Drain cleaning problems? Contact us about hydro jetting.

With frequent plumbing use, the drains in your business can get very dirty. They develop a thick sludge that can create clogs and be difficult to clean. A good solution to a dirty drain is a cleaning process called hydro jetting. 

A common cleaning method is using an electric cable machine. This is where the plumber puts his machine in the pipe and cleans it out. Unfortunately, this often does not get rid of the cause of the drain problem, and it gets clogged up again in six months to a year.

Hydro jet cleaning is much more effective and gets rid of the root cause of your drain problems as well as cleaning out the drain. Sometimes the root cause is tree roots that have grown into the sewer line, hydro jetting gets rid of these. Other times it can be the constant use of grease. This is why restaurants look into hydro jet cleaning. Too much grease impacted in the sewer line can cause a nasty flood of sewer water.

Here is a background on hydro jet cleaning. A hydro jet drain cleaning machine is mounted on a truck or trailer and gets power from a gas engine. It sends water at high pressure through a hose with a custom nozzle. The nozzle is inserted into the drain pipe, and the cleaning begins. The buildup in the drain is slowly and thoroughly broken down and emulsified and drains into the sewer system.

Hydro jet cleaning is by far the most effective cleaning method. It leaves drains at the cleanest level possible and keeps them that way for a significant period of time. If you want clean and trouble free drains, look into hydro jetting right away. With perfectly clean drains, you will know you got your money’s worth.

Homeowners should treat their septic tank like they treat any other piece of property. Be aware of its condition and when there’s potential for problems to occur. It’s not that easy to determine if your septic tank is damaged to the point of needing to be replaced, unless you’re a professional. The septic tank can seem fine for a long time, even with its damage, and then one day it just stops working on you. The costs to replace could end up being more hefty.  But there are definite early signs of potential problems.

Septic tanks are built to last for years, but wear and tear can shorten that life through unexpected damage. Often, replacing the septic tank is preferable to trying to fix it because of the difficulty in repairing. They should not need to be pumped more than once every three years or so. When the need to pump is occurring much more often, then it might just be time to replace the tank.

It’s a good idea to occasionally walk around the grounds of your property around your septic tank. If you find that there is an unusual amount of wetness and moisture in the ground, even without any recent rainfalls, this is a good indication that the septic tank is leaking water. A leak can usually be fixed by a plumbing professional, when the leak is coming from the ports. It’s an entirely different job if the tank is where the leak is coming from. The cost and time associated with this type of job will usually necessitate just replacing the tank altogether.

While checking the grounds, you should also check to see if there are trees in the area immediately around the septic tank. Your septic tank can be damaged by the growth of tree roots. If there are trees on your property, the growing trees may be a good reason to consult a plumbing professional. A smaller tank could be installed that fits better with your landscape. Always seek a professional plumber for any assistance with repairs or replacements of septic tanks.

24 Hour Plumber

One specialized service that may require attention at any time of the day or night is the need for a 24 hour plumber. People will find themselves embroiled in an emergency that threatens to do extensive property damage, or possible bodily injury. There’s no such thing as waiting until business hours when you have a tidal wave in your living room. People normally associate emergency with fire, but those who have dealt with the intense power of water firsthand know it as a danger as well.

When choosing a plumber for your residence, he or she should, first of all, be available 24 hours a day. There should really be no business hours for your plumber. With the simple assurance that they’re available at any time, you can then at least broach the conversation about whether they’re qualified. There are certain key features that your 24 hour plumbing services technician should possess. One of the more important details is that they look the part.

That may seem trivial, but an ounce of professionalism is worth a pound of proficiency

(I just made that up). But it’s true, the manner in which your plumber speaks, dresses, and treats your home says a lot about his level of training and experience. For instance, when he or she comes to your home, they need to be mindful of tracking mud inside, and dressing in a company uniform. While that is important, and first impressions are crucial, it really is about the knowledge base.

When you speak to your plumber, I think he or she should know more about plumbing than you do. So typically, a good sign will be their ability to “educate” you about your seemingly simple problem. You called it just a leak, but he or she knew what the real problem was after only a few questions. There should be an evident expertise in all their communication. That should also be shown in the description of his education and certifications. And off of that, their communication abilities are a big asset.

While he or she knows everything there is to know about plumbing, they still have to know about communicating with customers. If you pepper them with questions about their work, and inquire about some of your current issues, there should be a point where they begin to talk over your head. When most people speak with a car mechanic or a surgeon, there is always a point where their knowledge leaves you a little confused.  Customers should find some solace in knowing that an expert is on the job.

But ultimately, when all that checks out, you have to go right back to the fact that they say they’ll be there in an emergency. Find out about how many other individuals may work for them or with them. Because it will be just your luck to find out that the person you talked to isn’t the one who shows up at your door. Instead, it’s some apprentice that is handling the calls while the person is sleeping or on vacation. But if you take all these things into consideration, you should find yourself with a quality 24 hour plumber to face any emergency.

Plumbers are one of those professionals that might even consider calling 911 for, in the hopes of reaching one. But actually you end up dialing a real number in a panic, at the mercy of whoever answers the phone. Some homeowners can relate, but there are also some business owners who can relate. Plumbing for commercial properties is unique because of the size of the maintenance requests, and the potential damages. Here’s what to consider when you’re choosing the right plumbing contractor for your business:

Know What You Need

There are plenty of options for plumbing services, but not all are experienced or specialized in the same way. That means, choosing the wrong plumber could be shortchanging the services you actually require. If you are still early in the construction of your business’s building, then you will want a plumber who has pre-construction as well as construction experience. If the property is ten years old, then that should narrow the search a little bit. Never assume that any plumber will do.

Check Work History

Just like with any job, you should always check references or do a little research. Just being licensed, being the right price, or even being a relative does not mean that it’s the right person for the job. Most reputable commercial plumbers will gladly give the names of other businesses they’ve worked with. Determine if any of those business names or sizes are comparable to yours, and give them a call. Ask them how long they’ve been working with them, and what their impression of them is. This should be done before sitting down to discuss any contract.

All About Relationships

When you meet to discuss a contract, you should always remember that you’re hiring people, not some anonymous, faceless service. This is someone you will be having a working relationship with for the foreseeable future. A contractor’s character, personality, work ethic and all should weigh heavily in your decision. People often ignore obvious signs early on, because they’re willing to accept them for convenience’s sake. They usually end up regretting their choices. Take your time in evaluating the person, as well as the plumber.

Money

Then after all these things check out. Talk turkey. Find out exactly how their services are right for you. Because you’ll be considering the cost, possible disruption to your business, needs that may require 24 hour services, and a number of other things. It’s always a good idea to do some homework so you can evaluate how many additional costs a plumber might throw at you. See how willing to negotiate these costs the plumber is, given that this will ideally be a relationship for the life of the business. The money talk is only worth your time after you’ve determined the plumber is a worthwhile candidate for your needs.

Anyone who’s lived in a home for many years knows that drain clogs are one of those plumbing issues you just have to deal with. It may come with the territory, but how often? Clogs can often be recognized, seemingly fixed, and be back before you know it.

Even after you consult and acquire a professional plumber to do the job, you may still find yourself in the same situation. All clogs are not created equal.

This is why Hydro-jet cleaning exists, for the extra special clog that won’t be undone with drain cleaning solutions, or plumber’s snakes. These snakes will usually perform the job of unclogging, but only a temporary one. Plumbers have the ability to snake the drain with a cable machine, but the cables will either cut right through certain build up, or just not be strong enough.

Grease can build up a drain, and if it’s not removed thoroughly, it will continue to build up and clog the drain. Only the extreme water pressure of a Hydro-jet cleaning machine will be strong enough to completely clear the drain. This returns the drain to the level of clarity it was at when first installed. For clogs that are caused by grease build up, Hydro-jet cleaning is the only completely thorough method.

Other causes of drain clogs may be natural, like roots. Often, roots will begin to grow in the drain in a way that will hinder or stop water or any other type of flow. The strong Hydro-jet water pressure is strong enough to clear an roots or debris from pipes or sewer lines. Homes experiencing drain clogs that they can’t seem to get rid of, should definitely look into a Hydro-jet cleaning. It makes pipes as clean as they possibly can be.

Individual home and apartment buildings can benefit from Hydro-jet cleaning. Home can always be susceptible to tree root blockage of drains. And apartments, with their massive amounts of grease and debris build-up would definitely experience a long-term benefit from a Hydro-jet cleaning.

Basements can become flooded for many different reasons. While the flooding of some basements can be attributed to an extreme natural disaster like Katrina or Sandy, there are many times that flooding occurs from just not being more aware. If your basement floods, you will want to remove all items affected by the flooding as soon as possible. But there are still a few important factors to consider.

Electricity

The first thing any homeowner should be thinking about, before any property, is the life and safety of the home’s residents. Since water is a conductor of electricity, and the basement could easily have appliances and electrical gadgets under water, it’s vital to make sure they pose no threats. If it is safe to do so, all items should be unplugged. And if the homeowner is at all unsure, they should call for professional help.

Bacteria

The water that may have accumulated in your basement has probably done an immense amount of traveling, through the air, ground, carpets, storm sewers, and more. Even damp carpet can have built dangerous levels of pathogens after soaking and growing mildew. Imagine what will be floating in water levels you have to wade through. So protect your skin when venturing down into the flooded basement. Use rubber gloves, and waders to ward off possible infections.

Safe Removal

After making sure your health is definitely not at risk, you will want to get items out of the water as soon as possible. Most items can still be salvaged, if quick action is taken. Set wet items in a place where they can air dry, like near open doors and windows. And when possible, also use furnaces and air conditioners to help with the drying process.  It’s also important to remove toxic chemicals that have also been flooded. This will prevent further contaminated waters.

A decision will soon need to be made for the water removal. Consulting a professional will always be the safest and most effective course of action. Once again, if starting the water removal process, and you are standing in puddles of water, it isn’t very smart to use that electrical appliance. Homeowners who attempt to remove floodwaters with a Shop-Vac- type of vacuum could be wasting their time. This should only be tried on limited flood levels where you can also stand on dry ground.

Winter may feel like it’s arriving early this year. Some of us more cold-natured folks have already found occasions for extra layers of clothing. In anticipation of an unfriendly winter, homeowners can find it useful to understand the problems that cold weather can cause for the home’s plumbing. In regions that regularly experience below freezing temperatures, pipes will often burst, and here’s how:

Freeze and Expand

We should all remember high school science. Like the day the teacher taught about what happens to water molecules at cold temperatures. They contract, and conversely they expand at warm temperatures. Well, water reaches maximum density at just about the freezing point and then begins expanding.  In a tight space like a drainpipe, this expansion puts strain on the inner walls. Regardless of the pipe material—iron, lead, or plastic—a cumulative effect can cause any pipe to eventually burst.

Leaks and Ruptures

In extremely cold temperatures, water will of course freeze. But if the pipe is deep enough underground, the pipes can be protected from the extreme cold. If there is a steady drip of running water, the pipes will be prevented from freezing. But a constant cold water flowing in them throughout the winter can also strain them causing cracks or leaks. The water doesn’t have to actually freeze, but the pressure can eventually cause the crack or rupture.

Rust

Lead pipes are prone to rusting through the constant contact with the oxygen in water. Pipes that are rusted are certainly weaker and thereby capable of bursting. Many homeowners are fortunate enough to live in regions that rarely deal with freezing temperatures. But everyone else will occasionally run into a nasty winter. Making sure your pipes are insulated will go a long way in protecting them. Again, leaving a trickle of water flowing through home faucets through cold winters is definitely a preventative measure.

Being vigilant and seeking professional assistance when necessary can mean the difference between fixing a leak (couple hundred dollars) and repairing a burst pipe (thousands).

The garbage disposal is an almost indispensable feature of any kitchen sink. The plates piled up this Thanksgiving, and being able to quickly get rid of wastes down the drain is a matter of saving time and convenience. While the blades are designed to tear apart large pieces of food into tiny pieces, inappropriate and overuse of the disposal can lead to unpleasant smells.

The blades can be the first source of these problematic smells. They do actually break down food like they’re supposed to, but it can be so thorough that it sends the pieces flying into the disposal walls. Here’s where they can get stuck, harden, and eventually emit a rotting smell. This can be an example of how overuse can eventually catch up to you.

It’s a good idea to always accompany every garbage disposal usage with a steady running of tap water down the drain. Many homeowners will run the water, but not long enough after they believe they’re finished to actually flush the disposal clean. Every use of the garbage disposal could potentially be adding to the foods that have already accumulated and dried up on the disposal walls.

Giving the running water the opportunity to rinse the walls of the disposal sometimes isn’t enough. If the inside of the disposal has long been stuck with the rotting wastes, then the smell may be more ingrained in the system than simple water can handle. There are a few tricks that many people have found effective. One is to plug the drain with a stopper, and fill the sink with soapy water. When it’s full, unplug the stopper, and let the water rush down the drain. Turning on the disposal at the same time will often give the blades and the wall a more thorough cleansing.

If soap and water doesn’t work, it’s time to call in the “big guns”. And by big guns, I mean baking soda and vinegar. Take about a half a box of baking soda and pour it down the drain. Then use about the same amount of vinegar and pour it down the drain as well. As many people know, this will cause a bubbling reaction that can destroy bacteria. When the bubbling dies down, pour boiling water down the drain and run the disposal again.

Should the garbage disposal be damaged in some way, or the blockage is severe, it may need to be detached and professionally cleaned, or replaced if the damage is too extensive.

Water is the world’s most precious resource. It makes up 2/3 of the earth’s surface, more than half our bodies, and we can’t live without it. There are several worldwide initiatives to provide clean water to developing countries, combating a litany of deadly diseases (typhoid fever, cholera, malaria, etc). While the need is great throughout many regions in the world, concerns still continue about contamination of tap water in America.

It’s a good idea for anyone concerned with their drinking water to inquire with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about their local water-testing agencies. It’s also a good idea to find out how often the tap water in your area is tested and treated. Back in 2001, it was reported that 1 out of 4 U.S. water systems were failing to meet the required testing consistency set up by government agencies. These tests don’t mean contamination was found, but they are certainly necessary for finding any problems that may arise.

The most common sources of contamination are wholly natural. Natural elements like plants and microorganisms can become a part of the water supply. Wildlife, soil, rocks, various metals, and much more can affect quality when they come in contact with water. There is always a human element as well. The proximity of a water supply to farms, septic tanks, gas stations, and many other community-based industries are common sources of water pollution. This happens when toxic chemicals like manmade and animal wastes are not properly disposed.

There are several means of water treatment in use to protect your drinking water. It’s very important that these tools be used effectively to ensure good quality tap water. Whenever these resources are not properly managed, the water will be susceptible to all these toxins. This will in turn cause drastic measures like shutting down water supply to communities. Many of these treatment units will be effective as long as they are maintained. When they’re not, contamination can accumulate and make waters much worse.

Generally, tap water is perfectly safe to drink, but finding out more about your local water supply may give you more insight into the quality of water coming to your home. Many homes make use of faucet filters that remove impurities from the water as it exits the faucet, if the tap water has an unpleasant taste.

The decision on how to heat and cool any home is based on two factors: the size of the room(s), and the budget of the owner. The options can be limited by the needs of the space and the limitations of the equipment. Anyone who wants to keep a tighter rein on finances may consider using the most inexpensive installation possible. In a smaller home, it could be much more cost-effective to place window units in each room throughout the house.

Window Units

Window units come in several sizes, measured in BTUs (British thermal units). They will require some forethought and space to unit ratio calculation. Then owners can determine the best sizes for the rooms. If an owner only needs to heat a small room, a smaller-sized unit of about 5,000 BTUs should be fine. But a much larger space will require a much more powerful unit of around 20,000 BTUs. These units can simply be plugged into a standard electrical outlet, and require no special wiring.

When the selected unit is too small for the space, the unit will continue to run, never accomplishing its purpose of heating or cooling. That, in turn, will make the energy bill skyrocket, and you’ll still end up too hot or cold. Using a unit that’s too large for the space can also be bad. It will also cool inefficiently, causing humidity build-up. Anyone who chooses to use window units is probably doing so for the immediate relief from the cost of central air installations.

Central Air Conditioning

A central air conditioning unit cools the entire home at the same time. Just like the window units, the energy is measured in BTUs. Central is probably the set up of choice for most homeowners. Central air units can easily be installed and equipped with programmable thermostats that allow owners to efficiently manage their air-conditioning. Temperatures can be automatically adjusted according to pre-determined times and preferences. It’s also an easy way to be in control of the money and energy saved.

The cost of installing a central air unit may seem daunting at first, since it will cost owners thousands of dollars. But that would be the only down side to installing a central air unit. Central air conditioning units require little in the way of continual maintenance, unlike the complicated and problematic mechanics of a window unit. After a central air installation, owners will find a return on their investment with the easy and efficient management of their system.

Ultimately, the window unit, or “room unit”, can be very effective at cooling and heating a specific amount of space and can cut immediate costs. However, the goal for everyone should be to eventually install a central air conditioning unit. The comfort, efficiency and ease after installation are well worth the investment, which is also essential to the resale value of the home.