Blog, Drain Cleaning, Residential, Septic Emergency
How Baking Soda Can Help Prevent Septic Emergencies
If you own a residence or business that has a septic system you know that there is no getting around septic pumping service. It’s recommended that you have your septic tank pumped and inspected every 3 years, so if it’s been a while, you should really schedule septic service today. But if you end up having issues with the pipes, drains, or the septic system itself, you may have to schedule septic pumping service and inspections much more often.
This can end up costing you hundreds of extra dollars, not to mention putting too much wear and tear on your septic system. If your septic tank or leach field ends up having to be replaced it can cost you thousands of dollars! There are many ways to help take care of your septic system and one super easy and affordable way is to simply start using baking soda.
How does Baking Soda help you avoid septic system emergencies?
Simple, using baking soda mixed with other all natural ingredients can be used as an environmentally safe and natural cleaner for your toilet, sinks, tub, and drains. Using baking soda instead of harsh chemical cleaners such as bleach will keep all that important bacteria from being killed off. The good bacteria in your septic system is necessary because it breaks down all the waste that comes through the pipes.
Without the good bacteria you will end up with clogs, back-ups and odors that wear away at your septic tank and eventually cause a septic system emergency. Using baking soda is very easy.
You can mix about a 1/4 cup of baking soda with 1/2 cup of vinegar and 2 tablespoons lemon to make your own natural cleaning agent. The baking soda will fizz up to help get the dirt and grime in your tub and drains. It’s a great cleaner and your septic system will thank you!
Drain Cleaning
Preventative Maintenance Jetting For Your Clogged Drain
A clogged drain can be an annoying and costly problem for your business. Getting your drain regularly jetted can help to avoid this issue in the future. Read on to learn more about preventative maintenance jetting, and how it can help prevent expensive repairs in the future.
Drain jetting is a process where water is sprayed from a tank, and down into the drain at a high velocity, easily cleaning and clearing out any soft blockages. It’s a highly effective technique that uses a specialized hose to navigate all the twists and turns in your pipes, so it can get all the difficult to reach spots.
It’s a great idea to have your drains regularly jetted, even if you aren’t having problems with clogged drains. This is because the high-pressure water jet can help to prevent any future blockages. If there’s a bit of waste, grease, minerals, or debris building up in your drain, preventative jetting will clear it out before it becomes a full clog. While there are many options for keeping your drains clean, hydro jetting tends to be the most effective, because, unlike other methods, it cleans the walls of your drain as well. Getting your drains jetted every few months can save you time and money in the future, so you don’t have to wait for an emergency plumber to come bail you out when your drain gets clogged. It’s a smart investment for any business owner!
So if you’re tired of always having to call a plumber for that clogged drain, or simply want to prevent other clogs from forming in the future, consider getting your drains jetted every few months. If you’d like more information on preventative maintenance jetting, or other commercial plumbing services, contact us. EarthCare is proud to offer commercial, municipal, and residential plumbing services.
Drain Cleaning
Drain Line Inspection Without Excavation: Call EarthCare Before You Dig!
Recurring Drain Line Problems
Drain line problems occurring frequently could be a sign of larger problems with your septic or sewer system. You’ll need to determine the cause accurately to get the issue resolved. The good news is that the days of digging up your property to find the cause of backflow issues are long behind us.
Our trained EarthCare technicians have the expertise and technology available to save you time, money, and aggravation by avoiding unnecessary excavation to diagnose and correct the cause of your drain line problem. New home buyers can also enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a thorough sewer inspection with cameras, especially for older homes.
Inspection Cameras at EarthCare
Our high-tech inspection cameras give us the capability to inspect pipe interiors remotely and more accurately than old-fashioned excavation and exterior inspection techniques would allow. After all, if the problem turns out to be a clog in the drain line it would still be impossible to detect even if the pipe was exposed by excavating and examined only from the outside.
If a line break or tree root intrusion is causing the problem it could be detected with the old excavate and inspect method, but the big question then becomes “Where do we start digging?” And if the problem turns out to be a clog all that excavation could be for nothing.
Now there is no need for a random excavation that could turn into a major and costly disruption of your property. Our inspection cameras can run through the entire drain line taking all the guesswork out of determining the cause of your drain line problem. Whether there is a clog or a break in the line the camera lets us know exactly what the problem is and where it is located, so we can correct it with minimum impact on your landscaping.
If the problem is determined to be a clog we can clear the line with snakes, augers, or power-jetting techniques which don’t require any excavation at all. If the camera locates a line break, we’ll know exactly where to dig to fix the problem to keep excavation to the absolute minimum.
If you’re experiencing recurring drain problems call EarthCare before you dig. Your wallet will thank you, and so will your lawn, so don’t hesitate to contact us.
Drain Cleaning
High-Velocity Drain Jetting Service Keeps Your Business Up and Running
Minimize Your Company’s Downtime When Drain Emergencies Occur
Drain clogs can be a disaster for commercial enterprises when they cause backflow on the premises which could result in a business closing its doors until the situation has been resolved. Restaurants, car washes, convenience stores, and grocery stores all need to operate in compliance with local health and environmental regulations, and a clogged drain can be a major and costly disruption. That’s where high-velocity drain jetting can help.
Businesses are frequently shut down completely due to drain and septic issues. Total Food Service reports that two restaurants were closed due to drain problems caused by grease clogging the systems in this article at their website.
At Earthcare, we have the expert technicians and technology to resolve tricky drain issues and get your business up and running again quickly. When a backflow problem isn’t resolved by septic tank pumping, or when the business is connected to a municipal sewer system, a simple drain cleaning is the most probable solution.
Video Camera Inspection
Our expert technicians don’t guess at the cause of your drain problem. We send a high-tech video camera right down into the line to locate and assess the exact cause of the drain clog. Many clogs can be cleared with a snake but for heavy duty grease obstructions, power-jetting is the solution.
High-Velocity Drain Jetter
Our high-velocity water jet is the big gun we rely on to break through tough clogs and large debris when an auger or hand snake can’t break through. The power jetter can quickly blast through clogs and debris in the pipe, leaving them free, clean, and clear for smooth drainage flow.
High-velocity drain jetting is also used for preventive maintenance to avoid clogs with periodic drain cleaning. Many of our favorite commercial customers have discovered by experience that this is a far wiser solution than waiting for a problem to occur.
If your business is subject to drain clogs caused by grease, soaps, or other debris Earthcare can schedule yearly jetting maintenance.The regular maintenance of high-velocity drain jetting will ensure that your drains remain open so your business remains open so don’t hesitate to contact us.
Drain Cleaning
Are You on the Right Catch Basin Maintenance Schedule?
Catch basins, sometimes known as the storm drain access, play an important part in keeping your sewer lines clear and running. Capturing large debris before it enters into the sewer lines is important – unmaintained basins can clog, and may fail to stop branches, leaves, trash, and other large debris from making expensive nests inside your main sewer line.
Ideally, basins should be vacuumed out a minimum of once or twice a year. There are many factors that impact the effectiveness of your storm drain, but as a rule of thumb, your basins should not exceed 50% debris volume. When a basin becomes too full, additional debris and sediment are not captured and are washed into the main sewer line.
If you are experiencing stormwater backup, then your drain inlet needs to be cleaned. Large storms can prematurely fill up a basin and lead to an off-schedule pump. However, making sure you keep your storm drains clear year-round is an important part of your sewer system.
The more often you schedule catch basin maintenance the more efficient it will be at stopping debris and sediment from being washed into main sewer lines and into your treatment plant. A basin that receives monthly services can be more than twice as effective at recovering sediment and debris than one that is only serviced once a year.
Failure to follow an appropriate maintenance schedule for your basins may lead to backup – causing pooling in the streets that can damage pavement and flooding sewer lines in nearby homes and offices. EarthCare offers Hy Vac catch basin cleaning to all the municipalities in our service area. We utilize a specialized fleet of jet-vac combo trucks that use high-pressure water jets, vacuum pumping, and liquid storage to remove debris as part of a regular maintenance service. We can also assist in cleaning out clogged storm drain inlets to get your storm drains moving again. Contact EarthCare online or by phone at 800-428-6166 to schedule your catch basin maintenance service today.
Blog, Drain Cleaning, Earth Care
Clogged Drain? What Causes It
Do you have a clogged drain? It’s something we have all experienced at some point, and sometimes pouring drain cleaner down it doesn’t help much (and if you have a septic tank it is a bad idea anyway). Slow draining or gurgling indicate that you have a clog somewhere, and likely need drain cleaning. If multiple drains are affected, the blockage is somewhere past the point where they meet. But what causes it?
1. Hair. Humans shed. Pets shed even more. Hair is a common cause of clogs of the drain and shower, and could also clog a sink if it is being used to bathe a small dog or cat. The answer is to reduce hair buildup by using a drain strainer on your shower or tub. If you have a floor drain, consider a strainer on that one too.
2. Grease and oil. Kitchen clogs are most often caused by pouring grease and oil down the drain. Quick tip: Don’t. Pour liquid oil into a container – you can often take this in to be recycled. Hard grease should be scraped into the trash.
3. Food. Food scraps should go into the trash, not the drain. If you have a garbage disposal, use it as little as possible. (Garbage disposals should not be used with septic systems).
4. Hard paper. Never flush anything down a toilet other than human waste and toilet paper. Do not flush paper tissues, paper towels or feminine products. All of these can result in major clogs and a flooded bathroom.
If you do have a clog and nothing you have will shift it, especially if it affects multiple drains, then you need a professional drain cleaning service.
Contact Earthcare to find out about our professional drain cleaning services and how we can help you with stubborn clogs!
