Protect Against Plumbing Disasters

June 25th, 2019 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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Plumbing disasters often occur at the most inopportune times, which is not always a coincidence. The normal use of your plumbing is nothing compared to the times when you have extra guests staying in your home or when you host a large event. Whether it is a big backyard party during the summer or a week of household guests during the holidays, these are the times when a plumbing disaster is more likely to occur. Avoid an inconvenient plumbing problem with these preventive measures.

Add Strainers to Your Bathroom Drains

Keep hair, soap and other debris out of your drains with strainers. These can be the most common reasons for plumbing backups and clogs, especially in the bathroom and with extra people using your facilities.

Avoid Putting Grease Down the Drain

Big events often mean big meals. Avoid allowing grease and fat to be dumped down the drain. Grease can cause clogs and damage to septic systems – scrape grease and fats on plates and pans into the trash to prevent plumbing problems.

Insulate Exposed Pipes

Make sure exposed pipes in attics, crawl spaces, garages and basements are insulated to prevent freezing. If you go away for the winter holidays, you do not want to come home to broken or frozen pipes.

Choose a Plumber

If a plumbing disaster does occur, you do not want to call the first plumber you find through Google. Have a quality plumber on speed dial that offers emergency repairs and meets your qualifications.

Keeping up with preventive measures can help you avoid plumbing emergencies during big events at your home. Make sure everyone in your family knows how to prevent plumbing issues and what to do in an emergency to protect against plumbing disasters.

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

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Plumbing Issues to Look for When Buying a New Home

December 13th, 2018 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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If you are contemplating buying a new home, you may be looking at many houses, trying to find the right fit for you and your family. When you narrow it down to a few that have the right attributes you are looking for, it is important to check for any hidden problems. Plumbing issues are often not apparent, especially during typical walk-throughs and even inspections. Here are a few things you can check to identify any possible problems.

Check the Fixtures

When looking at the kitchen and bathrooms, go beyond looking at the features and use the fixtures. Run water in the sinks, flush the toilets and turn on the shower. Watch for any drips or leaks when using these fixtures; it may not be a deal-breaker, but it is good to know if they have been maintained.

Look for Leaks

Keep an eye out for brown or water stains on ceilings or walls. This could indicate a plumbing leak that has occurred, which could also mean mold and other damage you cannot see. Look under the sinks and check for any signs of leaks.

Check the Drains

When you check the fixtures, use enough water to check how quickly the sinks and showers drain. Slow drains can be an indication of a clog, or even bigger issues in the main sewer lines.

If you do notice any problems with the plumbing, it may be worthwhile to hire a plumber for a more thorough inspection. It is better to know ahead of time if anything will need repair; you may be able to have the seller fix these issues as a condition of your sale or negotiate a lower price to encompass the needed plumbing repairs.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(404) 973-2471

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Clearing a Clogged Shower Drain

December 22nd, 2011 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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A clogged shower drain can be a major inconvenience, especially if it happens when you are trying to get ready to go to work.  Shower drain clog pose a special challenge for homeowners because unlike sink drains, the trap is not readily accessible.  Most people just call a plumber which is a great idea, but before you pay for a service call, there is a simple and safe technique you can try that may get that clog cleared.

Most shower drain clogs are the result of hair build up combined with soap scum, dirt, and other debris.  Often this clog is caught in the trap a foot or less from the drain.  If you can remove this clog, your drain will flow freely again.

Start by removing the metal grate over the drain.  This is usually held in place with two screws.  Be careful not to drop the screws down the drain.  Remove any hair caught on the grate and set it aside.  Next, straighten out a wire coat hanger and use a pair of pliers to bend a small (about an inch) hook in the end. Put the hook end into the as far as it will go without forcing it.

Wiggle the coat hanger around and give it a few turns to see if the hook will snag on any hair or other debris.  Pull the hanger out and remove any clumps of hair.  Repeat until no more hair is caught on the hanger.

If the drain is still clogged, it is probably best to call a  good plumber and let then handle the drain cleaning.

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Keeping Hair Out Of Your Tub Drains

December 22nd, 2011 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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A clogged sink drain can be a major inconvenience, but at least the trap and the first few feet of drain line are usually accessible under the sink or in the cabinet.  Most handy homeowners have a good chance of successfully clearing clogs in these areas.

Tub and shower drains are another matter entirely.  The trap is usually not accessible, and even if it is the trap is not easily removed by hand like most sink drain traps.  The result is that a clog in a tub or shower drain usually means a call to the plumber to clear the  clogged drain.

One way to minimize these calls and save yourself a little money is to keep hair out of these drains as much as possible. Hair is easily the most common cause of tub and shower drain clogs.  Hair catches on the stopper, the grate, and any little imperfection in the drain.  It then starts collecting more hair, soap scum, dirt and debris and before you know it a clog has formed.  Less hair in the drain equals fewer clogs.

Your local home improvement store carries a selection of hair catching strainers in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit almost any type or size of drain.  These are plastic or metal devices that are easily removable for cleaning which is convenient because you will need to clean it often.  Whenever hair accumulates on the strainer, take it out and clean the hair out of it.

By catching and disposing of hair before it has a chance to reach your drain, you will be able to prevent most tub or shower drain clogs and keep more money in your pocket.

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Clearing A Clogged Sink Drain

December 22nd, 2011 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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If your sink drain is clogged, you may be able to clear the clog with few simple tools and about an hour of effort.  If you still can’t clear the clog, no harm done other than spending about an hour of your time trying.  Then you can call the plumber and relax while they handle the drain cleaning.

First, here are a couple of don’ts: Don’t try to clear the clog by pouring caustic chemicals down the drain.  If you already have, stop now and call a plumber.  You don’t want to try any of these clog clearing techniques on a sink full of hazardous chemicals.  Also, don’t try to clear the clog using compressed air or a pressure washer.  You will probably make a big mess and you can damage the pipes and end up needing a very expensive repair.

Now, to clear the clog start by removing the P trap under the sink.  This is the P shaped pipe attached to the sink drain.  Put a bucket under the trap and carefully remove the slip nuts with a pair of pliers.  If the clog is in the trap, clean it out and put it back together.  If not, you can either call it a day and let your plumber take care of it, or you can try using a plumber’s snake to clear the pipe.  Plumber’s snakes for home use are available at your home improvement center.

Leave the P trap off and feed the plumber’s snake into the drain pipe. Continue feeding and cranking the snake until it stops.  Then, tighten the set screw, apply some pressure and continue cranking until you feel the obstruction give way.  Carefully remove the snake, cleaning it as you go.

Reassemble the P trap and run hot water through the drain to flush away loose debris.

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Hydro Jetting

November 25th, 2010 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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Hydro jetting is method used to clean and unclog drain lines, sewer lines, and other pipes using high pressure water.  Clogs in these types of pipes can build up over time.  Soap, grease, oils, mud, dirt and other materials accumulate on the pipe walls and constrict the flow of waste water.  If roots or other intrusions make infiltrate the pipes, these materials will accumulate rapidly and soon the pipe will drain slow or clog completely.

Traditional rootering techniques do a good job of punching a hole in clog and allowing the pipe to begin draining again, but it does little to clear the pipe of the accumulation of materials.  High pressure hydro jetting not only cuts through tough clogs, but also cleans the accumulated material from the inside of the pipe.

Hydro jetting uses long hoses to spray very high pressure water on the inside of the pipes.  The water pressure ranges somewhere between 3,500 and 4,000 psi.  This high pressure water blasts away accumulated debris from the walls of the pipe, but leaves the pipe itself unharmed.  The inside of the pipe is returned to nearly new condition.

The water pressure is so high that hydro jetting can cut through organic materials like tree roots and paper.  Since hydro jetting uses water to clear the clog and clean the pipe, the water drains through the pipe and flushes away the dislodge materials.

Hydro jetting is a great way to clear tough clogs and get your sewer and drain lines flowing freely again.  For businesses that have a high volume of greasy wastes such as restraints or industrial facilities, regular hydro jetting will keep your sewer and drain lines clog free and eliminate lost productivity due to clogs.

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