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

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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.

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