Gas Leak Detectors Save Lives

September 27th, 2012 Posted in Gas Leak Detection
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When sealed up tightly, natural gas and carbon monoxide aren’t dangerous. Gas pipes both inside and underneath your home are intended to keep you safe. Plus, rules are in place for digging, building houses and installing appliances to ensure that gas leaks don’t happen.

Unfortunately, though, gas leaks still occur, and the consequences can be deadly. Symptoms often feel like the flu – headaches or dizziness, nausea, difficulty breathing, extreme fatigue – but up to 700 Americans die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning. And for every death, one person is hospitalized. It underscores the importance of having a carbon monoxide and/or natural gas leak detector installed in your home.

Natural gas is flammable, so any flame or even a spark can cause a fire or explosion. Gas leaks typically occur when someone is digging outside and mistakenly breaks a gas line. But a poorly-hooked up appliance, like a stove, can also leak natural gas. Although odorless, gas companies add a chemical smell to natural gas that smells like rotten eggs to help detect leaks.

Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless – and can be very deadly. Carbon monoxide leaks can come from fuel-burning household appliances that aren’t working properly and from cars running inside a closed garage.

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, install carbon monoxide detectors in each room of your home.  If a carbon monoxide alarm goes off or if you smell the rotten egg smell of flammable gas, leave your home immediately and call 911.  Do not reenter your home until it is safe to do so.  For gas leaks, you may need to call a plumber who handle gas leak detection and repair to find and fix the leak.  Call your HVAC contractor to deal with carbon monoxide problem relating to your furnace.

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What is High Pressure Hydro Jetting?

September 27th, 2012 Posted in Drain Cleaning
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When sewer lines and pipes become clogged, you need to call a professional to clear the clog and get your pipes flowing freely again. The traditional way to clear clogged sewer lines is by using a professional plumbing auger, also called a plumbing snake.  This is a metal cable with a cutting head that is fed into the pipe and spun rapidly.  The cutting head cuts through and dislodges the clog.  One problem with an auger is that although water can drain through the sewer line, much of the foreign material from the clog remains behind stuck to the walls of the pipe.  In many cases, the clog will start re-forming immediately and you will have to call the plumber again in a few months.

A more modern development in clearing tough clogs is high pressure hydro jetting.  This technique uses water sprayed under very high pressure to cut through clogs and flush away the debris.  Your plumber will feed a high pressure hose with a special spray head on it through your sewer pipe to the location of the clog.  Water is pumped through the hose and spray head at three to four thousand pounds per square inch.

The high pressure water can cut through tough clogs including grease, hair, tree roots, paper products, sludge, and other debris.  In addition, the water flushes the debris away down the pipe.  High pressure hydro-jetting scours the entire inside of the pipe and leaves it looking almost like new!

High pressure hydro jetting can be more effective for clearing many common types of clogs than using an old fashioned mechanical auger.  Your plumber or sewer septic professional will advise you on whether high pressure hydro jetting is a good option for your clog.

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Different Types of Septic Tanks

September 27th, 2012 Posted in Septic Tanks
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Who knew that there are different types of septic tanks?  Well, probably the people who install septic tanks or work with such tanks on a daily basis.  However, for the typical customer, the idea that different types of septic tanks exist may be news!  Within cities, public sewer systems are usually in place.  However, there are areas where public sewer systems do not exist and in such places, septic systems are installed to properly dispose of household waste water.

If you need a new septic system installed, you will also need to consider the different types of septic tanks which include concrete, plastic, and fiberglass  Pre-cast concrete septic tanks are the most popular options.  These generally last a long time unless the tank is made with inferior quality concrete.  Cheaply made septic tanks can deteriorate over time and begin leaking.  Your only option is to replace the leaky tank.

In addition to concrete septic tanks there are plastic and fiberglass tanks.   In addition to lower cost, the main advantage of these types of tanks is their light weight.  If the area where the tank is to be installed is difficult to reach, then these tanks make installation much easier.  Fiberglass and plastic septic tanks are much easier to lift and carry to the work site.  The downside of fiberglass or plastic tanks is that they are more prone to popping out of the ground when the water table is high and the tank is empty.  In addition, some local building codes prohibit plastic  or fiberglass tanks so  be sure to check your local ordinances before you buy a plastic or fiberglass water tank.

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What Are Septic To Sewer Conversions?

September 27th, 2012 Posted in Sewer-Septic Service and Installation
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If your home is on a septic system, you may consider a sewer conversion if a public sewer option is available.  This idea is especially tempting if your current septic system requires constant repair and attention.  Many homes were built in areas that were not served by a municipal sewer system at the time, but municipal sewer lines were later run out to that area.  In some cases, local ordinances require homeowners in these areas to make the conversion.  In other areas, the choice is left up to the homeowner.

Septic to sewer conversions involve installing a new sewer line between your home and the municipal sewer and disconnecting the septic system.  This is a big job that should be handled by a sewer-septic professional or a plumber.  If your home is not located near a municipal sewer, a septic to sewer conversion is not an option.  The cost of the conversion depends on the distance between your home and the municipal sewer, the degree of difficulty laying the pipe, and whether the municipal authority charges a hook up fee.

Hiring a contractor with sewer conversion experience is a good idea.  Look at company reviews and ask friends, neighbors, and family for recommendations.  Septic to sewer conversions may also require a permit to legally connect to the main sewer lines.  A contractor who specializes in septic to sewer conversion will usually handle getting the necessary permits.   If you have a problematic septic tank, converting your septic tank to a sewer connection can help avoid future problems with the septic tank and also give you peace of mind.

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Sewer Line Repairs

September 27th, 2012 Posted in Sewer Lines
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Most homeowners don’t give much thought to their sewer lines until a problem occurs.  The sewer line is a large diameter pipe that carries waste water from your home to the municipal sewer system.  Sewer lines are generally reliable and work great for years without the need for any maintenance.  However, there are a few things can cause sewer lines to need sewer line repairs.

Cracks and breakage of sewer lines can occur because trees are planted too close to the lines and gradually the roots may begin to infiltrate the pipe.  Older sewer lines may have small gaps in the joints between sections of pipe that can also allow tree root infiltration.  Tree roots inside the sewer pipe can cause clogs to form and can do further damage to the pipe as the tree roots grow.

Another cause of sewer line failures is when the ground where the sewer line is buried shifts.  This puts a lot of stress on the pipe and can cause it to crack or break.  In addition, when the ground below the sewer line settles, the pipe sinks slightly and creates a low spot that collects grease, oil, hair, paper, and other debris.  This collection of foreign material can eventually build into a clog.

Finally, heavy vehicle traffic can sometimes cause a sewer line to collapse.  If the earth is soft and heavy equipment is driven across where the sewer line is buried, the sewer pipe can collapse.  If you suspect a sewer line failure, have it checked out by a sewer septic professional.  Left unattended, the problem will only get worse and can cause a backup of untreated wastewater and sewage into your home. In addition, untreated sewage can cause a biological hazard by leaching into the soil.

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Sewer Lines and Tree Roots

September 27th, 2012 Posted in Sewer Lines
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A sewer line generally needs very little maintenance, but under certain circumstances tree roots can infiltrate a sewer line and cause problems.  Tree roots are attracted to moisture and if a sewer line is cracked, the moisture in the soil will attract the roots.  The tree roots will find even the smallest cracks and grow inside the pipe.  Cracks can occur in sewer lines for any number of reasons, but one of the most common areas for tree root infiltration is at the pipe joints.

Some older types of sewer lines are made from sections of pipe that are fitted together. Over time, the pipes can shift position a little and a small gap will form at the joint.  Tree roots love to grow into these gaps. Once the tree roots get inside the sewer line, two things can happen. First, a mat of tree roots will fill the sewer line and begin collecting grease, oil, hair and other debris until a clog forms.  Second, as the tree roots grow the crack in the pipe will get larger and larger.  The pipe may eventually break or even collapse.

Your plumber or sewer-septic professional can address tree root issues and handle any sewer line repairs.  Using a high tech video camera, they will inspect the inside of your sewer line to verify that tree root infiltration is the source of the problem.  The tree roots can be removed using high pressure hydro-jetting or an auger with a mechanical cutting head.

Removing the tree roots is only a temporary fix.  Unless you address the problem the tree roots will grow back in a few months or years.  Talk to your plumber or sewer-septic professional about your options.  They may recommend treating the tree roots chemically, removing the offending tree, replacing some or all of your sewer line, or installing a liner inside the sewer line.

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Common Causes of Sewer Line Backups

September 21st, 2012 Posted in Sewer Lines
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The sewer line is a large diameter pipe that carries all of the waste water and sewage away from your home.  This includes not only the water and waste from flushing your toilets, but also any water that goes down the drain from showers, washing dishes, clothes washing, and so on.  If your home is connected to a municipal sewer system then your sewer line runs between your home and the municipal sewer line.  If you have a septic system, the sewer line is routed from your home to the septic tank.

No matter which type of system you have, clogs can form inside of sewer lines and when they do, you’ll have a serious problem on your hands.  A clogged sewer line means that none of your toilets and drains will work properly and can even cause waste water containing raw sewage to back up into your drains.

Knowing what causes sewer line backups can help you avoid these problems.  Tree roots are one of the main causes of sewer line clogs.  Tiny tree roots can infiltrate the sewer line at the joints and get larger over time.  Soon, there is a mat of tree roots inside the sewer line that collect grease, oil, hair, and other debris and cause a clog.

Even without tree root infiltration, as your sewer line ages it begins to collect grease, oils, and other residue along the walls of the pipe.  Hair, coffee grounds, eggshells, and other debris accumulate in the greasy build up and the inside of the pipe will get narrower. Eventually, a foreign object such as a paper towel, diaper, or other material will lodge in the greasy buildup and a clog will quickly form behind it.

Clearing a clogged sewer line is a job for the professionals.  Your plumber or sewer-septic contractor can clear a clogged sewer line using a professional powered plumbing auger or high pressure hydro-jetting.  They can also identify the cause and help prevent future clogs.

 

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