How To Get A Good Plumber

We bought our home a couple of years ago. The first year we lived here, we had to hire a plumber to clear our outside drain pipe. This year we started having the same problem, so my husband cleaned our pipes with an electric snake like the plumber had done. Everything works fine until it rains. Everytime it starts raining, our pipes start gurgling, you can smell sewer and water leaks from the base of our toilet. We have had a significant amount of rain last night and this morning. Apparently the water built up so much that it caused the drain pipe that leads from our sump pump in the basement to the drain to come apart and spray all over our basement. My husband took the cover off the drain outside to let the water come out there. For now, the problems have stopped. Can anyone tell me what the problem could possibly be and how to fix it. Much thanks!

The problem could be with the city sewer system, if that is what you are on. If they have a blockage in the main line, that can cause water to back up on you. Call the city and have them check their main and you should install a back-up preventer in your sewer line.
(from a retired city employee)

Your needs for well water filtration may require the use of chlorine or other disinfectants. If so, then you will need additional filters on your kitchen sink and in your shower. Without them, you are exposing yourself and your family to the hazards of chlorine, as well as its cancer-causing byproducts.
Read the rest of this entry »

The Bethlehem Inn’s staff recently scrambled to find a way to pay for about $6,000 in repairs after a water pipe burst at the Bend homeless shelter.Help came after a plumbing company and a supply company donated thousands of dollars of time and parts. Without those donations, the Inn’s staff said it wouldn’t have been able to do a comprehensive plumbing fix. Funded by grants and donations, the …
Read the rest of this entry »

I'm pastor of a church and in one of the church bathrooms, people are always flushing paper towels down the toilet and that causes immense plumbing problems. The solution prior to now has been to post signs that prohibit paper towesls from that bathroom. Folks have to try to dry thier hands on toilet tissue, which seems sort of low-class and troublesome. Our alternatives seem to be
a) buy an electric dryer (costly and requires installation and running electricity through an older, concrete block building"
OR
b) find a paper towel that will disintegrate and is septic/plumbing friendly that works better than toilet tissue.
Any thoughts.. are there such towels out there anywhere? How can we provide a hand-drying option that doesn't leave our rest room with wet and disgusting toilet paper but isn't damaging our sewage system?

Perhaps if there were a trash can directly under the paper towel dispenser, fewer people would flush them?
I'm sure there are still the "continuous towel" wall units available.
http://www.alsco.com.au/washroom/hand_drying_systems.html

Running a hotel or motel can be a profitable business, but there is virtually no end of maintenance, service and repairs that need to be addressed in order to keep your customers satisfied and profits rolling in. Some of the most potentially expensive and time consuming hotel maintenance involves plumbing and drain cleaning, and the multitude of different companies that offer these services can make it difficult to find the best deal.
Read the rest of this entry »

Leon Brooks is a Santa Claus who lost his helpers just as he was about to complete his appointed rounds. As described Friday by Times-Dispatch reporter Holly Prestidge, Brooks and his wife, Barbara, moved to King William County with plans to build a home.
Read the rest of this entry »

I am considering purchasing a house, built in the 1920's, that currently has plumbing problems. When multiple people are occupying the house the plumbing backs up severely and cannot be used.

I believe there are roots growing into the plumbing, and this has probably been going on for some time now. If the roots actually need to be mechanically removed and/or the pipes replaced, how much does this typically cost?

Be sure it really needs to be replaced. It costs in the low thousands to have it done, but you may be able to avoid that. Call your city water or sewer department and tell them what you've said here. Tell them you want to be sure it really needs to be replaced. There is a test using pressure (my memory is sketchy) from the main city sewer line and the spot where your house line connects. They know.

I was saved by a city worker who had a vendetta against plumbing companies ripping people off when it wasn't necessary.

You probably do have roots growing into the pipes. A plumber can rout the roots and then you use a product called RidX (~10.00) every year. And that truly takes care of it for me.

Another thing I learned by trial and error is that tissue/Kleenex, Puffs, etc does not degrade. It's not supposed to. That cost me about 100.00 to learn. Roots + kleenex = CLOG and stopped up pipes.

Cleaning the pipes of roots etc costs over 150.00 now I would imagine. The last time I had to have it done it cost me 75.00 and that was 10-12 years ago and I do have big trees.

Good luck and don't let them rip you off.

For the past 3 weeks I have major plumbing problems. My sisters (who live out of state) and I together own a small trailer park. For the past 3 weeks I have had major plumbing problems. We dug a 10 foot long trench and found we have orange berg sewer pipe which is beginning to collapse. I finally got one plumber to come and take out a piece that was bad and put in a patch which he did a poor job on and its leaking so all I have is a tench full of water and sewer. I called him to come back and repair it but that was almost a week ago and he never came back. I have been told all the sewer plumbing needs a burst … and I have called everyone that is in the plumbing business. They are either too busy or don’t return my calls. The cold freezing weather is fast approaching and I need this repaired!!! What can I do? Is there any agency that can help me? Should I go to the health department? Would they be able to convince someone its an emergency and health hazzard?

Try a website servicemagic.com

They should be able to help you.

Try to verify with free legal aide before you make a big move. I think it will be different in every state, county and city to some degree. You should be able to hold your rent money in an escrow account until repairs are made. Be sure that the money is there and that you dont use it cause you have to give it to the landlord as soon as the problems are fixed. You may also be able to use that money to hire someone to fix the problems and give the landlord the reciept showing what you had to pay and deduct it from the rent. Just be sure you have the knowledge on what you can and cant do before you act or it could cost you. Call the health department and ask if there are any legal steps you can take in regards to the mold. If this is a multi-family community (apartment) then call the home office.

water backing up from toilet and shower flooding into garage and family room.Home style split level ranch

You need to hire a plumer to clean your drain.