Is Sludge Slowing Your Sewer Drainage?

June 11th, 2017 Posted in Drain Cleaning
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Have you noticed the drains in your home are getting slower? You may have sludge clogging up your drain lines. Everything that goes down your drains heads out through the indoor plumbing, then out through your drain or sewer lines to your septic or main city sewer line. When sediment composed of many solids from waste water collect in your drain lines, this is called sludge, and it is a common clogging element of drain lines.

So what is sludge? It can be a combination of many things, creating a thick, nasty substance that settles in the bottom of your drain lines. It can consist of fats, grease, human waste, paper products, coffee grounds and much more. Even when you flush water through your lines, this sludge remains, collecting more solids and growing in size. If any larger items get accidentally flushed down the toilet, they get caught up in this sludge and cause a clog.

If your drains are slow, it may be sludge that is causing the problem. Drain cleaners and even snakes will not remove a large accumulation of sludge. What you need is a thorough cleaning of your drain lines by a professional septic or sewer service company. Using hydro-jetting, your drain lines can be completely flushed of sludge and remove any clogs so your sewer pipes are completely clean again.

Don’t wait for a clog to get caught up in your sludge. Call your local sewer pro to clean your drain lines with hydro-jetting. Once they are done, have them inspect the interior of your lines using a digital camera to ensure there are no other problems inside your pipes once the sludge is gone.

Posted on behalf of:
Septic Service Pro, LLC
Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30334
(678) 292-8728

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Handling a Sewer Backup Emergency

March 13th, 2016 Posted in Drain Cleaning
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If you read a post on social media that one of your friends or family is dealing with a sewer backup, you immediately cringe and can empathize with their frustration. Even if you have been lucky enough not to go through it in your own home, you can imagine the discomfort of the situation. A sewer backup can cause extensive damage to your home, as well as cause a health hazard. Knowing how to handle these situations can help you get through them quicker and without injury to your family. Here are some tips to handle a sewer backup effectively.

  • Call a professional right away.  A sewer backup is a true emergency – don’t wait to call a professional, even if it is in the middle of the night. Many plumbers and sewer services are on call 24/7.
  • Prevent electrical shock. Be aware of the potential of electric shock if water is on the floors. If possible, turn off the electrical breaker to the affected rooms and don’t use electrical equipment when in standing water.
  • Prevent exposure to raw sewage water. Sewer water is full of potentially harmful bacteria, making it dangerous to your family. Until it can be cleaned thoroughly, keep everyone including pets away from the area, staying elsewhere if possible.
  • Expect clean up expenses. A severe sewer backup may require professional removal. It is critical that all the moisture is removed to prevent mold growth and that all surfaces are decontaminated for your family’s safety.

Though no one wants to experience a sewer backup, they do happen. However, many can be prevented with regular sewer or septic system inspections. Talk to your local plumber or sewer professional about what you can do to prevent sewer backups in your home.

Posted on behalf of:
Hunter’s Septic Service
Nesbit, MS
(662) 429-1686

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A Surprising Cause of Many Bathroom Sewer Pipe Clogs

December 2nd, 2015 Posted in Sewer Lines
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No one wants to deal with a toilet backup. There is never a good time to flush your toilet, just to watch the water and waste overflow all over your bathroom. We all know the biological reasons that toilets may get clogged and overflow, but did you know that often there are other items that can cause a major sewer line clog? The answer is what you store around your toilet.

Every see a cute basket of tiny soaps or toiletries placed on the top of a toilet tank? Or maybe it is some small decorative candles or other items. Other times, there are shelves located above or near the toilet that contain small items. And often, these small items end up in the toilet.

Whether it is by accident or a child decides to see how many of those travel-sized lotion bottles they can flush down the toilet, those small items can easily clog your sewer lines. Once stuck, they will collect toilet paper and other items until they form a solid clog that will back up your toilet and other drains in the house. The best solution is to not keep these small objects near your toilet to prevent accidental drops into the bowl and deter children from playing the flushing game.

However, if you do get a backed up toilet, always try to plunge the clog first. If that does not dislodge the clog, call your local sewer service company to have them inspect your sewer pipes. They can remove almost any clog quickly and easily and get your toilet back to working the way it should.

Posted on behalf of:
Seagraves Plumbing Sewer & Septic
4980 Plant Atkinson Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(494) 792-2221

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Is There A Funky Smell Coming From Your Sink?

November 19th, 2014 Posted in Drain Cleaning
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It shouldn’t be a surprise that your sink drains can become odorous, emitting a funky smell which canbe caused by a variety of factors. Consider all the different foods and liquids which end up going down your drains; if you left these items in a bucket in your home, they would eventually begin to sour or rot. Even if you don’t have  a clogged drain, there can still be a collection of food particles, hair and oils that can adhere to your pipes and begin to attract smelly bacteria. If your sink has a foul smell, it is time to clean out your drain and the pipes.

Cleaning Your Sink Drains

The first step to getting rid of odors in your kitchen or bath is to clean out the drain in your sink. If you have a pop-up or drain cover, these will need to be removed. Remove all debris and use a disinfectant cleaner to clean the pop-up or drain cover. While this will help, there is usually more debris trapped below if you are smelling a powerful odor.

You can begin by using an old toothbrush or bristled brush to clean the drain while the drain cover or pop-up is pulled out. Scrub the pipe and pull out any hair, debris or crusted food that may be attached to the outside of the pipes. After cleaning the top pipe, try pouring boiling water down the drain to remove any excess particles and to disinfect the area.

If there is still an odor, you may have debris collected in the elbow pipe below the sink. It is common for clogs to form in the nook of this pipe. This will require disassembling the pipes below to clear any layers of gunk which may be stuck in the pipe.

If you are unable to disassemble the pipe yourself or need further assistance finding the source of the odor, call your local sewer or septic professional. The source of the odor may be farther down the pipes, and may be a sign of a sewer or septic issue.

Posted on behalf of:
Kiddco Plumbing Inc
Sterling, VA
(703) 435-4441

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Do You Have A Clogged Drain Pipe Or A Clogged Sewer Line?

November 21st, 2013 Posted in Drain Cleaning
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All pipes leading from a drain can become clogged, from the small pipes under your sink to the large exterior sewer pipes under your yard. While a clogged pipe inside your home can often be quickly remedied, a clogged sewer pipe can lead to larger and more expensive problems if not resolved. If you have a slow drain or drains that are backing up, these signs may suggest that you have more than a clogged drain and that you should call a sewer professional for drain line repairs:

  • Location of drain affected. With a sewer clog, generally the problems will begin in drains closest to the main sewer pipe. This may be drains in the basement or first floor of your home, typically washing machine or bathtub drains.
  • Slow drains. The drains affected will start by draining slowly. Then other drains will begin draining slower until usually, all drains are affected. These will seem to climb, starting at the lowest level drain, working up those at the highest levels.
  • Odor. A clogged sewer pipe will usually begin to emit an unpleasant smell as sewer water becomes trapped in the pipes below and in your home. This odor, combined with slow or backed up drains, is almost always a sewer pipe problem or clog.

Sewer pipe clogs should be handled by a professional. Many companies will use a video inspection to find the clog or problem, and then recommend solutions for getting it fixed. Sometimes clogs can be removed through flushing, however if other damage has occurred, there may need to be repair. Getting a professional out to assess the situation quickly is your best bet, and can save you both time and money in the long run.

Posted on behalf of Shawn Bynum, Bynum Plumbing

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Clean Your Drains Using Hydro Jetting

October 25th, 2012 Posted in Drain Cleaning
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There is something more powerful and effective then chemicals and snakes to clean out clogged drains. It is even safer and generally less expensive. Water! Hydro jetting technology uses water to not only clear clogs, but to actually clean away all the built up debris that has collected in pipes and drains over time. There are several ways that hydro jetting may be used:

 

  • Unclogging drains. If a home or business has a clogged drain, a professional hydro jetting service can be performed to unclog the drain or sewer. However, unlike using a snake or chemicals to remove the clog, hydro jetting will completely clean the pipes. This helps reduce the chance of them getting clogged again in a few weeks or months down the road.

 

  •  Clearing sewer pipes. For homes with sewer pipes, hydro jetting can clear out the same debris built up in any home or apartment and can also clear out tree roots that have grown into the pipes. Most roots are completely gone after a hydro Jet cleaning.

 

  • Maintenance. For large households, businesses and multiple-dwelling buildings, using hydro jetting on a maintenance schedule can prevent clogs from happening in the first place. Many professional plumbing services that use hydro jet technology offer these types of packages.

 

This new process is not only effective; it is also economical and ecologically friendly. Since there are no chemicals or devices needed, only the hydro jet equipment, it is can often be just as affordable and definitely more “green” then other pipe cleaning methods. Next time you are clogged or have a slow drain, give your local plumber a call and see the difference hydro jetting makes.

 

 

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