Sewers | 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.

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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.

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Tampa Sewer Backup Caused by Bad City Sewer Line

October 6th, 2011 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Roto-Rooter, one of the top Tampa plumbing companies, recently investigated a residential sewer back up only to find out that the problem wasn't with the customer's sewer at all. The backup turned out to be caused by a broken city sewer line that affected the customer's sewer. Roto-Rooter alerted the city and made sure the problem was fixed quickly.

But while completing the sewer line inspection with a fiber optic camera, we discovered that there was actually a bad section of pipe in the customer's sewer line that was allowing raw sewage to leach from the pipe and into surrounding soil. Additionally, the pipe was offset and was already catching toilet paper and debris to form a clog. It hadn't yet blocked the line but it was only a matter of time.

The customer opted to fix the line now rather than wait for the problem to manifest itself into a full-blown sewer clog. Our Tampa plumbers did a nice job replacing the bad section of pipe and added a cleanout port that will allow for easy access if future cleanings are required. Great work and the customer couldn't be more satisfied. If you have a sewer backup in the Tampa area, call the Tampa plumbing company that offers complete sewer solutions, Roto-Rooter. We can be reached at 813-980-6000.

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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.

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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.

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5 Ways your Holiday Guests Could Ruin your Thanksgiving

November 16th, 2010 by pabrams

Five ways your guests (or you) could ruin your Thanksgiving holiday. (click here to view video)

1. Pouring fats or cooking oils down kitchen drains. Those turkey juices are loaded with grease that cools and solidifies inside your pipes, coating the walls and building up to cause kitchen sink drain clogs. Use the garbage can to dispose of grease, not the drain.

2. Putting stringy, fibrous or starchy waste down the garbage disposal. Almost every dish in a traditional Thanksgiving meal is a potential drain clogger, especially in quantity: Celery for the stuffing, potato peels, fruit peels, sweet potatoes, turkey skin, rice and pasta. And remember, this stuff finds its way into the drains during meal preparation and while rinsing or washing the dishes.

3. Not running the disposal each time waste is put inside. You should turn on the disposal each time something goes inside then let the water run long enough to push it through the drainpipe. Roto-Rooter plumbers regularly find garbage disposals completely clogged with peelings and other waste. By the time the user thinks about turning it on, it’s often too full and can’t sufficiently grind up the huge amount of waste, leaving a sink full of dirty water that won’t drain.

4. Not allowing a few minutes between showers and baths can cause the drains to back up. Encourage your guests to wait at least 10 minutes between showers and baths to give slow drains a chance to drain out completely. Too many showers or baths in a short space of time could spell disaster and cause a main sewer clog and backup or septic system failure.

5. Flushing cotton balls, cotton swabs, facial scrub pads, makeup remover pads, baby wipes and tampons will cause a major toilet clog. These items do not dissolve in water and should never be flushed. They can create major clogs.

Thanksgiving is hard on your plumbing. All those extra guests can mean more showers, more laundry loads, more toilet flushes and more stuff down the garbage disposal. You may already follow these rules but will your guests? The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Service, North America’s largest provider of plumbing repair and sewer and drain services. Most of the time, the homes Roto-Rooter plumbers visit over Thanksgiving weekend already had partially clogged drains that went almost unnoticed until the guests arrived. The kitchen sink and garbage disposal get a lot of use during big meal preparation. And there are lots of extra toilet flushes, laundry loads and showers causing drains to become overwhelmed and blocked. Thanksgiving is the perfect storm for residential plumbing.

The good news is that Roto-Rooter is your 24 hour plumbing company, seven days a week, 365 days a year! Our local offices will be fully staffed to handle all calls quickly so you won’t have to wait long. And many Roto-Rooter locations do not charge extra for nights, weekends or holidays. Just call 1-800-ROTO-911 (1-800-768-6911) or click here to schedule service on-line.

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What a sewer camera inspection can show you

August 27th, 2010 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

At Roto-Rooter Plumbers in Memphis, we have very experienced plumbers that carry lots of special equipment on their vans that can help them diagnose your plumbing problem. Probably the single most important tool our estimators use is a fiber optic sewer line inspection camera. These sophisticated video cameras can be dropped into a line to show perform sewer line inspections, revealing the condition of the pipe from the inside. These cameras are waterproof and have powerful LED lights to illuminate the inside of the pipe.

Line cameras help Roto-Rooter's experienced Memphis Plumbers determine exactly what is wrong (if anything ) with your sewer or drain line. And they will invite you, our customer, to see the inspection for yourself in real time so you see what the camera sees on a video monitor. This is a fantastic tool to inspect for root intrusion, collapsed section or bellies (dips or sags in the pipe) because it takes the guesswork out of the process and eliminates unnecessary sewer repair work.

So remember, if your sewer line routinely backs up, the best and most economical way to find out exactly what is happening inside the pipe is to call the most experienced Memphis plumbing company, Roto-Rooter. We are here to help as your 24 hour plumbing company. Visit our web page or phone us at 901-323-4285.

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Honolulu Plumbers Available 24/7 For Plumbing and Sewer Line Issues

July 9th, 2010 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Plumbing problems can happen anytime of the day or night, not just between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. so your Honolulu plumbers at Roto Rooter are available 24/7 and we won't hit you with an after hours charge the way most plumbers will. Roto-Rooter is your 24 hour plumbing company for handling residential plumbing or commercial plumbing problems of all types. Let me say it again so it sinks in: Roto-Rooter of Honolulu does not charge extra for nights, weekends or holidays! How many other Hawaii plumbers will make that promise?

Besides being able to address all your plumbing needs we are the "go to" people to handle your sewer line problems. Some of the more common problems we can remedy are:
•Broken, cracked, offset or collapsed piping, which is typically caused by shifting soil, settling, etc.
•Blockages: due to grease buildup or foreign object/s restricting water flow.
•Corrosion: causes pipe deterioration and breakage.
•Bellied pipes: when pipe sections have sunken due to ground and/or soil conditions. When this occurs a valley is created in the pipe, which causes a buildup of waste and paper that gradually build a clog.
•Joint Leaks: occur when the seals between pipes have broken.
•Tree root Infiltration: roots can prevent normal cleaning and have the potential to damage the line as they grow and break pipes over time.
•Off-grade pipe: some pipes may be made of a substandard material, which may become corroded or deteriorated.
For a free estimate for all your plumbing and sewer line needs call your Honolulu plumbers of Roto Rooter at 847-3036 or visit Roto-Rooter's Hawaii plumbers page online.

The Honolulu plumbers of Roto-Rooter are fully licensed and insured, follow all OSHA safety standards and local plumbing codes to protect you, our valued customers. We want to be your Hawaii plumbing company. Visit our web site or call us at 808-622-2501.

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To Roto-Rooter’s Cincinnati Plumbers- A picture is worth a 1,000 words, make that $$$$!

June 29th, 2010 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

OK, first let me say I know that spending money on plumbing and drain cleaning is rarely ever fun, however, doing it SMARTLY can SAVE YOU BIG MONEY when it applies to your main sewer line.

Most of us assume the main sewer line connecting our home or business to the city sewer is in good working order until the dreaded day comes when it backs up, leaving disgusting sewage damage. Make no mistake that sewer pipe beneath your property is YOUR responsibility, not the city's.

By taking a proactive approach and calling Roto-Rooter, your Cincinnati plumbing experts, to schedule an inexpensive sewer line camera inspection, a Roto-Rooter of Cincinnati Plumber / video inspection expert will feed a small video camera through your sewer pipe to look for cracks, offset pipes, signs of collapse or any sign of trouble at all. Then he will provide you with a DVD of the inspection for your records. In the event there are any problems, he will give you several options to treat or remedy the situation.

By taking this SMART approach you CAN:

Identify potential problems early, often saving thousands in costly damage repairs and avoid the nasty possibility of a sewer clog and backup.

Schedule any necessary repairs at your convenience instead of requiring an emergency service.
PLAN for and BUDGET any required repairs.

If you are considering BUYING a home in Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky, this service is a MUST!
If you are considering SELLING a home in Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky, the DVD with a dated time stamp proving your house has a healthy, reliable main sewer line is a great selling point!
If you are considering REMODELING or FINISHING your BASEMENT in Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky it is an absolute MUST to protect your INVESTMENT!

Remember Roto-Rooter the next time you need a trustworthy Cincinnati plumber. Call us at 513-631-2525 or visit our web page for more information.

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Roto-Rooter’s Norfolk Plumbers Make “Going Green” Easy

June 9th, 2010 by Roto Rooter Bloggers

Roto-Rooter's Norfolk plumbers have been “going green” long before it became a buzz word. We are doing environmentally-beneficial work every day by fixing water leaks, which save water, and completing sewer repairs – which prevent raw sewage from getting into the soil and contaminating ground water supplies.

On a daily basis, you can help save the environment and save your money as well. Roto-Rooter is the Norfolk plumbing company to call for this kind of service. Our experienced licensed plumbers are part of the ROTOGreen program. They will can install a new dual-flush converter in your toilet tank, allowing you to choose between a water-saving flush mode for liquid waste and full-power flash for solid waste. This improvement will save on average 15,000 gallons of water per year and $105.00 in water costs for a family of 4.

Call Roto-Rooter's Norfolk plumbers at 757-564-9692 to start helping the environment by wasting less water. For more information, visit our web site for more “green” tips.

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