The most effective form of root control for sewer lines

Temporary control is done by cutting the roots with a sewer cleaning machine. The problem with cutting the roots is that it does not provide a long term solution to the problem. Pruning the roots injures them which causes the cut area to rapidly re-grow. The "pruning effect" often leads to bigger and bushier roots over time. A chemical called Vaporooter is the most effective form of root control because it not only kills the roots it inhibits regrowth. Vaporooter is used mostly in municipal sewers but can be installed in residential sewers as well. It is installed with a foaming agent to penetrate the root mass ensuring full chemical contact on all root and pipe surfaces. The installation of Vaporooter needs to be done by a professional. Call your local plumber or sewer and drain service company to see if they provide this service.

What law makes a drain work?

What law makes a drain work? The law of gravity. The basic idea of how a drain works is pretty simple. Water flows downhill, it starts from the high end and runs by gravity to the lower end through a pipe. While gravity will move water down a drainpipe it will not flow smoothly without a vent. A vent allows air into the drainpipe and gases out. The slope of the pipe is also important because to much and the water moves faster than the solids leaving them behind to build up and eventually causing a problem. Standard building code requirement for drainpipes is one-quarter inch of downward slope per foot of run.

Basic tools for a DIY plumber.

These are 10 basic tools you will need to take care of some minor plumbing repairs.
1. Pliers - Regular pliers and Channellock are used to tighten loosen P-Trap nuts
2. Pipe Wrench - 10 and 12 inch are used to tighten and loosen threaded pipe
3. Hack Saw - Used to cut through metal and plastic pipe, screws, nuts and bolts
4. Basin Wrench - Used to tighten and loosen faucet nuts under sinks
5. Plunger - No explanation needed
6. Toilet Auger - Used when a plunger won't work
7. Torch - Used to sweat copper pipe and fittings. Mapp gas is better
8. Tubing Cutters - Used to cut copper pipe
9. Metal File - Used to remove burrs and smooth metal pipe after cutting
10.Hand Snake - Used to clear sink and tub drains

These are 10 basic tools that you might need, adding some basic power tools such as a cordless drill and reciprocating saw can make things even easier. If you need to purchase tools you can save up to 40% on Brand Name, Manufacturer - Guaranteed reconditioned tools by clicking the link at the right

How to find a reliable service company or contractor

Trying to find a reliable service company or contractor can be frustrating and time consuming. Whether you have an emergency or want a room addition you want to make sure you hire someone that will do the best job possible. How many stories have you heard of someone waiting hours for the plumber to show up or gave their contractor a down payment and haven't seen them for days. Don't become the next person with a bad story, make sure you hire a reliable company by becoming a member of Angie's List. Thousands of people search the internet for service companies in their area, only to end up with a lousy service experience due to limited information. Angie's List takes the guesswork out of finding good service companies and contractors by providing it's members with thousands of unbiased ratings and reviews of their local service companies. To find out more about Angie's List or to become a member click on the link at the right.

Sewer cleanouts

A Sewer cleanout is a fitting on a sewer lateral that allows access for cleaning and maintenance. Without a sewer cleanout there is no direct access to it and will not be cleaned properly. Sewer cleanouts usually have a 4 inch plastic or brass screw cap on them. Some common locations for sewer cleanouts are at the base of the stack, on the basement floor, behind a toilet or just outside of the house. If you can not find one, you either do not have one or it could be buried in dirt or underneath concrete. If you find that you do not have a sewer cleanout, having one installed could save you money in the long run especially if you have large trees in your yard. Tree roots are a major cause of sewer lateral backups. Once tree roots enter a sewer lateral it will need to be cleaned regularly because the roots will always grow back. To help prevent your sewer from backing up, be careful what you put down your drains or flush down the toilet

A

Clogged bath tub drain

Image by njvack via Flickr

A clogged bathtub drain is another common plumbing problem homeowners face, but these drains should be left for the professionals because of where the trap is located. The P-trap on a bathtub is located underneath the tub which will put it in the joists between the bathroom floor and the ceiling of the level below it, or if the house is built on a slab the trap will be under the concrete. If you try to run a snake yourself you could damage the trap and have water damage to contend with plus having the trap repaired. It will be faster and cheaper in the long run to call a professional sewer and drain cleaning company. See one of my previous posts on selecting a sewer and drain service company. The most common cause of blockage in a clogged bathtub drain is hair. If you can keep the hair from going down the drain you should not have a lot of trouble with clogs. Your local hardware store should have several different types of hair snares or filters that fit on top of the drain.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Before & After: Sarah Beth's Kansas Bathroom (apartmenttherapy.com)

Parking lot catch basins

Image via Wikipedia

If you own or manage a commercial property with a parking lot you will eventually have problems with parking lot catch basins. Catch basins are an opening into the storm drainage system that includes a grate at the parking lot level, an outlet pipe and a sump area at the bottom of the basin. The outlet pipe should be above the sump area to allow debris and heavy sediment to collect in the sump and not enter the outlet pipe. Some catch are equipped with a hooded outlet to prevent trash or other floatable materials from entering the outlet pipe. Parking lot catch basins need to be maintained, if not the debris, sediment and trash will build up over a period of time and not allow the storm water to drain through the outlet pipe causing the parking lot to flood. A flooded parking lot would require a Vac Truck to be hired to vac off water and remove debris from catch basin. These trucks normally run from $175.00 to $225.00 per hour. Typical maintenance for a catch basin is done by simply removing the grate and cleaning out the sump with a shovel or bucket. This should be done at least twice a year.

Grease trap maintenance for FOG

This post is mostly for the restaurant owners and managers out there. A major cause of sewer blockages across the United States is the accumulation of fats, oil, and grease (FOG) in the sanitary sewers. Many sewer districts across the U. S. have implemented a FOG control program. A major part of that program is grease trap maintenance. Grease traps or grease interceptors are installed outside of the restaurant and are underground with only the lid exposed for maintenance. These grease traps allow for the separation of FOG so it does not enter the sewer system. Grease traps only work when properly maintained, so proper grease trap maintenance is to have it pumped out and cleaned by a licensed grease hauler. Most grease haulers offer discounts on pumping if you sign up for their grease trap maintenance program. Penalties for non compliance of an implemented FOG control program range from fines to having your water shut off. It is extremely cheaper to set up a grease trap maintenance program with a grease hauler then to be in non compliance of a FOG control program.

Sump pump operation

Checking for proper sump pump operation in your home should be done regularly. The most common type of sump pump installed in homes today are submersible. They are installed in a pit usually in the corner of the basement or crawl space. Sump pumps carry the ground water and surface run off away from the foundation. If water is left to accumulate around the foundation it could be damaged. To check a submersible sump pump operation you manually engage the float to turn the pump on. On a pump with an external float, use a non-conductive household item that is lying around to pull the float up until it turns on, do not reach into the pit. On a pump with an internal float, unplug the double plug, remove the rear plug and plug it directly to the outlet. Once the pump has run for a few minutes check that the water was discharged at least 20 feet from the house. Proper sump pump operation should be checked at least twice a year and when the home is sold
482itkfh96

Related articles by Zemanta

• Bylaw change will mean fewer flooded basements, City of Regina says (cbc.ca)

Clogged bathroom sink drain

A clogged bathroom sink drain is a common and one of the most frustrating plumbing problems for homeowners. The bathroom sink is probably the most used fixture in the house. From washing your hands to brushing your teeth to shaving, all of these things are done at the bathroom sink. All of these things create residue that go down the drain eventually causing it to be clogged. If you have a clogged bathroom sink drain, most of the time the clog will be in the trap under the sink and can easily be fixed in just minutes. The only tools you will need is channel lock pliers and something to catch the water in. Just loosen the nuts on the trap to allow the water to drain out. Once the water has drained, remove the trap and clean it out. If the trap is damaged you may have to replace it. Reinstall the trap and there you have it, you have just fixed a clogged bathroom sink drain

Sewer camera inspection

A sewer camera inspection is done by running a specialized video camera down the sewer to check for structural damage or storm water inflow. In a house this sewer is sometimes referred to as the sewer lateral, it leaves the house underground and ties into a bigger main sewer line. Sewer problems are one of the most expensive and most frustrating problems to repair. A common problem in sewer lines are tree roots. A sewer line is a good environment for tree roots, it is an endless supply of water and nutrients. Tree roots actually grow to the sewer looking for a way to get inside the pipe. usually through a joint or crack. Once inside tree roots continue to grow causing blockages and sometimes structural damage. A sewer camera inspection should be done to a sewer line that has a history of backing up. A sewer camera inspection should be done when buying a new home if the home was built prior to 1985. A sewer and drain service company can usually inspect a sewer line for about $175.00 to $225.00.

Using chemicals to clear clogged drains

I don't recommend using chemicals to clear clogged drains. Most chemical drain products are alkalies or acids that cut grease and dissolve clogs. These chemicals can damage your pipes if they are left sitting in a clogged drain. Chemical drain cleaners can also kill bacteria in septic tanks. Bacteria plays a major role in the operation of septic tanks. If you use chemicals in your drains use them sparingly. Use them as a preventative maintenance to help prevent back ups. Use them if you notice any signs of a drain getting ready to back up, such as a slow moving drain or a gurgling sound coming from a drain. Always follow the directions and read the labels of any chemical drain cleaning product and wear rubber gloves and eye protection.

Test downspout drain lines

You should test downspout drain lines on your house for proper drainage once a year. Downspout drain lines carry the water from the roof gutters away from the house. Even more important they carry the water away from the foundation of your house. The foundation of any house is simply a ditch that was dug making it the lowest point on the property. Water naturally flows to a ditch or to the lowest point of an area. If water gets trapped between the foundation and the ground it can build up pressure and damage the foundation, which is very costly to repair. To test downspout drain lines just run water from a garden hose through the drain lines or from the gutter drop. Watch for any signs of water backing up. If the water backs up or it does not drain properly you will need to run a sewer snake through the drain. You can rent a snake or call a sewer and drain service company. See one of my previous posts "Tips on choosing a sewer and drain service company."

Water transfer problem with a toilet.

A water transfer problem with a toilet is often times confused with a clogged toilet. When you flush the toilet the water just swirls, then slowly drains out. There is a very simple procedure that you can do to determine if your toilet is clogged or it has a water transfer problem. First of all, water transfer is what makes a toilet work, the water transfers from the tank to the bowl and flushes it out. This procedure will bypass the tank, just fill a bucket full of water and dump it straight into the bowl. If the toilet flushes you, have a water transfer problem, if it does not flush you have a clog or a blockage. A water transfer problem can be caused by either low water level in the tank, or mineral buildup in the main jet and jets under the rim. You can adjust the float on the ballcock to allow for more water in the tank. You may need a screwdriver to clean out the main jet. a wire coat hanger works good to clean the jets under the rim. Hope this helps with diagnosing toilet problems. I will get into clogs and blockages in other posts so stay tuned.

Septic tank location

One of the most common calls I get from customers with septic tanks is about septic tank location. "Where is my septic tank?" or "How do I find my septic tank?" Most septic tanks are out of sight, whjch usually means they are out of mind until there is a problem. Do not wait till you have a problem to have your septic tank serviced because it will be costly, especially if you don't know where it is. You may have to call a service company to electronically locate your septic tank, but there are a few things you can do try to locate it yourself and save some money. Ask the previous owner. Ask the neighbors what company they use to service their septic tank, there's a good chance that same company serviced your tank in the past. Check county records to see if there is something recorded or even a drawing of your property. If you don't mind getting dirty you can do some digging around. Find where your main sewer leaves the house. Walk in a straight line from there while using something to probe the ground. Septic tanks are not very deep and are usually within thirty feet from the house. When you feel the tank with your probe, keep probing to find the edges. mark the edges and dig inside the marks to find the lid. Once you find your septic tank location call to have it serviced. I will get into how often to have your septic tank serviced in another post

Sewer gas smell in your home

If you have a sewer gas smell in your home don't panic, it is a common problem that can usually be fixed by just running some water. All plumbing fixtures in your home have traps on them. These traps hold water to seal sewer gas from entering you home. If a fixture has not been used for awhile, the water could evaporate and allow sewer gas in. Run the water on any fixtures once a month if they are not used on a regular basis. A toilet has an internal trap, make sure the bowl has water in it. The most common source of a sewer gas smell in your home are basement floor drains. These drains are also trapped, dump a bucket of water in them once a month as well. So don't panic if you have a sewer gas smell in your home, just run some water.

Home remedy for clogged drain

Will a home remedy for a clogged drain work? Probably not. Usually when a drain backs up, it is not something that just happened overnight. Sludge builds up on the inside walls of the pipe over a long period of time. A home remedy like hot salt water, baking soda, or vinegar probably will
not work. It may open the drain, but it will soon back up again. The best thing to do is remove the trap and run a small snake through the drain. Once the drain is cleaned then you can use your hot salt water, baking soda, or vinegar as a maintanance to prevent the sludge from building back up. Dawn dish detergent works great on dissolving grease build up in your kitchen sink drain. So a home remedy for a clogged drain might buy you some time, but it won't solve your drain problem.

The proper way to use your garbage disposal.

To prevent expensive problems from happening this is the proper way to use your garbage disposal. The first thing you do is run water through the disposal side of your sink before turning it on. After the water has ran for a few seconds, turn your disposal on. Let the disposal run a few seconds before adding food waste. With the water still running, slowly add food waste in small amounts until it is gone. Let the disposal run a few more seconds after the food waste is gone, turn it off, let the water run a few more seconds then turn it off . This is the proper way to use your garbage disposal and should help prevent having problems

Tips on choosing a sewer and drain service company

If you need to hire someone to unclog a drain in you home here are some tips on choosing a sewer and drain service company . Choose wisely, what I mean is don't just choose a company with a big and colorfull add from the Yellow Pages. Usually the bigger and more colorfull the add is, the bigger and more colorfull your bill will be. Instead ask around, word of mouth is the best advertiser. Ask your neighbors, your coworkers, the people in your church, or the people at you kids soccer game. The most important is to always, always check out the company with the Better Business Bureau. Hope these tips on choosing a sewer and drain service company help