Main Sewer Line

The biggest drain in the house or building. Usually when this clogs up the entire home does not flow correctly. These large pipes carry all of the waste water from the house to the septic system or sewer. Modern installations are made out of cast iron or SDR pipe. But older system built around the 40s and 50s will often have orangeburg pipe in the ground. It is made out of tar and wood pulp. Its life expectancy is 60 years and almost always has to be replaced when it is encountered. Clay pipe was installed anytime before the 40s but is found all the way up to 60s households. It is a very durable pipe laid in 2 foot sections. Clay pipe from the roman empire still carries water today just as good as it did the day it was installed. Only problem, Roots! Roots love clay pipe. Since clay pipe is installed in 2 foot

sections there are lots of connections for roots to sneak into. Roots will break any pipe to pieces eventually.

Signs of a clogged main sewer line

• Water coming out from the bottom of the toilet
• Bubbling in drains when water is being used
• Gurgling sounds in the drains around the house
• Sewage coming out of the house vent
• A mass of water accumulating in the utility room or garage
• Smell of sewage
• Water coming out of the floor drains
• Water backing up in downstairs sinks and toilets
• Slow drains around the house

Kitchen Sinks

Kitchen sinks can be the toughest clogs of all. Cooking grease builds up over many years of usage. The clogs can sometimes be the length of the entire pipe. If the pipe has a sag in it it can become even more difficult to unclog. Grease floats on water. So once the drain starts to hold water behind a small stoppage or a sag in the pipe or a back 8pitch. The grease automatically accumulating on the walls of the drain. Grease is soft when it is put down the drain but then hardens into the consistency of a banana. And if it sits in the pipe long enough it hardens like a cookie. If not cleared properly these clogs are notorious for returning. Often the best way to clear a kitchen sink stoppage is to hydro jet or use the electric snake. Most people will choose to try a chemical first before calling in a company. This is completely understandable. But remember that those chemicals will do damage to your pipes if they sit in the drain. For example, they are acids, they react with metal and will start a corrosion process almost immediately. You know this when you touch a metal pipe and your finger goes right through it. Also they will eat the glue that holds PVC pipes together. Causing a slow drip at a fitting. Once these problems occur they are often expensive to repair. Just call USA drains and let us use our mechanical equipment. It has been working great for over a hundred years and will continue for another hundred I am sure.

Bathroom Sinks

Bathroom sinks clogs are common clogs. The drains are only an 1-1/4 and are easy to clog. Bathroom sinks are known for collecting lots of personal items as well. Rings, toothbrushes, hair clips and more are just some of the items you can find in a bathroom sink drain. Soap is a type of oil that will build up on walls of a pipe. Since the bathroom sink drains are so small in diameter, clogs will often happen here most often. If there are any types of problems with the drain design thus could become a pretty common problem. If the pipes have bellies in them, back pitched or too flat they will clog often. Also the material the pipe is made up of is important too. Galvenized pipe is often very problematic. Galvenized pipe is the silver metal pipe with the threaded connections. This pipe is notorious for causing many problems throughout the house. Most of it was installed in the 50s and 60s, it had a life expectancy of 60 years and now is showing its old age. The elbows rust almost completely shut and sometimes the electric snake will actually pop out the side of the pipe before it pierces through the clog.

Shower / Bathtub

Shower/Bathtub- Hair Hair Hair! Hair is the reason for almost every single clog in the shower drain or bathtub drain. These drains are usually pretty short and quick to clear. Considering it is installed properly. These drains are usually made out of metal pipe and the little rust flakes on the walls of the pipe will grab hair. This hair will build up over a period of time and cause the drain to run slow for a long time. The drain can run slow for years before it actually causes a complete stoppage. But when it does expect to pull out about 3 years of old hair in a huge ball.

Floor Drains

Floor drains can be very tough clogs because of the things that goes into the floor drain. Dirt and rocks and natural debris will find its way into a floor drain. Also, other drains in the house or business can make a floor drain appear to be clogged. Really it is only the lowest level of the same drain so the water will back up there first. Restaurant’s are common for having clogged floor drains because they see so much use. The the floors are washed they wash all of that grease from the day of cooking into these drains. Sometimes string and forks and other unnatural debris will find its way into these pipes. Floor drains commonly have a trap directly under the floor drain and that limits the sized of the snake we can use to clean it. It it is a two inch drain but turns into a 4 inch pipe under the ground it can become very difficult to properly clear the drain. The hydro jet is always the best option when clearing floor drains.