Usually, the first thing you try is a liquid drain cleaner. You pour it in and wait 15 to 30 minutes, praying it works. When it doesn’t, you run to the garage for the pipe snake, only to find it isn’t long enough to reach the blockage. If you are very stubborn and determined, you may hurry to the hardware store for a longer snake or a pressure attachment for your hose. When these measures fail and you are mopping up water from the kitchen floor, you finally give in and call Roto-Rooter to come and clear out your pipe. At this point, it dawns on you that it would have been a good idea to call them sooner, before you spent your money on ineffective fixes.

The real villain in this situation is the garbage disposal. Insufficiently ground up waste gets into the pipe, along with grease and other debris, and the next thing you know, the sink won’t drain. If you are going to have a disposal in your home, then some instruction to your family members who use it is in order. The water needs to be running fairly fast and the disposal needs to run long enough to completely grind up everything to clear itself out. Do not pour bacon grease or other fats down the drain. Scrape dirty plates into a garbage can, not your sink.

Remember, frequent use of chemical drain cleaners can be hard on your pipes and actually make them clog more easily. A friendlier solution is to regularly use an enzyme product that will aid in keeping your pipes clear. You will find that your plumbing problems in Indianapolis will decrease if you follow these easy steps. It’s nice to know that Roto-Rooter is available 24 hours a day to solve these issues.

Basements can also harbor foul odor smells. If you are getting a foul odor coming from a basement bathroom, it is most likely caused by trapped water in various fixtures of your plumbing system. Plumbing systems are designed to prevent foul odors from entering your home, but occasionally, the water seal of a trap can evaporate and allow odor to enter your home.  This plumbing problem has an easy solution, which can be done by dumping a bucket of water down the shower, sink or floor drain within your basement.

If you would like assistance with this or any other plumbing or drain service in the Los Angeles area, feel free to call us at (800) 438-7686 or visit our Los Angeles plumber Web site for online scheduling and additional information.

• To prevent sewer gas issues, which typically stem from basement floor drains, occasionally pour a bucket of water down the drain to keep the trap seal full.
• Check your water meter when no water is being used, note the reading and check it 8-10 hours later. If the meter has moved, it may be due to an undetected leak within your home.
• If you are experiencing water hammer noises, you can install shock absorbers, which will absorb the vibrations in water lines.
• Check your washing machine hoses for abnormalities, if there is a bulge, leak or weak spot you should most definitely consider replacement.
• Your septic tank should be inspected and pumped every 3-5 years, which ultimately should save you from a costly filter field replacement.

Our plumbers can do replacements as well. Like any piece of equipment with moving parts, sump pumps will wear out over time.  Replacement time is most dependent upon how frequently it is used, but can vary based upon the make and model you have in your home.  It is also recommended that you test the functionality of your sump pump regularly. You can test it by pouring a bucket of water into the sump pit; the pump should then turn on for a few seconds to remove the water and then shut itself off.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area and are thinking about sump pump installation or replacement, feel free to contact us at (412) 793-9200 or visit our Pittsburgh plumber web site for additional information and online scheduling.

• Inspect basement sump pump. Ensure it is discharging water properly and is not clogged with debris. Do this by pouring a few buckets of water into your sump pit. In a matter of seconds, the pump should discharge the water and shut itself off. If your pump runs continuously and won’t shut off, there is a problem. Call a plumber before the pump burns itself out and becomes ineffective.
• If your sump pump operates frequently, consider installing a battery back-up sump pump that will operate in the event of a power failure.
• If you don’t have a sump pump in your basement you should consider installing one.
• Purchase an inexpensive battery-operated flood alarm and place it in the basement near the sump pump or in other flood prone areas, including the laundry room and next to the water heater, doorways, etc. If water is present, the alarm will sound allowing you time to act sooner. Simple flood alarms cost less than $15 but they can save homeowners thousands of dollars. Alarms can
• be purchased from Roto-Rooter locations or the web site. Similar models are available at home centers.
• Protect valuables by moving them from the floor to high shelves or upstairs areas.
• Outside, be sure to clean out the downspouts and roof gutters, making sure they’re open, free of debris and able to quickly channel water away from your home.
• Check yard drainage and culverts and clear any obstructions such as ice, leaves and debris to ensure the free flow of runoff water. The same applies to street drains in front of your home.
• If you have basement appliances such as a washer, dryer or space heater and you think you may experience flooding, disconnect the power source. However, if the appliance is submerged or the water level is above that of the outlet, don’t go into the basement and risk electrocution.