so hearing a change can be tricky. However, a gurgling sound should be recognizable if it starts to occur. The sound often originates with the toilet, but it can develop in any pipe. A gurgling sound is a sign that water is trying to filter through an obstruction.

Sometimes the obstruction is just in one small pipe, but it can also be in your main sewer line. If you're not sure, notice where you hear the sound. If it's just in one room, having a plumbing snake put through the pipe underneath the fixture might solve the problem.

If you hear the gurgling through multiple fixtures, the obstruction is probably deeper in your pipes. You can have a clog anywhere along the main sewer line that leads to the central line.

Roots in the Tap Water

One of the main causes of a sewer line obstruction is a tree's roots growing against the pipe. Over time, this growth can puncture or even crush the pipes. The problem is especially prevalent in older homes.

The signs often start out slowly. Tree roots might cause the gurgling, or maybe water just drains more slowly over time. However, a prime indicator that a tree root has invaded your sewer line is the presence of bit s of roots in your water. You'll especially notice these bits if the water backs up.

Sewer Smells

The smell of the sewers may seem like an obvious sign of a sewer clog. In fact, sewer smells in the bathroom can indicate a localized clog or a failed seal. They can also indicate insufficient water in the P-trap, which is under the sink. You can run water to see if that solves the issue.

If it does not, follow your nose to other areas that might smell of the sewer. If the smell is pervasive throughout the house, the issue is probably the clogged sewer line. Look for other signs, such as the ones listed above.

When you call in plumbers to investigate a potential sewer line clog, they can use specialized equipment to clear the clog. If it doesn't work, they can employ a camera inspection to detect the deeper issue. Let the plumbing experts detect and solve your sewer line clog before it backs up into your house. Call Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service for these services.

What You Need to Know About Scheduling a Drain Cleaning

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 17:33:22 GMT

Drain cleaning probably isn't the first thing you think about when you wake up. But this professional plumbing service is a necessary part of home maintenance. If you're not sure how often you should clean your drains, take a look at what you need to know about scheduling a drain cleaning.

Are There Set Time Internals for Drain Cleaning?

Unlike dental visits or your annual doctor's checkup, drain cleanings don't have set or standard recommended intervals. Some homes may require this service once a year, while others may need more than an annual cleaning. There are several factors that impact the frequency you need to schedule this service. Read on for more information on how often you should clean your drains.

What Impacts the Need for a Drain Cleaning Service Call?

The length of time in between drain cleanings depends on how you treat and maintain your drains. If you regularly put grease, fatty foods, oils, coffee grinds, or other known drain clogging items into your kitchen sink, you may experience backups more often. This can result in the need for more professional draining cleaning services than your plumbing system would otherwise require.

Along with what you put into your kitchen drain; you may increase the need for cleanings if you don't know what you can and can't put down other drains in your home. Too much toilet paper, thick toilet paper, wipes, feminine sanitary products, cotton swaps, and cotton balls can all clog a toilet. Over time these items can result in backups that require a professional removal and cleaning service.

How Do You Know When to Call a Professional?

If you can't pick a set interval in between drain cleanings, how do you know when to schedule an appointment? Again, care and maintenance have a major impact on how frequently you need to clean your drains. Constant clogs and backups are a clear sign you need to call a professional.

While one clog may indicate a specific or temporary problem, the more clogs you have or clogs in multiple drains point to the need for an expert-level cleaning.

Even though clogs in multiple drains is a sign to look for, it isn't the only one. Slow drains or drains that smell are also signals you need to call a drain cleaning professional. This means you don't need to wait until you have a full clog or serious backup to schedule an appointment. The sooner you address the issue, the less likely it is that you'll have a major problem down the road.

Should You Clean Your Drains Yourself?

Do you want to save money on drain cleaning service with a do-it-yourself job? While you can decrease home improvement costs with a DIY job in some cases, drain cleaning is not something to tackle by yourself. Unless you have specialized knowledge of your home's plumbing system, this job is best left to the professionals.

Some homeowners turn to chemical drain cleaning products instead of scheduling a professional service. While the cost of a store-bought drain cleaner is typically less than what you'd pay for service call, this DIY option can result in the need for expensive repairs.

Drain cleaners can loosen clogs, pushing them deeper into the drain. This can result in a serious issue and the need for a professional plumber. If the drain cleaner doesn't loosen and push the clog deeper into your home's plumbing system, it can still cause other types of damage. Caustic chemicals can corrode pipes or pose health and safety risks to you and your family.

Never substitute a bottle of drain cleaner for a professional service. If your drains experience noticeable symptoms, such as constant clogs or odd odors, schedule a drain cleaning service as soon as possible.

Do your drains need a professional-level service? Contact Roto-Rooter Sewer & Drain Service for more information.

Common Places and Causes of Drain Clogs and How to Prevent Them

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 19:22:56 GMT

Your plumbing has to deal with a lot more than water. High-use areas see all manner of solids go swirling down the drain. Unfortunately, the pipes below the drain are much skinnier than the drain itself, so these solids can get stuck. Find out some of the most common places and causes of clogged drains and how to prevent them.

Kitchen Sink

The kitchen sink is one of the hardest-working areas of your home. To simplify food preparation and cleanup, many homeowners install a garbage disposal. The garbage disposal is a leading place of kitchen sink clogs because people put too much down the drain. Some items that you shouldn't send to the garbage disposal include:

Banana peels and other fibrous products
Pasta
Potato peels
Eggshells
Coffee grounds
Grease

Prevention : Firstly, keep the above types of items out of your garbage disposal. Truthfully, the appliance is only made to handle a few food remnants. Likewise, keep the water running for several seconds after running the disposal to fully flush the remnants away. Once a week, send a solution of vinegar and baking soda through the disposal to clean it.

Dishwasher

The dishwasher is another area that sees food remnants, such as ones stuck to your dirty dishes. Most modern dishwashers feature a small macerator, but it's not enough to handle large quantities of food remnants. Food will also get stuck in the filter or the drain at the bottom. When that happens, you'll find water at the bottom of the dishwasher basin.

Prevention : Before you put dishes into the washer, scrape big food remnants into the trash, and rinse the remainder down the sink — these are the remnants your disposal was manufactured to take care of. Additionally, check the drain and filter periodically to remove any lingering food remnants before the drain backs up.

Bathroom Sink

Bathroom sinks can drain just as slowly because of partial or full clogs. The main culprits here are soap scum, hair, styling products, and shaving foam. What's more, small objects such as Q-tips and jewelry often make their way into the opening to add to the clog.

Prevention : You'll need to add another cleaning step to your bathroom routine to prevent these clogs. Once a week, remove the stopper and look for a clump of gunk clinging to the bottom. You should remove this clump before it washes down and clogs the pipe. Always keep the stopper in the sink to prevent even more items from falling inside and causing a clog.

Shower

The shower faces many of the same issues as the bathroom sink. That said, you're even more likely to see hair clogs in the shower than anywhere else because this is where you wash your hair. The soapy or conditioned mess of hair can quickly catch in the drain grate, create a ball, and slide into the drain just to get stuck.

Prevention : Prevention of shower drain clogs starts with a drain protector. You can buy a stainless steel grate or a mesh with a rubber ring to hold it in place. The holes are much smaller than with a traditional shower grate, so it catches more hair. You should also clear out the drain protector regularly.

Toilet

The toilet is an area that you do not want clogged. Clogged toilets often overflow because of the water trying to flush the bowl's contents away. Instead, said contents will flood out onto your floor. Too much toilet paper is the cause of most clogs. Likewise, flushing feminine hygiene products, dental floss, diapers, and deceased pets is unwise because they'll sit in the waste pipe as a clog.

Prevention : As with the garbage disposal, the best prevention is to avoid flushing the wrong items down the toilet. Likewise, don't believe all the items labeled as flushable, such as wipes. Even if they do clear the toilet bowl drain, they can cause issues with septic tanks or sewage grinders. Finally, if you see the toilet flushing slowly, use a plunger to clear it out.

Prevent clogs in the high-use areas plumbing areas of your home. If you have experienced a clog or other drain issue, call  Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service .

5 Habits That Increase Your Risk of Sewer and Drain Problems

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 21:10:24 GMT

Nobody wants to stand in a pool of water when they shower or experience a toilet backing up onto the floor, but sometimes plumbing problems are inevitable — some problems may be caused by a blockage in the public sewer line or aging pipes. More often, however, drain and sewer line problems are brought on by bad daily habits that compound over time.

If any of these five habits seem all too familiar, it's time to make a change and save your drain lines.

1. Flushing Wet Wipes

While wet wipes may help you feel cleaner than toilet paper does, just because the labels say flushable doesn’t mean they are. In fact, no matter what the package says, you should never flush wipes down your toilet.

Most of these wipes do not break down as quickly as your system requires. If they get caught in your drainpipes, they will cause a serious blockage — unlike toilet paper, which will break down and loosen within hours.

If you use these wipes, then put them in the trash can. If that sounds gross but you still crave a cleaner alternative to toilet paper, then consider installing a bidet.

2. Putting Grease or Oil Down the Drain

Most people know not to pour cooking grease or oil down the kitchen drain. However, they might forget about the coconut oil they use on their face or skin. Coconut oil is an increasingly common beauty product, but it is just as dangerous for your drain lines as bacon fat or cooking grease.

If you use coconut oil on your face, then wipe it off with a tissue or cotton ball before washing your face. If you rinse your mouth with coconut oil, spit it out into the trash can rather than into the sink.

3. Letting Hair Go Down the Drain

The average person loses at least 50 strands of hair per day. A good number of this hair comes out in the shower. If you allow your hair to just flow down the drain, eventually you are going to get a hair clog. The clog may not form in the drainpipe directly beneath your shower drain either — it could form in a larger sewer pipe, causing blockages and backups throughout your home.

Put a mesh drain cover from the hardware store over your drain, and empty out the hair after every shower.

4. Rinsing Coffee Grounds Down the Drain

You may find it easier to rinse coffee grounds down the drain than to dump them into the trash, especially if you use a no-filter coffee brewing method. However, coffee grounds are very sticky and may adhere to any soap scum present inside your drainpipes. Over time, the grounds can accumulate and cause a clog.

If you have a hard time emptying your coffee maker into the trash, then try saving your coffee grounds in a small canister and using them as fertilizer for plants. Old coffee grounds are high in nitrogen, which flowers and garden veggies need.

5. Parking Over Your Sewer Line

If you're short on driveway space, then you may park one of your vehicles in the front yard. However, if your parking spot happens to be on top of your main sewer line, then the weight of your vehicle may slowly compress the sewer line, leading to blockages. Replacing a sewer line is a major endeavor. Check your home's blueprints to locate the sewer line, and make sure you are not parking over it.

Have these or other bad habits caused drain problems in your home? Contact our team at Roto-Rooter Sewer & Drain Service to schedule an appointment. We'll investigate to find the cause of the clog and work to get your drains flowing again.