#Clogged Toilet in Woonsocket RI

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Clogged Sink In Woonsocket, RI

Sewer and drain cleaning should be cost effective and efficient. Not only that. But, consumers need to be able to trust a service provider. Therefore, we want to build a relationship with you under our company motto: “Affordable, Efficient and Trustworthy”. We may not of had the opportunity to meet, yet. So, please take the opportunity to visit the “Reviews” tab on this website. All reviews recorded here, on our website have been imported from the actual site they were left on, by the consumer. A hyper – text link is also available under the “Reviews” tab to redirect you to the source from which we imported the review. A clogged drain is frustrating, inconvenient and messy. When you call Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service in Bellingham, MA (as well as Mendon, Wrentham, Foxboro and Franklin, MA) to restore flow to a clogged drain, we do our best leave your home like it never happened.

Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service is founded on the desire to build strong relationships with our clients. Our customer service skill is our most valuable asset. Without it, we fail to build relationships with our clients. If we fail there, we fail in business. For this reason, we are constantly posting and updating our blog in order to provide a link to our customers and give them instruction on how they may help themselves in solving drain and plumbing issues. You may visit The Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service self help section by clicking on the tab in the upper right hand corner of the website, entitled, Do It Yourself to find information the pros know and use to restore a clogged drain. By visiting our blog, you will find charts, diagrams, videos and step – by – step instruction to help you solve common problems around your home or place of business.

We at Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service live as part of the human family. Therefore, we believe in doing our very best to help one another. Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service is not just about clearing a clogged drain to make a dollar. If you are having drainage trouble, call us to consult with one of our technicians. Or, you also have the blog as a reference tool. We will give you the information you need to help you dispose of your plumbing issues. Not all sewer and drainage issues are easy to fix. If you have tried our advice and still have difficulty, give us a call. We will visit, evaluate the problem, determine what will need to be done to fix it and provide you with an upfront estimate. No service charges unless using a tool is required in the diagnostic process.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Septic Remediation in Woonsocket, RI, Sewer Jetting in Woonsocket, RI, Clogged Drain in Woonsocket, RI, Clogged Sink in Woonsocket, RI&Clogged Toilet in Woonsocket, RI

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Septic Remediation In Woonsocket, RI Part - III

UNCLOG MY SEWER?

Snaking a sewer is not something an inexperienced person should attempt. It can be dangerous, causing sickness and or injury. However, rental facilities and home improvement stores encourage people to venture into performing such task. Therefore, you will need some coaching before going at it alone. Here are a list of questions you will want to ask yourself before you attempt to clear a blockage from your sewer line.

•             Are you on a septic system?

•             Do you have a back water valve on your sewer line?

•             Do you have a house trap on your sewer line?

•             Do believe you have roots in your sewer line?

•             Do you have a lift station in line with your sewer?

•             Are you using the correct machine and adequate size cable?

 Are you using the correct machine and adequate size cable? If you are on septic and not city sewer, you should first perform a visual inspection of your septic system to be sure your septic tank is sending effluent to the leach field. If not, put cabling your sewer on hold until you have an understanding as to why your septic system is failing. If you attempt to cable the main sewer line from inside the house, you must know if you remove the cleanout plug without caution, you could find yourself standing in a lot of sewage.

Running a cable downstream, toward a septic tank can cause you problems. For example if your send your cable too far out into the tank, the cable can get tangled in the tank. Chances of getting it out without having to go in the tank and retrieve it are slim. So, be careful as to how far out you allow your cable to travel. Most of the time, cabling a sewer line can be done from the tank to the house.

attempt to discover where the blockage is on the sewer line. The back water valve itself can hold debris and cause a blockage. If the blockage is in the back water valve, this takes patience and skill to relieve the blockage. Do not push a cable through the back water valve. Especially if there is no access to service the valve. You may not be able to retrieve the cable without excavating. If you determine the blockage is downstream of the back water valve or in the back water valve, find an access point on that end and attempt to cable from there. A safe and effective method for relieving a blockage in the back water valve or down stream of it, is by using a sewer bladder.

A sewer bladder is used to create positive pressure on the blockage. Attach a garden hose to a hose bib and the female threaded end of the sewer bladder to the male end of the hose. Insert the sewer bladder in to the pipe so that no part of the bladder protrudes over an opening or a branch fitting. The bladder expands with water pressure. If the bladder does not have equal pressure on all sides of the bladder, the bladder can over inflate and rupture.

Another tip in using a sewer bladder is, there should be no branch line downstream of the bladder. If there are branch fittings (meaning, drain lines pouring into the line you are working on), attempt to get the bladder past the branch fitting. Or, find an access point where you know there are no other openings for the pressurized water to be diverted to.

If you are pressurizing a sewer line, and there is an opening between the bladder and the blockage, the pressurized water will divert to the fixture that open drain line serves. You may still be able to clear the blockage with the head pressure you are creating. However, be careful because the water may overflow a sink or shower elsewhere.

Roots are another issue that can cause a cable to become stuck in the sewer line. Again, here is another opportunity to spend thousands of dollars having the line excavated.

If you have a lift station, your cable can get entwined with electrical cables, chains and rope all found in the holding tank of the lift station.

House traps present their own problems. If your sewer has a house trap also known as a main line trap, you should understand where to cable from, what direction the cable will travel and how to avoid having to put a lot of force on the cable. You don’t want to force the cable. Especially if the reason the cable is not going anywhere is due to the possibility of your cable sitting against a cleanout cover on the trap.

Diagnosing and fixing the drainage problem for a sink, shower or bathtub may be a long and difficult process. Be safe. If fixing the issue is something that is risky or not being understood, contact a drain service company. The range of pricing for a company who cares to do the job correctly is within $145.00 – $225.00. This depends on material used in piping, age of the house which would help the plumber understand the plumbing code that was used in assembling the plumbing system, access to the plumbing and what is assumed to be creating the blockage.

 For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Clogged Sink in Woonsocket, RI, Clogged Toilet in Woonsocket, RI & Garbage Disposal Not Working in Woonsocket, RI

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Clogged Drain In Woonsocket, RI Part - II

FAILED SEPTIC SYSTEM RESTORED IN 18 DAYS

Find Help For Septic System Problems

The article and photos below discuss maintenance for a septic system. This post also records the progress of an aerobic bacterial generator for 30 days after the installation of an aerating device.

Prior to the installation of an aerating system, this septic tank had 3 inches of “scum” floating on the surface. (This ‘scum’ layer exist due to the poor digestive action of anaerobic bacteria. Exactly why we install aerobic bacterial generators) In order to lower the aerating stone to the bottom of the tank, a hole had to be cut in the scum layer. The tank was not pumped in 15 months and had undergone excessive use and abuse. If you look at the picture, you can see the turbulence created by the aerator pumping 3.5 cubic feet of air per minute. Among the turbulence, the scum can be seen. Look at the results, just 18 days after the aerator and aerobic bacteria were introduced.

No scum layer can be seen. The introduction and cultivation process of aerobic bacteria is proven. Aerobic bacteria completely digest organic solids, leaving only gas and water behind. Since the aerator is emitting 3.5 cubic feet per second of air inside the septic tank, positive pressure is built and the gases are forced out of the septic system, through the plumbing system’s ventilation piping.

What happens with anaerobic bacteria (which is found in traditional septic systems) is simply not enough bacterial activity to successfully maintain a septic system. This is why we must have our anaerobic septic tanks pumped every two to three years. Anaerobic systems will eventually fail, no matter how often you have it pumped due to a bi-product of anaerobic bacteria called bio mat.

Bio mat is a slime that will eventually completely close the porous soil, inhibiting the absorbing ability of the soil. Effluent will have no place to go but to the surface.

Another adverse effect of anaerobic bacteria is corrosive gas that contains high levels of alkali. The alkali works to reduce the strength of the concrete components of a septic system. Eventually, those components will collapse.

Above all, the very reason your septic system requires pumping is anaerobic bacteria does not break down solids as effectively as aerobic bacteria. The waste accumulates faster than the anaerobic bacteria can keep up with it.

The above photo graph was taken 30 days after the installation of the aerator. As you can see, the progress continues. Notice the clarity of the effluent and the uniform bubble pattern. This is evidence of solids being digested in the tank and not being suspended in the effluent going to the drain field. This is important because anaerobic action does not occur in the leach field, building layers of bio-mat which will cause the failure of your septic system. The uniform bubble pattern tells us the effluent is not thick with heavy solids as in the first two photos

Convert Your Septic System

Click on this link and locate the Septic Remediation tab. Please click on the Septic Remediation tab to find answers to what remediation is, or other questions and concerns for the performance of your septic system.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Clogged Toilet in Woonsocket, RI, Garbage Disposal Not Working in Woonsocket, RI & Drain and Sewer Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI

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Pipe Video Inspection In Woonsocket, RI Part - II

RAIN LEADERS, CONDUCTORS, GUTTERS AND DOWN SPOUTS

Conducting Rain

Rain leaders lead water away from a shelter. Underground or above ground, they are an effective means of protecting the foundation of a building. However, there is no proof positive method of preventing them from becoming stopped up by debris or just organic ‘muck’. Above ground, a rain leader is a bit more manageable for preventing and clearing a blockage. However, many people prefer to run the rain leader beneath ground, as an above ground installation presents many hazards and is a distraction when looking to present curb appeal.

Underground rain leaders may not be a good application for your property. Once water is in the ground, water spreads out and down. That same water you intend to move away from your property may, by capillary action, arrive under your foundation, beneath the basement floor.

Having extensions on a rain leader installed above ground are a trip hazard, nuisance, unappealing and make lawn care cumbersome. However, you will want to ensure the rain water is lead to a surface that will quickly lead the water further away from your home. Maybe to a driveway and hopefully the drive will have a storm drain near by.

IN GROUND INSTALLATION OF RAIN LEADERS

Installation of in ground rain leaders is an attractive feature. The idea of not having rain water pooling in the yard gives peace of mind and is kind of intriguing. “Where does it go?” However, there is some worry attached to the possibility of having a blockage on the buried rain leader. “How will I fix that? How much will it cost?”

Clearing a Blockage from an Underground Rain Leader

A blockage in an underground rain leader is no longer a thing to be concerned with. Today’s technology for sewer and drain cleaning is also used in clearing blockages from underground rain leaders. Jetting, or pressure bladders are the instrument preferred. However, it is also possible to relieve a blockage with a cable. High pressure water can not always be used due to the possibility of having corrugated pipe buried in the yard as the conductor for the rain leader. High pressure can tear the pipe apart or a high pressure jetter hose may lodge in the earth when penetrating the pipe. If jetting is preferred, it is best to ask the drain cleaning technician to use caution and begin jetting with low pressure.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Clogged Drain in Woonsocket, RI, Clogged Sink in Woonsocket, RI&Clogged Toilet in Woonsocket, RI

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Drain And Sewer Maintenance In Woonsocket, RI Part - I

SHOULD I USE A CHEMICAL DRAIN CLEANER?

Many homes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have galvanized and cast iron sewer and drain lines for their plumbing. This type of plumbing material becomes clogged and facilitates occlusion resulting in a slow drain in branch line fixtures, such as sinks, tubs, showers and laundry discharge lines. No air slows down the flow of grey water in a branch and sewer line. Maintenance use of chemical sewer and drain cleaning utilizing caustic, corrosives should not be a consideration. Instead, implement a maintenance program by cabling (snaking) of all clogged and un – clogged drains. Then, follow up with bacteria.

In part, the clogged sink drain on cast or galvanized pipe is due to not completely closing the spigot end to bell end connections in the fabrication of the sewer and drain system. Unfortunately, this results in plumbing trouble years after installation. A flawed sewer and drain system results in clogged sink drains and other branch line type drainage systems, giving way to sewer and drain cleaning, misuse of chemical drain cleaners , preventive maintenance and some times re-piping the plumbing.

Rotting cast iron drain line

Bell and spigot types of connections always have a seem where water sits, allowing particulate matter to come to rest and rot the plumbing. Eventually a damming effect builds in the sewer line, where more particulate matter comes to rest. The trend mounts until that section of pipe is completely clogged. At this point, a plumber or a sewer and drain cleaning professional should be called. Avoid hazardous chemical drain and sewer cleaners.

Rather than call a plumber or a sewer and drain cleaning technician, people make the mistake of attempting their own efforts to clear a clogged sink line in the form of chemical sewer and drain cleaning. Intentions are good. However, more times than not, sewer cleaning technicians encounter backed up sanitary lines with some form of liquid or gel type chemical sewer and drain cleaner applied to the line, still sitting in the pipe or sink. Not all chemical sewer and drain cleaners are good. Some chemical sewer and drain cleaners have corrosive properties.

At times, a corrosive bottled chemical sewer cleaner will open the clogged bathroom sink or the clogged kitchen sink line and restore flow. If flow to the clogged bathroom sink line is restored with chemical sewer and drain cleaning, it is normally temporary due to the fact the corrosive chemical sewer and drain cleaner is diluted and flushed away from the point of restriction when an opening is created. Therefore, the chemical drain cleaner has not completely cleaned the line.

The cost of chemical sewer and drain cleaning is not easily noticeable. The first assault is on the bacteria in the sewer. What ever healthy bacteria surviving water temperature and harsh drain cleaning agents are still in the sewer is wiped out by the toxic, corrosive sewer and drain cleaners purchased in a bottle.

Over time, with perpetual use of these harsh chemical sewer and drain cleaners, damage becomes noticeable. Eventually, the consumer will see it. Cast iron piping will develop puffy mounds of rust. Literally, this is the moisture and gases pushing through the now, thin porous walls of the cast iron piping.

Drain cleaning is not something just anyone should feel they can accomplish, successfully. The aid of a professional drain cleaner should be enlisted. However, for immediate relief of the waste line, occasionally and temporary at best, sodium hypo-chlorite (chlorine bleach), lye, enzymes and a plunger can be used as a generic cleaner. They may open the clogged kitchen sink or the clogged bathroom sink. The home owner may try using a box of baking soda combined with a bottle of vinegar left over an hour, then enlist the help of a plunger as a cleaner on a bathroom fixture or a kitchen sink to create some flow. However, a plumber or sewer and drain cleaning specialist is usually called to provide a more permanent fix.

The safe approach to sewer and drain cleaning for longevity of a clear bathroom sink line or a free flowing kitchen sink line is to call a sewer and drain cleaning professional to eliminate the blockage. Sewer and drain cleaning professionals can offer suggestions for preventive maintenance as well. However, in severe cases, there are occasions where a plumber must be called to re-pipe the sewer and drain.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Clogged Toilet in Woonsocket, RI, Garbage Disposal Not Working in Woonsocket, RI & Drain and Sewer Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI

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Drain Cleaning Service Implies

Drain cleaning service implies the home owner or place of business has a problem with a branch line. But not always.

A branch line is smaller than the main sewer line. Therefore, if water remains standing in a tub and say, the sink and toilet in that bathroom group does drain, you have a blockage in your tub drain. Therefore, there is a need for a drain cleaning service. However, suppose an in ground swimming pool has a clogged drain. The inside diameter of the pipe used for the drain on this pool could be as large as 8 inches in diameter. Due to the size of this “drain”, we must use knowledge and equipment suited for sewer cleaning service.

Drain cleaning service is possible by small waste line cleaning machines. These are also known as branch line machines. Drain cleaning service machines are generally a 3/8″ or a 1/4″ cable being spun in a branch line machine. A drain cleaning service machine is smaller and lighter than a main line machine. However, as previously stated, if a drain line is large enough, a mainline machine may be used.

When a drain cleaning service is called, the technician suspects he will be using his small drain cleaning service machine instead of a main line machine. Implied ‘drain cleaning’ service is interpreted by the technician due to the information gathered from a good office staff. The dispatcher will answer the phone and follow up the caller’s statements with some questions, leading to an understanding as to what service is needed. If the dispatcher concludes the caller has only a clogged branch line, then the dispatcher dispatches a technician proficient in understanding the different types of drainage material and systems serviced by a drain cleaning service. More times than not, the dispatcher will hear a very definitive, ” My bathroom sink won’t drain “. That pretty much takes the guess work out of what type of work will be done to restore flow.

If the dispatcher concludes the caller has a main line issue, the dispatcher would send a sewer cleaning technician. This is a technician who has a complete understanding of main sewer lines, the system design and the material used in the location the technician will be sent.

Occasionally, the caller will state there are simultaneous drain cleaning needs. For instance, the tub and bathroom sink are holding water. However, the toilet in that bathroom does not have trouble flushing. Again, since the problem is on the branch lines, the dispatcher will send a technician proficient at performing a drain cleaning service. The dispatcher understands the need for a drain cleaning service since the toilet, normally connected directly to the main sewer line does flush and the branch lines do not flow.

Suppose the call is from a commercial property. For example, a restaurant calls and says they are having trouble with floor drains and sinks not draining. Or, the caller says the sinks are draining. However, when the sinks empty their compartments, the floor drains allow water to rise and spill onto the floor. Sinks and floor drains are normally considered branch lines, so a the call would be logged as a drain cleaning service. Therefor, the dispatcher will send a drain cleaning service technician.

However, this is a difficult call for a dispatcher since floor drains can be as large as four inches in large restaurants and generally, sink drains in restaurants are no larger than 2″ in diameter. If the sink drains are branching into a part of the sewer system that is also picking up the floor drains, there may be a blockage in the fitting which conveys flow from both the floor drain to the main sewer line. This would be considered a drain cleaning service. Or, the blockage could be in the main sewer line just after the branch line fitting. This would be a main line service. In this case, the dispatcher will want to send a technician who is skilled and equipped to handle both a main line and drain cleaning service for branch lines.

At Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service, our technicians are skilled and knowledgeable in drain cleaning service and main line sewer issues.

Drain cleaning service and removing blockages from main sewer lines are not that different. Size and material are mainly what set the two services apart. As you read from the paragraph above, in a commercial venue, there may be a need for drain cleaning service or main line. That is why most sewer and drain cleaning service companies hire technicians skilled and knowledgeable at both main line and drain cleaning service.

One last scenario. Recall the pool situation at the top of this page. If the drain line on a pool is six inches in diameter and the drain line runs 200 feet, the technician responding should not be just a drain cleaning service technician. He should be someone skilled at both sewer and drain cleaning service. Reason being, the size and distance of the run, though it does not drain sewage, will call for drain cleaning service equipment.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Garbage Disposal Not Working in Woonsocket, RI, Drain and Sewer Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI, Sewer Cleaner and Drain Cleaner in Woonsocket, RI, Sewer and Drain Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI&How to Unclog a Bath Tub Drain in Woonsocket, RI

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Bathroom Sink Odor

Bathroom sink odor occurs by virtue of what the sink does. It drains grey water. (Poor venting can also be the culprit behind bathroom sink drain odor. We will get to that. But first, let’s discuss the build and use of the sink.)

The bathroom sink carries bacteria from washed hands, cleaning stains from clothing and brushing teeth. Because the drain assembly allows for air to get to the moistened piping below the mouth of the drain, bacteria, mold and mildew settle into the drain assembly. With the bacteria that gets washed down the drain, the drain assembly is a natural sort of petri dish. With use, mold, mildew and bacterial growth continue and sink odor is what alarms us to a need to investigate the source.

Anatomy of a bathroom sink drain:                                                

Above the trap, there is usually about 14″ of pipe that is open to air. This is the tail piece and the pop-up assembly. Here is where every home’s built in petri dish resides.

In order to treat this part of the bathroom sink drain and inhibit odor causing bacteria from growing, the homeowner must be able to get an anti-microbial to the drain assembly and the overflow. (The overflow is locate just below the sink rim. Normally on the front or back of the basin).

One of the anti-microbial solutions that can be found on the shelves at The Home Depot is a product called Micro Ban found in a line of cleaners under the brand name, “Legend”. (HOWEVER, BE CAREFUL. IF YOU HAVE A SEPTIC SYSTEM, YOU DO NOT WANT TO INTRODUCE ANTI BACTERIA AGENTS INTO YOUR PIPES. YOU WILL WIPE OUT YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM.) The use of bleach kills almost any type of bacteria. However, mold only spores and becomes air born. This means, if you decide to ignore good advice and use bleach to kill mold, you may cause it to spore and lodge wherever it lands. That could be in your lungs or someone else’s.

Use a spray bottle to get the Micro Ban cleaner into the overflow. Dowse the overflow generously, as the flow will develop and then only trail in one part of the overflow conductor. Then poor about five ounces of micro ban into the drain assembly of the sink. This should inundate the piping and allow for a well treated drain line.

There is only two other methods of getting an anti-microbial to the overflow and the drain.

•             If your bathroom sink’s drain pipe has a flush mounted (Dandy) clean out in line, you could purchase an inflatable test ball to stop water in the line. Then fill the line with an antimicrobial up to the rim of the sink.

•  You could also remove the sink from the wall….(Turn the water to the sink off. Remove the trap and the supply tubes) now take the sink off the wall and soak it in an anti-microbial.

A second product recommended by Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning is, RX-66 Bio Enzyme Digester, by Airx Laboratories.

About the trap. The trap is supposed to be filled with water in order to bar gases coming from the sewer and entering the dwelling. However, if the trap does not have water in it, naturally, gas will emanate from the drain. If your trap does not hold water, call a sewer and drain cleaner or a plumber to investigate. We did say earlier we would provide more information on “poor venting”. Here it is:

A customer called describing a sewer gas odor coming from his kitchen sink, bathroom sink and tub drain. Upon visiting, we could see the kitchen sink drain was not connected to a vent. What made matters even more intolerable for the drains around the house is, there was a garbage disposal unit on the kitchen sink. Without a vent on the kitchen sink and the use of a garbage disposer, water is being pumped through unvented pipe and air has to be pulled into the pipe from somewhere. That somewhere is by a vacuum being created in the drain lines. The water in the traps in the tub and the sink is sucked into the sewer line, leaving the traps with no water. The absence of water in the traps, is to allow sewer gas to enter the dwelling through the sink and tub drains. (Traps are installed to trap water which seals out gases)

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Septic Remediation in Woonsocket, RI, Clogged Sink in Woonsocket, RI, Clogged Toilet in Woonsocket, RI, How to Unclog a Bath Tub Drain in Woonsocket, RI&Garbage Disposal Not Working in Woonsocket, RI

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Sewer And Drain Maintenance In Woonsocket, RI Part - I

Drain cleaning service implies the home owner or place of business has a problem with a branch line. But not always.

A branch line is smaller than the main sewer line. Therefore, if water remains standing in a tub and say, the sink and toilet in that bathroom group does drain, you have a blockage in your tub drain. Therefore, there is a need for a drain cleaning service. However, suppose an in ground swimming pool has a clogged drain. The inside diameter of the pipe used for the drain on this pool could be as large as 8 inches in diameter. Due to the size of this “drain”, we must use knowledge and equipment suited for sewer cleaning service.

Drain cleaning service is possible by small waste line cleaning machines. These are also known as branch line machines. Drain cleaning service machines are generally a 3/8″ or a 1/4″ cable being spun in a branch line machine. A drain cleaning service machine is smaller and lighter than a main line machine. However, as previously stated, if a drain line is large enough, a mainline machine may be used.

When a drain cleaning service is called, the technician suspects he will be using his small drain cleaning service machine instead of a main line machine. Implied ‘drain cleaning’ service is interpreted by the technician due to the information gathered from a good office staff. The dispatcher will answer the phone and follow up the caller’s statements with some questions, leading to an understanding as to what service is needed. If the dispatcher concludes the caller has only a clogged branch line, then the dispatcher dispatches a technician proficient in understanding the different types of drainage material and systems serviced by a drain cleaning service. More times than not, the dispatcher will hear a very definitive, ” My bathroom sink won’t drain “. That pretty much takes the guess work out of what type of work will be done to restore flow.

If the dispatcher concludes the caller has a main line issue, the dispatcher would send a sewer cleaning technician. This is a technician who has a complete understanding of main sewer lines, the system design and the material used in the location the technician will be sent.

Occasionally, the caller will state there are simultaneous drain cleaning needs. For instance, the tub and bathroom sink are holding water. However, the toilet in that bathroom does not have trouble flushing. Again, since the problem is on the branch lines, the dispatcher will send a technician proficient at performing a drain cleaning service. The dispatcher understands the need for a drain cleaning service since the toilet, normally connected directly to the main sewer line does flush and the branch lines do not flow.

Suppose the call is from a commercial property. For example, a restaurant calls and says they are having trouble with floor drains and sinks not draining. Or, the caller says the sinks are draining. However, when the sinks empty their compartments, the floor drains allow water to rise and spill onto the floor. Sinks and floor drains are normally considered branch lines, so a the call would be logged as a drain cleaning service. Therefor, the dispatcher will send a drain cleaning service technician.

However, this is a difficult call for a dispatcher since floor drains can be as large as four inches in large restaurants and generally, sink drains in restaurants are no larger than 2″ in diameter. If the sink drains are branching into a part of the sewer system that is also picking up the floor drains, there may be a blockage in the fitting which conveys flow from both the floor drain to the main sewer line. This would be considered a drain cleaning service. Or, the blockage could be in the main sewer line just after the branch line fitting. This would be a main line service. In this case, the dispatcher will want to send a technician who is skilled and equipped to handle both a main line and drain cleaning service for branch lines.

At Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service, our technicians are skilled and knowledgeable in drain cleaning service and main line sewer issues.

Drain cleaning service and removing blockages from main sewer lines are not that different. Size and material are mainly what set the two services apart. As you read from the paragraph above, in a commercial venue, there may be a need for drain cleaning service or main line. That is why most sewer and drain cleaning service companies hire technicians skilled and knowledgeable at both main line and drain cleaning service.

One last scenario. Recall the pool situation at the top of this page. If the drain line on a pool is six inches in diameter and the drain line runs 200 feet, the technician responding should not be just a drain cleaning service technician. He should be someone skilled at both sewer and drain cleaning service. Reason being, the size and distance of the run, though it does not drain sewage, will call for drain cleaning service equipment.

 For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Garbage Disposal Not Working in Woonsocket, RI, Drain and Sewer Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI & Sewer and Drain Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI

[sewer-cleaning-blog]

Sewer And Drain Maintenance In Woonsocket, RI Part - I

Drain cleaning service implies the home owner or place of business has a problem with a branch line. But not always.

A branch line is smaller than the main sewer line. Therefore, if water remains standing in a tub and say, the sink and toilet in that bathroom group does drain, you have a blockage in your tub drain. Therefore, there is a need for a drain cleaning service. However, suppose an in ground swimming pool has a clogged drain. The inside diameter of the pipe used for the drain on this pool could be as large as 8 inches in diameter. Due to the size of this “drain”, we must use knowledge and equipment suited for sewer cleaning service.

Drain cleaning service is possible by small waste line cleaning machines. These are also known as branch line machines. Drain cleaning service machines are generally a 3/8″ or a 1/4″ cable being spun in a branch line machine. A drain cleaning service machine is smaller and lighter than a main line machine. However, as previously stated, if a drain line is large enough, a mainline machine may be used.

When a drain cleaning service is called, the technician suspects he will be using his small drain cleaning service machine instead of a main line machine. Implied ‘drain cleaning’ service is interpreted by the technician due to the information gathered from a good office staff. The dispatcher will answer the phone and follow up the caller’s statements with some questions, leading to an understanding as to what service is needed. If the dispatcher concludes the caller has only a clogged branch line, then the dispatcher dispatches a technician proficient in understanding the different types of drainage material and systems serviced by a drain cleaning service. More times than not, the dispatcher will hear a very definitive, ” My bathroom sink won’t drain “. That pretty much takes the guess work out of what type of work will be done to restore flow.

If the dispatcher concludes the caller has a main line issue, the dispatcher would send a sewer cleaning technician. This is a technician who has a complete understanding of main sewer lines, the system design and the material used in the location the technician will be sent.

Occasionally, the caller will state there are simultaneous drain cleaning needs. For instance, the tub and bathroom sink are holding water. However, the toilet in that bathroom does not have trouble flushing. Again, since the problem is on the branch lines, the dispatcher will send a technician proficient at performing a drain cleaning service. The dispatcher understands the need for a drain cleaning service since the toilet, normally connected directly to the main sewer line does flush and the branch lines do not flow.

Suppose the call is from a commercial property. For example, a restaurant calls and says they are having trouble with floor drains and sinks not draining. Or, the caller says the sinks are draining. However, when the sinks empty their compartments, the floor drains allow water to rise and spill onto the floor. Sinks and floor drains are normally considered branch lines, so a the call would be logged as a drain cleaning service. Therefor, the dispatcher will send a drain cleaning service technician.

However, this is a difficult call for a dispatcher since floor drains can be as large as four inches in large restaurants and generally, sink drains in restaurants are no larger than 2″ in diameter. If the sink drains are branching into a part of the sewer system that is also picking up the floor drains, there may be a blockage in the fitting which conveys flow from both the floor drain to the main sewer line. This would be considered a drain cleaning service. Or, the blockage could be in the main sewer line just after the branch line fitting. This would be a main line service. In this case, the dispatcher will want to send a technician who is skilled and equipped to handle both a main line and drain cleaning service for branch lines.

At Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service, our technicians are skilled and knowledgeable in drain cleaning service and main line sewer issues.

Drain cleaning service and removing blockages from main sewer lines are not that different. Size and material are mainly what set the two services apart. As you read from the paragraph above, in a commercial venue, there may be a need for drain cleaning service or main line. That is why most sewer and drain cleaning service companies hire technicians skilled and knowledgeable at both main line and drain cleaning service.

One last scenario. Recall the pool situation at the top of this page. If the drain line on a pool is six inches in diameter and the drain line runs 200 feet, the technician responding should not be just a drain cleaning service technician. He should be someone skilled at both sewer and drain cleaning service. Reason being, the size and distance of the run, though it does not drain sewage, will call for drain cleaning service equipment.

 For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Garbage Disposal Not Working in Woonsocket, RI, Drain and Sewer Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI & Sewer and Drain Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI

[sewer-cleaning-blog]

Sewer And Drain Maintenance In Woonsocket, RI Part - I

Drain cleaning service implies the home owner or place of business has a problem with a branch line. But not always.

A branch line is smaller than the main sewer line. Therefore, if water remains standing in a tub and say, the sink and toilet in that bathroom group does drain, you have a blockage in your tub drain. Therefore, there is a need for a drain cleaning service. However, suppose an in ground swimming pool has a clogged drain. The inside diameter of the pipe used for the drain on this pool could be as large as 8 inches in diameter. Due to the size of this “drain”, we must use knowledge and equipment suited for sewer cleaning service.

Drain cleaning service is possible by small waste line cleaning machines. These are also known as branch line machines. Drain cleaning service machines are generally a 3/8″ or a 1/4″ cable being spun in a branch line machine. A drain cleaning service machine is smaller and lighter than a main line machine. However, as previously stated, if a drain line is large enough, a mainline machine may be used.

When a drain cleaning service is called, the technician suspects he will be using his small drain cleaning service machine instead of a main line machine. Implied ‘drain cleaning’ service is interpreted by the technician due to the information gathered from a good office staff. The dispatcher will answer the phone and follow up the caller’s statements with some questions, leading to an understanding as to what service is needed. If the dispatcher concludes the caller has only a clogged branch line, then the dispatcher dispatches a technician proficient in understanding the different types of drainage material and systems serviced by a drain cleaning service. More times than not, the dispatcher will hear a very definitive, ” My bathroom sink won’t drain “. That pretty much takes the guess work out of what type of work will be done to restore flow.

If the dispatcher concludes the caller has a main line issue, the dispatcher would send a sewer cleaning technician. This is a technician who has a complete understanding of main sewer lines, the system design and the material used in the location the technician will be sent.

Occasionally, the caller will state there are simultaneous drain cleaning needs. For instance, the tub and bathroom sink are holding water. However, the toilet in that bathroom does not have trouble flushing. Again, since the problem is on the branch lines, the dispatcher will send a technician proficient at performing a drain cleaning service. The dispatcher understands the need for a drain cleaning service since the toilet, normally connected directly to the main sewer line does flush and the branch lines do not flow.

Suppose the call is from a commercial property. For example, a restaurant calls and says they are having trouble with floor drains and sinks not draining. Or, the caller says the sinks are draining. However, when the sinks empty their compartments, the floor drains allow water to rise and spill onto the floor. Sinks and floor drains are normally considered branch lines, so a the call would be logged as a drain cleaning service. Therefor, the dispatcher will send a drain cleaning service technician.

However, this is a difficult call for a dispatcher since floor drains can be as large as four inches in large restaurants and generally, sink drains in restaurants are no larger than 2″ in diameter. If the sink drains are branching into a part of the sewer system that is also picking up the floor drains, there may be a blockage in the fitting which conveys flow from both the floor drain to the main sewer line. This would be considered a drain cleaning service. Or, the blockage could be in the main sewer line just after the branch line fitting. This would be a main line service. In this case, the dispatcher will want to send a technician who is skilled and equipped to handle both a main line and drain cleaning service for branch lines.

At Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service, our technicians are skilled and knowledgeable in drain cleaning service and main line sewer issues.

Drain cleaning service and removing blockages from main sewer lines are not that different. Size and material are mainly what set the two services apart. As you read from the paragraph above, in a commercial venue, there may be a need for drain cleaning service or main line. That is why most sewer and drain cleaning service companies hire technicians skilled and knowledgeable at both main line and drain cleaning service.

One last scenario. Recall the pool situation at the top of this page. If the drain line on a pool is six inches in diameter and the drain line runs 200 feet, the technician responding should not be just a drain cleaning service technician. He should be someone skilled at both sewer and drain cleaning service. Reason being, the size and distance of the run, though it does not drain sewage, will call for drain cleaning service equipment.

 For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Garbage Disposal Not Working in Woonsocket, RI, Drain and Sewer Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI & Sewer and Drain Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI

[sewer-cleaning-blog]

Sewer And Drain Maintenance In Woonsocket, RI Part - I

Drain cleaning service implies the home owner or place of business has a problem with a branch line. But not always.

A branch line is smaller than the main sewer line. Therefore, if water remains standing in a tub and say, the sink and toilet in that bathroom group does drain, you have a blockage in your tub drain. Therefore, there is a need for a drain cleaning service. However, suppose an in ground swimming pool has a clogged drain. The inside diameter of the pipe used for the drain on this pool could be as large as 8 inches in diameter. Due to the size of this “drain”, we must use knowledge and equipment suited for sewer cleaning service.

Drain cleaning service is possible by small waste line cleaning machines. These are also known as branch line machines. Drain cleaning service machines are generally a 3/8″ or a 1/4″ cable being spun in a branch line machine. A drain cleaning service machine is smaller and lighter than a main line machine. However, as previously stated, if a drain line is large enough, a mainline machine may be used.

When a drain cleaning service is called, the technician suspects he will be using his small drain cleaning service machine instead of a main line machine. Implied ‘drain cleaning’ service is interpreted by the technician due to the information gathered from a good office staff. The dispatcher will answer the phone and follow up the caller’s statements with some questions, leading to an understanding as to what service is needed. If the dispatcher concludes the caller has only a clogged branch line, then the dispatcher dispatches a technician proficient in understanding the different types of drainage material and systems serviced by a drain cleaning service. More times than not, the dispatcher will hear a very definitive, ” My bathroom sink won’t drain “. That pretty much takes the guess work out of what type of work will be done to restore flow.

If the dispatcher concludes the caller has a main line issue, the dispatcher would send a sewer cleaning technician. This is a technician who has a complete understanding of main sewer lines, the system design and the material used in the location the technician will be sent.

Occasionally, the caller will state there are simultaneous drain cleaning needs. For instance, the tub and bathroom sink are holding water. However, the toilet in that bathroom does not have trouble flushing. Again, since the problem is on the branch lines, the dispatcher will send a technician proficient at performing a drain cleaning service. The dispatcher understands the need for a drain cleaning service since the toilet, normally connected directly to the main sewer line does flush and the branch lines do not flow.

Suppose the call is from a commercial property. For example, a restaurant calls and says they are having trouble with floor drains and sinks not draining. Or, the caller says the sinks are draining. However, when the sinks empty their compartments, the floor drains allow water to rise and spill onto the floor. Sinks and floor drains are normally considered branch lines, so a the call would be logged as a drain cleaning service. Therefor, the dispatcher will send a drain cleaning service technician.

However, this is a difficult call for a dispatcher since floor drains can be as large as four inches in large restaurants and generally, sink drains in restaurants are no larger than 2″ in diameter. If the sink drains are branching into a part of the sewer system that is also picking up the floor drains, there may be a blockage in the fitting which conveys flow from both the floor drain to the main sewer line. This would be considered a drain cleaning service. Or, the blockage could be in the main sewer line just after the branch line fitting. This would be a main line service. In this case, the dispatcher will want to send a technician who is skilled and equipped to handle both a main line and drain cleaning service for branch lines.

At Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service, our technicians are skilled and knowledgeable in drain cleaning service and main line sewer issues.

Drain cleaning service and removing blockages from main sewer lines are not that different. Size and material are mainly what set the two services apart. As you read from the paragraph above, in a commercial venue, there may be a need for drain cleaning service or main line. That is why most sewer and drain cleaning service companies hire technicians skilled and knowledgeable at both main line and drain cleaning service.

One last scenario. Recall the pool situation at the top of this page. If the drain line on a pool is six inches in diameter and the drain line runs 200 feet, the technician responding should not be just a drain cleaning service technician. He should be someone skilled at both sewer and drain cleaning service. Reason being, the size and distance of the run, though it does not drain sewage, will call for drain cleaning service equipment.

 For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Garbage Disposal Not Working in Woonsocket, RI, Drain and Sewer Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI & Sewer and Drain Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI

[sewer-cleaning-blog]

Septic Remediation In Woonsocket, RI Part - I

SEWER BLOCKAGE/CLOGGED DRAIN

Sewer blockages and clogged drains in South Eastern Massachusetts and areas of Rhode Island often involve a mainline sewer trap. This trap can make clearing a sewer blockage very difficult. Understanding how the drain or sewer becomes clogged or slow to drain is key to avoiding costly, inconvenient and destructive sewer issues that carry a risk to the health of the occupants in the building.

Many times, there is no access to these traps. The picture above demonstrates the proper installation and clearing of a mainline sewer trap. However, if the cleanout risers are too deep, chances of getting a cable to move to the down stream side of the trap are slim. (notice the cable being inserted at an angle. This is difficult to do if the trap is set too deep into the ground.) It may be possible to move a cable through the trap from upstream. Though, the cable has a tendency to navigate from upstream, down to the bend of the trap and then strait up to the cleanout plug. So, proper access and installation is crucial to clearing a sewer line if there is a mainline trap installed on the sewer.

The most common way for a sink drain or branch line to develop a blockage is by misuse. Water and liquid should be the only elements to pass the strainer and enter the drain line. However, garbage disposers offer conveniences we take advantage of.

When a garbage disposer is in use, it should be operated with plenty of water and moderate waste. That seems obvious. However, many people operate garbage disposers simply believing, since they no longer see the debris, the disposer has thoroughly done the job. The power switch and water are shut off and there sits a fine blend of organic sludge, waiting for the next use of the disposer.

Bathroom sink and tub blockages develop from a plethora of chemical compounds of different consistencies. Mouthwash, toothpaste, soaps, lotions, shaving cream, oils,…etc. all contribute to clogged drains in our bathroom drain line, or branch line. The branch lines are what allow gray water to flow to the sewer. However, the sewer line from the bathroom group which includes the toilet is also impacted by what flows from the tub and sink drain.

The material a sewer line or drain is comprised of must also be taken into consideration when we estimate what contributes to sewer and drain line failure. Cast iron and galvanized steel pipe rot from the inside out. Galvanic erosion also takes place when the sewer and drain line consists of dissimilar metals, such as copper drain lines joined to cast iron sewer lines. The electrolysis between the two metals helps build scale and iron oxide deposits, where debris lodge and build restriction.

Scale and iron deposits form in steel and iron sewer systems, pitting the pipe. This allows for pockets of particulate matter to lodge and begin building “sewer sludge”. The sewer sludge begins to build and over time, the inside diameter of the pipe is restricted.

Restriction of the sewer and drain lines are in essence a clog. Sewage and grey water flows slower. The lines were originally installed with consideration to size and gallons per minute the drain lines would need to convey the sewage to the sewer. Though water is flowing, you will notice it does not leave the tub or sink basin as quickly as it use too. This should be taken as a precursor to a blockage.

Finally, the main sewer line blockage. The main line fails in the same way the plumbing group drain does but, on a larger scale. Buildup in the main sewer line is often referred to as a “grease” by sewer and drain cleaners. When grease buildup consumes the sewer line, the sewer cleaning technician may offer ‘hydro-scrubbing’ in lieu of cabling the line to clear the blockage and restore the sewer line to optimum performance.

The main sewer line does often suffer from sludge and grease. However, there is another foe that prevails more often. That is “root intrusion”.

Root intrusion can devastate a sewer line. The roots begin infiltrating the sewer line through failed seals in the line. This type of pipe is known as “gasket pipe”. The gasket or seal in main lines wrought from years of submersion in water and various chemicals. Once the seal fails, sewage leaks into the soil and offers a nutrient rich water source for surrounding vegetation. Once the vegetation begins to infiltrate the sewer line by sending out the feeler roots, the roots grow larger and stronger over time. This is where serious trouble begins. The roots begin to force their way into the line. Pressing their way into an opening causing the pipe segments to spread or crack. Given enough time, the sewer line breaks or collapses, allowing dirt and debris into the line and most certainly results in line rehabilitation or an excavation to repair or replace the entire line.

In summary, this article implies the understanding of what must be done to protect our drain and sewer lines. To gain a deeper knowledge of sewer and drain line maintenance, see “Sewer and Drain Maintenance“.

Diagnosing and fixing the drainage problem for a sink, shower or bathtub may be a long and difficult process. Be safe. If fixing the issue is something that is risky or not being understood, contact a drain service company. The range of pricing for a company who cares to do the job correctly is within $145.00 – $225.00. Sewer cleaning service may be priced between $245 and $365. This depends on material used in piping, age of the house which would help the plumber understand the plumbing code that was used in assembling the plumbing system, access to the plumbing and what is assumed to be creating the blockage. Jetting may cost $465-$700 for non-franchised companies.

 For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Drain Cleaning in Woonsocket, RI, Sewer Cleaning in Woonsocket, RI & Septic Remediation in Woonsocket, RI

[sewer-cleaning-blog]

Clogged Drain In Woonsocket, RI Part - I

DRAIN CLEANING SERVICE

Drain cleaning service implies the home owner or place of business has a problem with a branch line. But not always.

A branch line is smaller than the main sewer line. Therefore, if water remains standing in a tub and say, the sink and toilet in that bathroom group does drain, you have a blockage in your tub drain. Therefore, there is a need for a drain cleaning service. However, suppose an in ground swimming pool has a clogged drain. The inside diameter of the pipe used for the drain on this pool could be as large as 8 inches in diameter. Due to the size of this “drain”, we must use knowledge and equipment suited for sewer cleaning service.

Drain cleaning service is possible by small waste line cleaning machines. These are also known as branch line machines. Drain cleaning service machines are generally a 3/8″ or a 1/4″ cable being spun in a branch line machine. A drain cleaning service machine is smaller and lighter than a main line machine. However, as previously stated, if a drain line is large enough, a mainline machine may be used.

When a drain cleaning service is called, the technician suspects he will be using his small drain cleaning service machine instead of a main line machine. Implied ‘drain cleaning’ service is interpreted by the technician due to the information gathered from a good office staff. The dispatcher will answer the phone and follow up the caller’s statements with some questions, leading to an understanding as to what service is needed. If the dispatcher concludes the caller has only a clogged branch line, then the dispatcher dispatches a technician proficient in understanding the different types of drainage material and systems serviced by a drain cleaning service. More times than not, the dispatcher will hear a very definitive, ” My bathroom sink won’t drain “. That pretty much takes the guess work out of what type of work will be done to restore flow.

If the dispatcher concludes the caller has a main line issue, the dispatcher would send a sewer cleaning technician. This is a technician who has a complete understanding of main sewer lines, the system design and the material used in the location the technician will be sent.

Occasionally, the caller will state there are simultaneous drain cleaning needs. For instance, the tub and bathroom sink are holding water. However, the toilet in that bathroom does not have trouble flushing. Again, since the problem is on the branch lines, the dispatcher will send a technician proficient at performing a drain cleaning service. The dispatcher understands the need for a drain cleaning service since the toilet, normally connected directly to the main sewer line does flush and the branch lines do not flow.

Suppose the call is from a commercial property. For example, a restaurant calls and says they are having trouble with floor drains and sinks not draining. Or, the caller says the sinks are draining. However, when the sinks empty their compartments, the floor drains allow water to rise and spill onto the floor. Sinks and floor drains are normally considered branch lines, so a the call would be logged as a drain cleaning service. Therefor, the dispatcher will send a drain cleaning service technician.

However, this is a difficult call for a dispatcher since floor drains can be as large as four inches in large restaurants and generally, sink drains in restaurants are no larger than 2″ in diameter. If the sink drains are branching into a part of the sewer system that is also picking up the floor drains, there may be a blockage in the fitting which conveys flow from both the floor drain to the main sewer line. This would be considered a drain cleaning service. Or, the blockage could be in the main sewer line just after the branch line fitting. This would be a main line service. In this case, the dispatcher will want to send a technician who is skilled and equipped to handle both a main line and drain cleaning service for branch lines.

At Anchor Sewer and Drain Cleaning Service, our technicians are skilled and knowledgeable in drain cleaning service and main line sewer issues.

Drain cleaning service and removing blockages from main sewer lines are not that different. Size and material are mainly what set the two services apart. As you read from the paragraph above, in a commercial venue, there may be a need for drain cleaning service or main line. That is why most sewer and drain cleaning service companies hire technicians skilled and knowledgeable at both main line and drain cleaning service.

One last scenario. Recall the pool situation at the top of this page. If the drain line on a pool is six inches in diameter and the drain line runs 200 feet, the technician responding should not be just a drain cleaning service technician. He should be someone skilled at both sewer and drain cleaning service. Reason being, the size and distance of the run, though it does not drain sewage, will call for drain cleaning service equipment.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Septic Remediation in Woonsocket, RI, Sewer Jetting in Woonsocket, RI & Pipe Video Inspection in Woonsocket, RI

[sewer-cleaning-blog]

Septic Remediation In North Smithfield , RI Part - I

MAIN LINE SEWER TRAPS

The Old Method of Trapping Sewer Gas.

In areas of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, sewer blockages and clogged drains are often the result of having a main line trap. Main line sewer traps were originally installed with a few purposes in mind. One reason to install a trap on the sewer line was to literally trap debris or objects accidentally finding their way into the sewer line. Intended to be easy, trap cleanouts were installed with the idea of a home owner being able to remove the obstruction by removing clean out plugs and physically removing the items in the trap. The vision was lost somewhere in history and main line sewer traps have shown up in places where they are difficult to service from day one of their installation.

Throughout Rhode Island, a drain cleaning technician will encounter difficulty with main line traps being buried in such cities as Pawtucket, Cranston, Providence and Woonsocket. The locations around South Eastern Massachusetts where a sewer trap may or may not be installed are not consistent. For Example, throughout New Bedford, the drain cleaning technician may find a street where a few houses have traps and others do not have main line sewer traps.

In the drawing above, you can see the trap as a ‘u’ shape in the sewer line. It has two caps pointing to the sky. Here in the drawing, the capped ends are labeled as “clean outs”. This is where the Sewer Cleaning Technician will first attempt to clear a blockage from since sewer backups often occur here at the trap or “house trap”. However, if the trap cleanouts are not accessible, then removing the cleanout plug from the downstream side is not an option. In some cases, the trap is unearthed by excavation and clearing the line of a blockage is much more expensive than if the trap were accessible to the technician. The trap is no longer necessary. If the trap has to be excavated to service it, do not allow it to remain in the line. Replace it with a strait piece of pipe. Or, if your home or place of business is in Rhode Island, the plumbing code in Rhode Island requires the trap be replaced with a back water valve. Back water valves are a great idea, anyway. Ask anyone who has had sewage from the main city sewer, back into their home. Not just sewer water from your house. So, you can’t control it. You will get sewage from upstream of your house with out a back water valve if the city main backs up!

Reasons for drain cleaning difficulty

•             the trap itself inhibits the ability of the sewer and drain cleaning technician from getting the sewer cleaning cable across the trap. So, the outlet side of the trap must be opened.

•             the trap may not have been opened in decades. For the sewer and drain cleaning tech., this often means cutting the cap out or using a chisel to pry it out.

•             the trap is often buried in the ground, making the task of opening the trap impossible for sewer and drain cleaning technicians. This would then mean the technician will have to play a game of skill against the trap to manipulate a cable or a jet hose through the trap to clear the clogged sewer line.

More purpose was given to main line sewer traps. Traps were installed in mainline residential sewers to prevent sewer gas and rodents from entering the house and allow the home owner an opportunity to prevent sewer blockage by trapping foreign objects that are not flushable. However, if the trap is not serviceable, and buried in the earth, one of the advantages to having a trap is gone.

House traps are also irrelevant due to the fact once the piping on the house side of the trap becomes soiled, noxious and dangerous gases still infiltrate the home. So, the practice of installing a trap at every fixture in the house was implemented.

Having a house trap in the mainline and a trap at a fixture is what is known by plumbers and drain cleaners as double trapping. The international plumbing code forbids double trapping. Double trapping in itself can inhibit the flow of sewage and promote sewer and drain back-ups. So, it is worth having the main line trap removed in order to avoid inconvenience and costly sewer clogs.

House traps are very common in Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Cranston, Rhode Island; Providence and Woonsocket. However, they are spotty and often unpredictable as to where the sewer and drain cleaning professionals will find them with in the cities of Massachusetts.

Diagnosing and fixing the drainage problem for a sink, shower or bathtub may be a long and difficult process. Be safe. If fixing the issue is something that is risky or not being understood, contact a drain service company. The range of pricing for a company who cares to do the job correctly is within $145.00 – $225.00. Main sewer line cleaning service can cost $245-$365. This depends on material used in piping, age of the house which would help the plumber understand the plumbing code that was used in assembling the plumbing system, access to the plumbing and what is assumed to be creating the blockage.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Pipe Video Inspection in Smithfield, RI, Clogged Toilet in Smithfield, RI & Septic Remediation in North Smithfield , RI

[sewer-cleaning-blog]

Drain And Sewer Maintenance In Woonsocket, RI Part - II

SEWER AND DRAIN MAINTENANCE

Preventive Maintenance to Ward off a Clogged Sewer or Drain

Sewer and drain line blockages occur due to misuse, wear and neglect. Not much can be done to prolong the life of a sewer line when wear is the culprit for a failing sewer. However, we can address issues of misuse and neglect to prevent having a clogged sewer or a clogged drain.

“Misuse” is using the sewer system to dispose of objects or types and consistencies of fluids for which the sewer and drain lines are not intended to convey for disposal. (Grease, petroleum, cooking oil and dissolved fat).

“Neglect” is when we take the position of ‘my sewer is out-of-site, out-of-mind’ and it is autonomous and self sufficient.

Both, ‘misuse’ and ‘neglect’ will result in a clogged drain or a sewer back up. Even if you do not abuse your sewer and drain lines, a video inspection of the sewer line should be done in order to provide the home owner with peace of mind and time to prepare if it appears the sewer is becoming unreliable due to root intrusion or wear.

Let’s start with the garbage disposer (garbage disposal)

•             Ideally, the garbage disposer is used as a companion to the dishwasher. When we are about to wash dishes, pots or pans, we prepare by scrapping the large amounts of discarded food into the waste basket. Then we rinse those items in the kitchen sink. It is here that you will normally have a strainer to strain off those particles. After rinsing the dishes and cookware, lift the strainer from the kitchen sink strainer basket to empty it in the trash can. The garbage disposal allows us to omit using a strainer. However, in operating the disposer, we should allow for a generous amount of water to rinse the line, even after the garbage disposer is turned off. Using the garbage disposal with large quantities of left over food from a meal or cleaning out the refrigerator constitutes misuse. Also, you should avoid using the garbage disposer to grind rinds or fibrous foods. Fibrous foods such as celery or grapefruit rinds can jam the garbage disposal and simultaneously create an abusive use of the sewer and drain system. (See “maintenance” under Bathroom drains in this article). If your disposer does become jammed, there is the possibility of freeing it up. The garbage disposal should have an internal breaker that will trip under the load. Under the garbage disposer, there is a 1/4″ allen key or hex wrench hole. Insert a 1/4″ allen key or hex wrench and turn it clockwise and counter clockwise while running water. This should free up the grinding chamber in the garbage disposal. Be sure the power is off. Reach in the mouth of the drain and remove the offending item from the garbage disposer grinding chamber.

There are added issues with a garbage disposer and dishwasher that can be of concern and are potentially hazardous to your property. Overflowing dishwashers that do not get used. The usual suspect here is, improper installation. Water tends to travel from the discharge tube at the connection to the sink drain or garbage disposer and down to the dishwasher basin. This can be prevented if the hose is at some point lifted and secured higher than the connection to the drain. Refer to this post to see a diagram.

Bathroom drains

•             What can we say about the bathroom sink drain. A lot of unintended misuse occurs at the lavatory to create a clogged bathroom sink. Toothpaste, shaving cream, hair gel…etc. are hard on drain lines. Even if you use hot water to flush it passed the drain line to the sewer line, the water eventually cools and there sits the congealed paste, oil and gel. What we can do to provide maintenance to bathroom drains as well as the kitchen sink drain is introduce a bacteria or prepackaged selection of enzymes formulated for house hold drains. Ultimately, bacteria is the better option since bacteria will produce the correct enzyme to destroy buildup based on what elements the “sludge” is comprised. Bacteria will also destroy odor causing bacteria. See Bathroom Sink Odor.

Toilets

•             The bottom line here is, do not flush anything that is not intended to be flushed. Flushable wipes are not going to traverse a cast iron sewer. Anything is “flushable” to a point. Flushable wipes should not be disposed of by any other means than the bathroom waste basket. They will only flush to where they get caught or the water runs passed them. Then, the “flushable” wipes will sit in the line, trapping particulate matter and building sludge. Or, they will certainly trap any other non-flushable items such as feminine hygiene products, paper towels or napkins.

Root Intrusion use Root-X

•             Root intrusion occurs where the sewer is not sealed and sewage leaks into the earth. During the winter months, it may appear the trees and shrubs are dormant and no growth occurs. However, cold climate produces an arid atmosphere. Trees and shrubs need to absorb water to ensure they do not dry out due to arid air. During the winter months, the ground temperature is a constant 56 degrees below the frost line. If sewage is leaking out, be certain that roots will find there way into your sewer in cold or warm temperatures. If this happens, the roots need to be cut out. However, a root destroying product such as Root-X should be used to prevent growth within and around the sewer after the sewer line is cabled. Even better, high pressure water jetting will be more effective at clearing the roots from the sewer and then follow up with Root-X. Some communities, such as East Providence, Rhode Island will pay to have a member of their community receive a Root-X treatment on a clogged sewer line where the blockage is due to root intrusion.

Septic Systems

•             Please visit Septic Tank Rehabilitation.

Chemical Maintenance (Bacteria, Not caustic, acidic and corrosive drain cleaners)

•             Chemical maintenance will greatly reduce issues with clogged bathroom sink drains and clogged kitchen sink drains. Chemical maintenance is also very good for ensuring grease and sludge will not build in your main sewer line and create a back up. See Chemical Maintenance of Sewer and Drain Lines

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Sewer and Drain Maintenance in Woonsocket, RI, Sewer Cleaner and Drain Cleaner in Woonsocket, RI & Sump Pump Installation in Woonsocket, RI

[sewer-cleaning-blog]

Clogged Toilet In Woonsocket, RI

MY TOILET WON’T FLUSH

Flushing a toilet has not always been a convenience in my life. Fortunately, I did not live every day of my life without indoor plumbing However, as late as the early 70’s, I recall having used an out house. Not the same outhouse every time. Not even the portable toilets the sanitation companies drop at carnivals and out door concerts. A few family friends of my mother and father had out houses on their property. So long ago, I don’t recall all of them. I just remember having used them. Hard to believe, much of the reason those awful things remained in the latter part of the 20th century is due to people having resisted the concept of bringing the toilet indoors. Sewage disposal may seem a natural concept. However, much thought has gone into bringing us modern sanitation amenities. The Roman Empire built great bath houses and coliseums with public facilities. There was not a lot of privacy. Just one seat after another with a hole under it that dropped to a trough of running water. The running water is easy enough to understand without going into too much detail.

Today, our society can not function without the indoor toilet and our sanitation systems. However, what do we do when our toilet just will not flush well? Do we need a new toilet?

Let’s begin our discussion on the poorly flushing toilet by starting with old toilets. To begin with, they are old. That in itself is reason to get rid of it. However, understanding how a toilet works and the various components of the toilet can help anyone make an old toilet flush like new.

Toilets in use prior to 1994 used more than 3 gallons per flush. They used a lot of water. Because of this wasteful practice, people would put bricks and objects in the toilet water storage tank, in order to conserve water and reduce their water bill. However, this practice lead to many toilets and sewer lines becoming blocked. This still occurs today. That has not changed. Except, now, it is due to older sewer systems and the mandatory act of all manufactures of toilets being made to reduce water usage from 3 gallons per flush to 1.6 gallons per flush.

1.6 gpf is adiquate if your sewer line is made of pvc or abs pipe material. However, this was not taken into account when mandating the change in engineering a toilet to reduce water consumption. This leads us to one of the popular problems plumbers and drain cleaners encounter. Toilets that do not permit adequate water to flow from the flush valve. Most of the time, this is due to a defective flapper. Or, the design is missing a float or some sort of device to hold the flapper open longer. And again, there are people who feel they are saving water by having a brick in the water storage tank. (Don’t do this. The toilet is already designed to save water).

Toilets built in the last fifty years, all work pretty much the same way.

•             Water is stored in a tank

•             When the trip lever is pulled or pressed, a valve opens and the water from the tank creates a syphoning through jets in the toilet bowl.

•             Start with the tank. The tank has a trip lever, a flush valve and a fill valve. When using the trip lever as it is designed. the flush valve opens by having the trip lever attached to a flapper. The flapper is engineered to permit only so much water to leave the tank before being overcome by the siphon power of water passing under the flapper as it leaves the tank, on its way to the bowl.

•             The fill valve is tasked with keeping the water storage tank filled with the required amount of water, as specified by the design and engineering of the toilet.

•             The flush valve is just what it sounds like…it is responsible for flushing the toilet. The water passing under the flapper as we read earlier. Water leaves the storage tank through a 2″ or 3″ valve. Head pressure is created and pressure shoots through orifices in the bowl’s rim and a main jet in the trap of the toilet. In unison, the action causes water to be quickly overflowing the trap in the bowl. The swirling created by the jets in the rim and the main jet push the water over the trap and a siphoning effect is created, which draws waste out of the bowl, into the sewer system.

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