Problem: Clogged drains
We have a lot of customers in Coventry, CT. Last month, we got a a call from a homeowner at her wit's end. She was dealing with clogged drains all over her home. When her washing machine drained, it made water bubble up out of the kitchen sink. When she used the shower, the tub backed up then the toilet started gurgling. She went on to tell our customer service representative (CSR) that her sinks had been draining VERY slowly for a few months.Next step: Contact a professional!
The first question our CSR asked was if the home is on a septic system. A lot of times, these types of issues are caused by a septic tank that needs to be pumped. She is not on a septic system but connected to city sewer. Our CSR confirmed that no drain cleaning chemicals had been used recently. [This protects our technicians from dangerous chemical burns.]A technician was dispatched to her home to run some troubleshooting and diagnostic testing. He determined that major repiping had to be done. This is a picture of what he discovered in one of the clogged drain pipes:
Clogged drain in Coventry CT
Solution: Repipe the drains
This shows one of the clogged pipes. It was caused by food and grease build up. When grease is poured down the drains, it builds up over time and starts to solidify. The same thing happens when food goes through the dishwasher. Drain cleaners and plumbing snakes will not work. The only solution here was to repipe the drains. There is no cheap or easy way to unclog drains.One of our plumbing technicians repiped drains in the crawl space of the home using ABS pipe and fittings. He also repiped under the kitchen sink, including the basket strainer and studor vent. The job also required repiping of the bathroom drains. He had to dig outside the foundation to connect to the main drain line, then ran new drains to the toilet, sink and tub, complete with all fittings.