Drain Maintenance
If you are a homeowner who's familiar with drain cleaning, cabling, snaking, jetting, or repair, then you have probably experienced a water or sewer backup. For homeowner's that are unfamiliar with these terms, a backup is usually the first indicator that there is a drain issue. Other indicators may be slow draining fixtures, foul odor or gurgling while draining. Any of the above items may provide suitable maintenance, or it may be time to invest in the full repair. Knowing the difference between maintenance and repair is the key to obtaining peace of mind regarding your sewer.
Knowing how it starts: The primary way to diagnose any sewer issue always starts with the Camera Inspection. This is supremely important when diagnosing any issue and if your plumber tries to sell you a repair without one, there may be some critical info missing from the start. I have seen many camera inspections in my life, and the quality depends on the equipment being used and the skill of the technician diagnosing. The best of the best in my opinion is provided by the guys at Universal Plumbing and Sewer. This is because all of their equipment is new, and state of the art. The Pro Milwaukee cameras are specialized in the industry because of their advanced locating abilities. Also the footage is immediately uploaded to the web, where a Master Plumber is able to diagnose real time scenarios with the techs in the field. Properly diagnosing the issue is what will provide you the most options to maintain or repair, and ultimately answer the question of "Do I Maintain or Invest in Repairs?"
Maintenance- Cabling or snaking a drain is the attempt made with a cable machine to clear an obstruction or blockage in the sewer. This can be done routinely (1-4 times per yr.) or at the onset of an issue. A build up of toilet paper would be an example of a soft blockage and this is ideally what routine maintenance is for. Tree roots are the most common issue I've seen and when present, people tend to want to maintain with cabling to solve this. Cabling cannot solve a tree root issue, it can only temporarily extend the life of a sewer and is not a suitable candidate for routine maintenance. Instead roots are best removed with a high powered water jet, also called a Hydro Jetter . This can completely remove the roots by cutting around the entire diameter of the pipe, which cable machines are unable to do. After water jetting, you will receive a 1 year guarantee against backups due to root intrusion, unless of course your sewer does not qualify because of the condition of the pipe.
Repair- If the condition of the sewer is beyond maintenance, the next step would be to make repairs. Sewer repair can be dangerous work because it generally involves excavating on the outside of the home, down to the depth of the sewer. It is best to find a reputable plumbing company that can pull the necessary permits, and has the ability to safely make the necessary repairs. Almost all repairs are mad by replacing old cast iron, or clay pipe with new PVC. The advancements made to plumbing materials has greatly increased the life expectancy of the plumbing system. Excavating to make sewer repairs is expensive because it requires specialized knowledge and equipment. Other forms of sewer repair that have recently become popular are called trenchless systems. This includes Pipe Patches and Lining, which utilize cleanout access rather than excavating. All forms of sewer repair have their pros and cons, and without question it is best to gain a full understanding of your options by dealing with a professional plumbing company to advise on such repairs.
