Sewer Cleaning

We're Roto-Rootering our way through the social networks in the Web 2.0 world. You won't have to look far to get advice on kitchen plumbing jobs on our blogs, Tweets about where to find coupons on Twitter, information about the science of sewer cleaning on Facebook or a local page or two on MySpace.

The point is that we're trying to go where you are, not to be a spammer but a helpful friend that is easy to find when you need a friend most...like say when the commercial plumbing fails in a bottling plant on a Sunday afternoon or when someone is dealing with a leaky faucet in Baltimore. Social networks are just another way to stay within easy reach. After all, shouldn't a 24 hour plumbing company be highly accessible?

Follow us at Twitter under @RotoRooter and here's our main page on Facebook. You'll even find a Roto-RooterTV channel on YouTube where you can see pet rescues, old commercials and instructional videos for DIYers. Then check out our photos on Flickr. 
 

A news story in Orlando yesterday featured hidden camera home video that purported to show an employee dumping waste onto the ground from a Roto-Rooter septic tank pumping truck. This occurred on Roto-Rooter's property. We are fully investigating the employee involved in the incident to determine if this has happened previously and why it ever occurred at all. We want the public to know that this activity was not sanctioned or condoned by any supervisors, managers or anyone else at Roto-Rooter besides the employee involved.

We were unaware of the activity until a reporter from the local TV station contacted me. He asked me to watch the video and I looked into the matter and gave him a statement in response. Unfortunately, the station used very little of our official statement and therefore probably left most viewers with an incomplete picture of what is being done to address the situation.

After seeing the tape, we interviewed the employee and suspended him without pay until a fair investigation can be completed. We immediately reached out to the Orange County Environmental Health Department to report the incident and requested a site inspection. We were told by the department that this is considered a small spill and were given specific instructions for dealing with the waste. We followed all of their instructions to the letter. Unbeknownst to us, the reporter did not consult the county authorities, instead they went to the state environmental authority with the tape. The state agency then contacted us to request a meeting and an inspection of the site. Of course, we agreed and a meeting is scheduled for next week. We are cooperating fully with the agency.

I am posting our complete statement that was given to the TV station in Orlando. The public and our loyal customers deserve to know that the company they've trusted since 1935 would never conspire to illegally dump waste or sludge. We have contracts with local facilities and that is where the dumping is supposed to take place.

"Our employees are not authorized to dump waste material anywhere other than approved facilities. We have reviewed the tape and, regretfully, have determined that the employee in the footage disregarded our established waste dumping rules and procedures. He has been suspended, pending an investigation into the matter. The employee explained that he had just emptied most of the contents of the truck into an approved holding tank (on the property) before attempting to extract tree roots that he believed were clogging the truck's pump. Our initial inquiry leads us to believe it is a small spill of household waste only and it is confined to our property. We have reported the incident to the Orange County Environmental Health Department and have requested that they advise us on appropriate cleanup practices. We intend to comply fully with their recommendations." - end of statement-

 

It's a gray, rainy day in Cincinnati. The weather map shows heavy rain in parts of Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee. It's likely that rain will also hit other parts of the country.
 

Heavy rain accumulates quickly and often doesn't absorb into the ground. The runoff can cause flooding in homes and basements. So, follow these simple tips to protect your property.

 

• Ensure yard drains, culverts, downspouts and gutters are cleaned out, open and clear of debris so water is channeled away from the foundation.
• Test floor drains in garages, bathrooms, basements and patios by pouring a gallon of water into them. If they don't drain quickly, call a plumber.
• If your home has a sump pump, pour a few buckets of water into the sump put pit to test operation. Call a plumber if the pump pit doesn't empty.

If you experience flooding or any other plumbing or drain problem, you can rely on Roto-Rooter plumber Boston and plumber Salt Lake City and everywhere in between for fast, professional service. Roto-Rooter local plumbers and drain cleaners are only a call or click away for sewer repair, kitchen plumbing jobs, bathroom plumbing jobs or any 24 hour plumbing need.

Visit www.rotorooter.com/plumbing/ for more tips for homeowners.

What a busy time it has been at Roto-Rooter. We're preparing some interesting and beneficial programs for 2009, which I'll discuss later as they are developed. Personally, I'm scheduled to travel a lot the the next few weeks to promote and discuss some of these programs with our franchises across the country.

On top of my busy schedule, rainy weather will continue to cause plumbing problems for many home owners and businesses. Sump pump replacements are common this time of year so keep an eye on yours to make sure it's functioning properly and keeping your basement dry.

Meanwhile, do your part to conserve water by checking for a leaky faucet Baltimore Branch replaced lots of them last year and any of our locations can repair or replace yours.

We worked with the Chicago Tribune on a story about sump pumps. It appeared in the Tribune yesterday (Sunday) edition and on line today:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/home/chi-0329-five-sumpmar29,0,6063971.story 
This is helpful information to anyone who depends on a sump pump to keep their basement dry, especially as the winter snow melts away and spring rains arrive. Sump pump failure strikes fear in homeowners and is one of the primary reasons we get after hours calls, as a 24 hour plumbing company.

Residential plumbing can be tricky and sump pumps in particular seem unfamiliar and mysterious to laymen. The steps laid out in the Tribune article are helpful for the do-it-yourselfer. If you don't feel confident doing this sort of maintenance yourself, that's why there are are professionals to do it for you.  

One thing that wasn't mentioned in the article is that Roto-Rooter replaces more sump pumps in Chicago than in any other city in North America. The high water table and great number of basements is the reason.

Drain cleaning Seattle is extra important as things begin blooming out this spring. New root growth often means roots infestation of sewer pipes below ground contributing to backed up drains.

Over-the-counter drain care products are not effective beyond a few feet into the line so if your sink drains don't work and a drain care product doesn't bring relief, chances are you're going to need a sewer cleaning Seattle has significant tree and vegetation growth due to its heavy annual rainfall.

Such drain problems caused by roots in the main sewer aren't limited to sinks and shower drains. Commodes are affected too. Fix toilet Seattle is a common need once roots infiltrate sewer pipes. Local plumbing companies can handle these fixes without much difficulty so reach out to a professional if your DIY remedies don't do the trick,

We often blame weather for the floods that damage homes but only 8% of household flood damage is caused by weather. 30% is caused by appliance failure and 62% is caused by plumbing failure. There are proven ways to protect your property. First and foremost, change out your old rubber washing machine hoses and replace them with braided stainless steel hoses. Anyone who knows anything about residential plumbing will tell you that.

Second, do the same thing for your ice maker line running to your refrigerator. If either of these supply lines fail when you're not home, you'll return to find your house turned into an indoor swimming pool. Other kitchen plumbing jobs or inspections you can do yourself include checking up on your dishwasher supply and drain lines from time to time. Look for leaks and don't ignore them.

Third, check on your sump pump at least once a month. If the sump pump fails and the spring rains come - as they always do, you'll pay a hefty price to the 24 hour plumbing company of your choice. There are lot of other things you should know to help you avoid an accidental flood caused by appliance failure. This news release from Roto-Rooter tells the whole story.

When the rains come, the snow melts and water seems to be everywhere, do your part to make sure some of that water doesn't end up in your basement. Inspect your sump pump!

It's one of the most common plumbing services during the spring, when rainfall and snow melt are at their peak. 24 Hour Plumbing companies like Roto-Rooter can get called out in the middle of the night when a sump pump fails and the homeowner is desperate for a quick resolution to this common residential plumbing job.

Pour a bucket of water into the sump pit. If your pump is operating properly, it will remove the water quickly then shut itself back off. You should hear the thump of the check valve when it has finished.

Nobody likes to get the bad news that their sewer line is broken and will need an expensive sewer repair. However, consider that when your sewer line is broken, it is probably leaking raw sewage into the ground and contaminating the water table. For that reason, we all lose.

Raw sewage is bad for the environment. Imagine that stuff getting into the fresh water supply. Plumbing services can be expensive when there is an excavation involved. Your sewer pipeline typically runs from your house, beneath the front yard into the city sewer main. The part of the pipe on your property is your responsibility, not the city's.

Local plumbing companies typically find the problem when cleaning a clogged drain. If the snake gets stuck in a pipe crack or pulls back with mud on it (indicating it exited the pipe and got into surrounding wet soil), technicians experienced in sewer cleaning know the signs. They'll do a video camera inspection to verify how extensive the breaks are, show you the video and present you with sewer repair options.

For the most part, sewer cleaning is a pretty standard process. But it is not without some risk. Occasionally, plumbing contractors break a pipe during cleaning, causing leaks and additional plumbing problems that may lead to an expensive plumbing repair. Often homeowners look at the plumber and say "you broke it, you're paying for this, not me." Guess again!

Here's why it's the home owner's responsibility and not the plumber's:
1. a pipe or sewer in decent condition and installed properly won't break during cleaning.
2. Old pipes or pipes installed without following plumbing codes can break when the snake passes through. If they break, they were pretty darn fragile in the first place.
3. What's to stop every homeowner with old or damaged pipes from inviting a drain cleaner to stop by for the sole purpose of getting a new drainage system installed for nothing?

As the homeowner, it is your responsibility to maintain your pipes, know when they're rusting out and not put harmful chemicals down there that will shorten their lifespan. If the pipes are in reasonable shape, they're in no danger during sewer cleaning service. If they break, they weren't going to last much longer anyway.  Don't pretend it's the drain cleaner's fault.

I wanted to share feedback from a customer who sees our billboard every day on their route home from work. It's one of my favorite of our plumbing repair billboards.


You have a billboard on 1-71 that I pass everyday. So that is what made us contact you. We had service in early January for a sewer cleaning and replacement. The three guys that came out were absolutely fabulous. They were so kind and efficient. They let us watch and let us know what they were doing as the day proceeded. We even saw the video after they cleared those nasty tree roots and replaced the pipes. Thank you.

Roto-Rooter has trained licensed plumbing specialists that can fix all types of plumbing problems. And we offer 24 hour plumbing services to fit your busy schedule.

When the Roto-Rooter man tells you your sewer pipe is clogged with tree roots and you need a sewer cleaning, what exactly does he do? Usually he will begin by feeding a small cable with a sharp blade on the end to bore through the clog and allow it to drain. Next, he will use a larger cable machine with a 4-inch or 6-inch c-shaped blade on the end. The blades are spring loaded and are gently squeezed so they fit into the pipe. Once inside, they spring outward and hug the pipe wall.

When the machine turns on, the blades spin and shave the pipe walls of all debris and roots that have penetrated the sewer pipe at the pipe joints or through cracks. The old Roto-Rooter ads bragged of shaving your pipes "Razor-Kleen." Sewer cleaning can be time consuming and tedious but it's very effective and will keep roots at bay for about a year in most cases.

If the plumber pulls out the cable and notices mud on it, that indicates a serious break in the pipe. The technician will suggest a video inspection using a remotely operated camera. He will show you the condition of the pipe live on a TV monitor and present you with sewer repair options and estimates.