Contact Form
Term & definition explained by Oakland CA plumber: Video inspection units
A video inspection unit is a long, flexible device featuring a tiny camera at the tip. Plumbers can snake the device through the drain to determine what is causing the blocked pipe. The image is transmitted to a hand-held device to identify the culprit of the blockage.
Oakland plumber answers a question: How can I avoid drain clogs and backups?
Avoid drain clogs by cleaning out hair and clumps of soap from the trap after every shower. Don’t put contact lenses down the sink or globs of toothpaste, as these can block up your drain quite easily. Never pour grease, oil or paint down the toilet or sink, as these can leave coatings on the inside of your pipes that can build up over time.
Oakland Plumbing: Article About Addressing Strange Drain Odor
Berkeley Plumbing and Heating: Experienced Oakland CA Plumber
If you smell a strange odor coming from your bathroom or kitchen that wasn’t there before, you may have to do a little investigating. If it’s a plumbing-related problem, it could stem from a leak, clogged pipe or sewer backup. Perhaps you’ve tried the commercially-available products that you pour down your sink and shower drains to break up whatever substance is clogging them. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. It all depends on the severity of the clog, what’s causing it and how long it’s been there. If you’ve tried this and other DIY methods to no avail, it’s time to call in an Oakland plumbing professional with experience in plumbing drain odor detection.
Companies like Berkeley Plumbing and Heating have the tools necessary to get rid of any clog quickly and efficiently. Their vans are stocked with the best parts and equipment to get the repair done that same day in most cases. Plumbing experts can use a variety of equipment, tools and supplies to unclog pipes that have been backed up, which is usually the source of that foul odor.
The main piece of equipment plumbers use to clean and treat blockages is a snake line, which is a long, flexible auger that is guided down a toilet or other drain via a crank to rotate it as it moves along the pipe.
A plumber at Berkeley Plumbing and Heating of Oakland CA can assist with any questions regarding boiler repairs or radiant heating.
The snake can then hook onto the object that is clogging the pipe, whether it is a toy, clump of hair or cloth. If there’s no object to retrieve, the snake can break up the obstruction or scrape off any buildup of material on the inside of the pipes, allowing water to flow freely again.
Other sources of strange odors in your home may include leaks which aren’t readily detected by the naked eye. In this case, plumbers can use state-of-the-art tools and techniques to locate the source via video inspection units, pipe locators and electronic listening devices.
Another obvious cause of foul odors is sewer backup. If you’re experiencing backup into your toilet or shower consisting of black water and debris, this is a sure sign of your septic tank backing up. Black water means there is fecal matter present, which could pose a health problem if not addressed right away. The toilet will be your first indication of such a backup, as it’s the most direct path to your sewage system with the largest drain line on the property. A plumber will need to free up the main line to address the situation.
To prevent this from happening in the future, it’s important to get your septic tank pumped out on a regular basis. If you go too long without doing this, backups happen, and the accompanying odor will be the least of your problems. With regular cleaning, maintenance and a little TLC for your plumbing system, you can help to avoid backups and blockages.