Welcome To Mr Speedy Plumbing Service!

Welcome To Mr Speedy Plumbing Service!

Drain Cleaning – Everything You Need To Know

Drain Cleaning – Everything You Need To Know

DRAIN CLEANING – THE OTHER SIDE OF PLUMBING

Drain cleaning is a specific segment of the plumbing profession. When people think of plumbing, they usually think of pipes, toilets, faucets, sinks, showers & bathtubs. When something goes wrong, you call a plumber and he comes by and fixes the problem.

But many plumbing companies call themselves a “plumber and rooter”. So exactly what is a rooter, what is rooting, and how is it different from plumbing?

A rooter works exclusively on your drains. When you have an obstruction in a drain, it must be cleared.

The correct tool to use when clearing out a drain obstruction depends on the nature of the obstruction. Sometimes a simple liquid drain solution like Drano can do the trick and clear the obstruction. Some people swear by vinegar or baking soda, or even a bottle of Coca-Cola left overnight in a blocked toilet or drain.

Customers please note: if you have poured a liquid chemical solution (like Drano) into a blocked toilet or drain, it didn’t work, and you now need to call a plumber to clear the stoppage, please advise the plumbing tech before he begins working that you previously poured a chemical solution into the drain/toilet. Sometimes, the chemical solution can back up and injure the technician.

Sometimes a simple plunger will do the trick and remove the obstruction.

If neither a liquid solution nor a plunger works, we proceed to the next level, which is the “plumber’s snake”. This auguring tool can be hand-driven or electrically powered. It cuts through the obstruction and clears it. But even the most powerful electrically powered auguring devices are only effective to a depth of about 100 feet into the pipe.

But even the most powerful electrically powered auguring devices are only effective to a depth of about 100 feet into the pipe.

The Hydrojet: The Best Tool For Drain Cleaning

When none of the above methods is sufficient to effectively clear the drain, or the obstruction is too far down the pipe for a cabling device to reach, we bring in the Godzilla of drain cleaning – the incredible Hydrojet machine. These Hydrojet machines develop a powerful jet of water – up to 5,000 lbs of pressure per square inch. This powerful jet of water is so powerful, it can remove almost any plumbing stoppage, literally blasting it away.  The Hydrojet is equipped with a 500-foot hose, enabling the rooter to access an obstruction deep inside the pipes, way beyond the range of any auguring device.

Before attempting to clear a stubborn stoppage with the Hydrojet machine, a professional rooting service will first insert a high-resolution video camera into the line. The video footage generated by the camera will show exactly where the stoppage is located and indicates how deep into the pipe the rooter will have to insert the Hydrojet hose.

When the exact nature and location of the obstruction have been located and identified, the rooting technician fires up the Hydrojet machine and inserts the hose into the pipe. The Hydrojet machine is capable of clearing away almost any obstruction that has been caused by a build-up of paper, sand, oil or grease. The Hydrojet is also highly effective in clearing away underground tree roots which have invaded your pipe through cracks or breaks in the pipe and continue to grow inside your pipe, eventually destroying the entire pipe which will then need to be replaced.

The HydroJet Is The Most Effective Drain Clearing Method

The Hydrojet machine does a better job of clearing obstructions than any other rooting method or device. A cabling/augering device sometimes only drills a narrow hole through the obstruction and it can end up simply push the debris further down the line, where it can build up again and cause another obstruction deeper in the pipe. The Hydrojet machine is capable of clearing the entire pipe, and actually scours the sides of the pipe. The powerful jet of water generated by the hydro-jet machine usually removes the obstruction completely and literally blows it away, leaving your pipe clean and almost new.

But if you clean out your drains regularly, you won’t have problems with stoppages and blockages.

icon-HanddrawnArrowsOwners of Restaurants, Retail Stores And Residential Homes: Clean Your Drains Regularly.

Every day of the week, we are called to bring out one of our Hydrojet machines to clear a persistent plumbing obstruction in residential homes, office buildings, factories and retail stores. Restaurants, in particular, need to have their grease traps cleaned out at least every three months. Many famous landmark restaurants in Beverly Hills, on La Cienega’s “Restaurant Row“, on Third Street in West Hollywood, and in Downtown Los Angeles are our regular customers. We have ongoing regular maintenance programs with these customers for scheduled maintenance, and we come out regularly to Hydrojet their grease traps to keep everything flowing smoothly.

We also service many regional and national retail chains on a regular basis, including CVS/Rite Aid, Ross Dress For Less, Sam’s Club, Sports Authority, Performance Bicycle, and many others.

icon-HanddrawnArrowsThe Best Tools For Effective Drain Cleaning Will Depend On Your Particular Situation.
At the end of the day, the tool you ultimately use to clear a line will depend on a number of factors:

  • The nature and degree of stubbornness of the blockage/obstruction;
  • The exact location of the obstruction – how far down the line the stoppage is located;
  • The distance from the closest electric outlet.The variety of your equipment choices depends on the nature and strength of the obstruction:
  • Liquid solutions (Drano, even Coca-Cola!), simple plungers and hand-powered “plumber’s snakes” or cabling devices are often all you need to remove simple stoppages in drains and toilets;
  • When these methods are not sufficient to clear the stoppage, an electric-powered auguring/cabling device will be more effective;
  • If the obstruction is particularly stubborn, and nothing less works, the incredible Hydrojet machine is usually the best way to clear away even the most stubborn drain obstruction.

Hydrojetting clears out the pipe completely, rather than just drilling a narrow hole in the obstruction.

Talk to Mr. Speedy Plumbing & Rooter Inc. today and schedule an appointment for a master rooter to come out and clear your drains from any obstruction which might become a health hazard. Or arrange to have regularly scheduled maintenance to keep your drains free from obstruction year-round.

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