Sewer Cleaning | Our Plumbing Blog

Thanksgiving creates more drain clogs than any other day

November 23rd, 2011 by pabrams

The day after Thanksgiving is the single busiest of the year for Roto-Rooter, nationwide and for our plumbers here in Atlanta. Why? Big holiday meal preparation and cleanup can lead to clogged kitchen sinks and garbage disposals. Extra guests mean more toilet flushes, extra laundry loads,

Never pour cooking oil or grease down the drain

more showers, etc. But oddly enough, Thanksgiving itself is not such a busy day for Roto-Rooter. It’s the next day, Black Friday, that gets absolutely crazy! The day after Thanksgiving is the single busiest day of the year for Roto-Rooter plumbers. Incoming calls will jump 50% above an average Friday. We’ll be slammed but thanks to good planning, we’ve staffed up here at Roto-Rooter Plumbers of Atlanta (and nationwide). We know what’s coming and we’ll be fully staffed to deal with all the extra calls so we can still get to your problem FAST!

If you want to avoid having the Roto-Rooter man over for Thanksgiving Dinner (or turkey sandwiches the next day), pay attention to these important tips:

Never pour fats or cooking oils down drains. They solidify in pipes. Instead, wipe grease from pots with paper towels and throw them into the trash.
Avoid putting stringy, fibrous or starch waste in the garbage disposal.
Make sure disposal is running when you put food into it. Don’t wait until it’s full to turn it on.
For homes hosting weekend guests, wait 15 minutes between showers so slow drains have time to do their job.
Never flush cotton balls, swabs, hair or facial scrub pads down a toilet. They don’t dissolve and will cause clogs.

Finally, Roto-Rooter of Atlanta does not charge extra for nights, weekends or holidays. It’s true! So if you’re dealing with a big clog and are fearful of a plumber’s holiday bill, don’t worry! Call Roto-Rooter’s experienced Atlanta plumbers and you’ll pay the same rate on Thanksgiving that you would pay on any other day. And we are a 24-hour plumbing company. Give us a call at 404-209-0001 in Atlanta. Nationally, you can call Roto-Rooter at 1-800-ROTO-911.

Share

No Comments »

Roto-Rooter gives its customers choices

November 7th, 2011 by pabrams

Root-infested pipe

When it comes to solving customers’ plumbing problems, there are usually a few options. Sometimes, there’s the quick fix or band-aid that costs less but isn’t always the best long-term solution. But that decision is the customer’s to make, not necessarily the plumber’s. You know what you can afford, we don’t. We know that plumbing problems can be expensive and that’s why Roto-Rooter plumbers here in Atlanta and across the country try to provide our customers with as many options as possible so they can decide for themselves which option is right for them.

Take the case of our core business, sewer and drain cleaning. Our company was founded on the invention of a machine that cuts roots and debris out of underground sewer pipes. We can do that for our customers year after year and

Video inspection of a sewer pipe

sometimes several times a year at hundreds of dollars per service call, without ever offering our customers a permanent solution that will fix the problem once and for all and will probably mean that the customer will never again need to call us to cut roots out of their sewer line. For many years, Roto-Rooter has been providing spot repairs and complete sewer line replacements that often cost thousands of dollars. We call this a permanent fix and wouldn’t we be remiss if we didn’t offer this choice to our customers who have problematic sewer pipes?

Would you want to take your car to a mechanic for the same problem several times a year withous his ever offering you a permanent fix? Probably not. In fact, you would probably be very angry with your mechanic for stringing you along with a problem that never goes away while he continues to profit. So why should it be any different with your plumber? The choice belongs with our customers but we feel it is important to give them that choice. If you want choices from your plumber, call Roto-Rooter of Atlanta at 404-209-0001.

Share

1 Comment »

Do they Clean Sewers and Drains Differently Today?

September 30th, 2011 by pabrams

Long before Roto-Rooter began offering a vast array of plumbing services and sewer repair options, it was sewer cleaning that was our bread and butter. Sewer cleaning is what built Roto-Rooter into the company it is today and sewer cleaning remains close to 50% of our business. It’s not glamorous but it is a service in demand! If you’ve ever had a sink or toilet that wouldn’t drain then you know the feeling of true helplessness. Especially when not even a plunger can resolve the problem. Roto-Rooter is the number one drain cleaning company in America and Roto-Rooter is also the leading Tampa plumbing company and drain cleaning service.

How has the task of drain cleaning changed since Samuel Blanc built his first Roto-Rooter sewer cleaning machine in 1933? Not much! The fact is that most clogged sewer mains are still opened and cleaned with a spinning cable machine equipped with sharp blades on the tip that cut their way through clogs. Oh, the machines are safer and more reliable but the basic mechanics haven’t changed and the Roto-Rooter machines work as well today as they did in the 1930s when Roto-Rooter was quickly becoming a household name.

The single biggest breakthrough in sewer cleaning came with the invention of high-pressure water jetting, sometimes called hydro-jetting. Roto-Rooter uses this technique mostly for commercial plumbing and municipal applications but they are occasionally pressed into service on really tough residential sewer cleaning jobs as well. For any plumbing service in Tampa and surrounding areas, you can schedule Roto-Rooter on-line at a time to fit your schedule. Or call for service at 813-980-6000.

Share

No Comments »

Roto-Rooter Assists Tornado Victims in Alabama

May 9th, 2011 by pabrams

Roto-Rooter’s Birmingham Branch is lending a hand to its neighbors in its 12-county service territory who were victims of the late April 2011 tornadoes. The tornadoes wrecked homes and businesses and displaced many local families and individuals who are now staying in local shelters until they can find new places to live and get back on their feet.

Often it’s the little comforts that can make a big difference in someone’s comfort. That’s why Roto-Rooter’s Birmingham service technicians and office staff made it their mission to help their communities. The team purchased lots of toiletry items like toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, wet wipes, baby diapers and other “comfort items” then put together more than 1,500 care packages with the items. Roto-Rooter service technicians then loaded the items into their service vans and delivered the packages to area shelters.

Almost every member of Roto-Rooter’s Birmingham plumbing staff has a friend or family member who was affected by the tornadoes. “I’m upset and heartbroken over what my aunt is going thru at this time with the loss of her home. ”I think its a good thing to give back to the community and to the people who really need all the help they can get,” said Maurice Butler who is a service technician for Roto-Rooter. Business slowed in the wake of the storm and Roto-Rooter general manager, Jason Eldridge, decided that the idle time could be put to good use helping the community. He called a staff meeting and discussed the idea with his team and was greeted with overwhelming enthusiasm. Vernon Cooper, another service technician for Roto-Rooter said his sister lost her entire house in Pratt City. ”I’m Devastated by what my sister is going through and at a loss myself because I’m so close to the tragedy. So I’m happy to be able to help my neighbors who are going through so much right now”
Roto-Rooter technicians are used to providing 24 hour plumbing, fixing kitchen plumbing problems and doing sewer cleaning jobs but they have a fleet of reliable vehicles and an army of employees who stepped up to make life a bit more pleasant for their storm damaged community.

Share

1 Comment »

Roto-Rooter’s Memphis Plumbers do Drain Cleaning with a Cable or Water Jet

June 9th, 2010 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Have you ever had your mainline back up on you? Did it cause sewage to come up the drain into your bathtub? Roto-Rooter's Memphis plumbers have two ways we can almost always resolve that sort of problem.

The first way that most people know about is to run a spinning drain cleaning cable, with blades on the end, through a clean-out port and into your sewer pipe. This will usually clear the stoppage. Sometimes though when there more severe blockages such as mature roots or heavy grease buildup, a high-pressure hydro-jet is called for. Roto-Rooter is the Memphis plumber to call for jet service because we have three hydro jets in service.

A Jet has up to 4000 pounds of concentrated water pressure that will blow through most any stoppage. We usually use the water jet on commercial or municipal sewer pipes but it is also available to solve the worst residential sewer clogs. So remember if your main sewer line backs up, Roto-Rooter's Memphis plumbers have two sewer cleaning options that will defeat most any clog. Give us a call at 901-323-4285 or visit our web page.

Share

1 Comment »

St. Louis Plumbers at Roto-Rooter got it done

April 30th, 2010 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Roto-Rooter's St. Louis plumbers are experts in all types of plumbing, not just drain cleaning. One thing Roto-Rooter is known for is persistence. Often, when another plumber has tried and given up on something, an experienced St. Louis plumber from Roto-Rooter is able to solve the problem, as this customer pointed out in a line from her letter:

"Tim and Carl were friendly and were able to clear the clog and find our clean-out after a different plumber couldn't."

The clean-out is a port that allows a sewer cleaning service technician access to your main sewer pipe so he can feed his drain cleaning cable into the pipe and clear a clog. In homes without basements (see photo), the clean-out port is usually located in the yard between the house and the street. If grass and dirt have covered the lid, they can be a challenge to locate but no other St. Louis plumbing company has more experience in this area than Roto-Rooter.

Schedule service on-line for a time that fits your busy schedule or call us at 314-968-3534.

Share

No Comments »

Cesspool/Septic Tank Maintenance

November 5th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

As the Holiday season approaches, hopefully our customers on Long Island will begin to think about having their Cesspool and/or Septic Tank serviced. Preventive Maintenance on Cesspool and Septic Pumping is always a good idea to eliminate the embarrassment of A Roto-Rooter septic tank pumpking technician

A Roto-Rooter septic tank pumpking technician

having a backed up toilet during a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner!

If you would like a Long Island septic tank pumping technician to come and take a look at your Cesspool and/or Septic Tank to determine if service is needed, please give us a call at 631-694-3805.

Additionally, don't forget that Roto-Rooter is your full service Long Island plumbing company. We can take care of any and all local plumbing jobs from faucet repair to complete sewer repair. If you need a skilled Long Island plumber, look not further than Roto-Rooter. Click here to visit our home page and learn more about what Roto-Rooter's Long Island plumbers can do for you.

Name: Erick Rodriguez
Roto-Rooter of Long Island, NY

Share

No Comments »

Full Service Northern Virginia plumbers

November 4th, 2009 by Paul Abrams

We know a lot of customers only think of Roto-Rooter as a sewer and drain cleaning company. Sometimes we'll in the middle of a drain cleaning job one of our service technicians will mention to the customer that he discovered a problem requiring a sewer repair, only to have the customer say, "do you know a good Northern Virginia plumber I can call to take care of the problem?" The answer is usually, "Yes, you're looking at him."

Roto-Rooter got its start as a sewer cleaning company but we've been a full service national, as well as Northern Virginia plumbing company for almost 30 years! Make no mistake, Roto-Rooter can handle any and all plumbing repairs from the simplest faucet replacement or water heater repair to a complete sewer replacement. Feel free to call us in Northern Virginia at 703-257-1025 or schedule service on-line for any time that fits your busy schedule. If you want to know more about our local capabilities in Northern Virginia, just visit our home page.

Share

No Comments »

Septic System Savvy

November 4th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Any Raleigh plumber will assure you that septic systems can last a lifetime with the proper care. Here are some maintenance tips below:

Keep trees and brush at least 100 feet away from the drain field to ensure proper flow and functionality
Use a root destroyer on a yearly basis to prevent roots from interfering with your septic system
Get your septic tank pumped every two years to remove any buildup of grease and/ or other dense matter that could prevent the drain field from draining well

Other beneficial recommendations would be to utilize low flow aerators in your faucets, low flow toilets, low flow shower heads and a water saver washer, which in general, lessen water usage. Using less water will most definitely have a positive impact on your septic system and will help prolong its life as well.

Check out our Web site or call 919-366-3045 to schedule Raleigh plumbing services. The Raleigh plumbers of Roto-Rooter would be happy to assist you at any time 7 days a week.

Share

No Comments »

Drain Cleaning Need Often Picks Up in Spring

October 29th, 2009 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

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 Seattle plumbing companies can handle these fixes without much difficulty so reach out to a professional if your DIY remedies don’t do the trick.

Share

No Comments »