PLUMBING, DRAIN, SEWER, CESSPOOL BASICS

Plumbing in your home is made up of two systems. One system brings freshwater in, and the other takes out the wastewater. The water that comes into your home passes through a meter that registers the amount you use. It is under enough pressure to allow it to travel upstairs and around corners. The main water shutoff, or stop-valve is located close to the meter. It's a good idea to make sure everyone in the family knows the location of the main shutoff valve in your house as well as how to use it. You may want to tag the main shutoff valve so anyone can easily find it. In a plumbing emergency, it's important that you close the main shutoff valve. If a pipe bursts, it can flood your house in no time. Most fixtures have individual stop valves and if the emergency is confined to a sink, tub, or toilet, you may not want to turn off your entire water supply.

Water from the main supply is ready for your cold water needs, however, the hot water supply requires heating. One pipe carries water from the cold water system to your water heater. From the heater, a hot water line carries the heated water to all the fixtures and appliances that require hot water. The normal temperature setting for a home water heater is between 140 degrees F and 160 degrees F, but 120 degrees F is usually adequate and is also more economical.

Whether your home is on a sewer or septic system, the systems within your home are essentially the same. Drainage systems do not depend on pressure. Waste water leaves your house because the drainage pipes angle downward. Gravity pulls the waste along. The sewer line continues this downward flow to a sewage treatment facility or a septic or cesspool tank.

Vents are pipes that come up from the roof of your house and allow air to enter the drainpipes in order for wastewater to flow out properly. A Trap is the curved section of the pipe under the sink or other fixtures. Water flows from the basin with enough force to go through the trap and out through the drainpipe, however, enough water stays in the trap to form a seal that prevents unhealthy sewer gas from backing up into your home. Every fixture has a trap, including toilets, washing machines, and bathtubs. Some kitchen sinks have grease traps to collect grease that might cause clogging. Because grease and hair are generally the causes of drain clogs, traps often have clean-out plugs that allow easy access to remove or break up any blockage.

Professional Drain Cleaning Service
You may have already tried home remedies on a clogged drain and found that you may discover that the obstruction remains in place and impossible to loosen with hot water or mild chemical solutions. Either the clog contains some large object that cannot be broken down, or the walls of the pipe are covered with hardened material.

When drains in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room become clogged, it's often with a combination of soap, hair, lint and grease. In the kitchen, food particles may combine with hardened grease to form a nearly impenetrable barrier. Kitchen stop ups are often among the worst to solve because grease from meats cools before it gets all the way into the sewer line, trapping little bits of food, coffee grounds, and eggshells along with it. The deposits can form a cement-like obstruction that can't be removed with hot water.

A professional expert at CityWide Sewer & Drain uses a flexible metal tube, or snake, that's pushed through the drain until it reaches the clog, and then pushes through the hardened material. The snake is pushed into the drain from the sink, tub, toilet or other fixture, until it reaches the clog. The end of the snake will either push through the obstruction, tear it up with its twisting action, or become attached to it so it can be pulled up through the drain.

Plumbing can be tricky, and old pipes can be punched through with a toothpick. CityWide Sewer & Drain professionals understand what can go wrong with them. Running a snake requires a certain amount of finesse, as drains do contain turns and angles, weak spots, rises and falls that determine which way the pipe goes as it makes its way from your home to the sewer or septic tank. Get a company that is experienced and licensed - Go with CityWide.

Since 1952, we've listened to what you demanded. It's our objective that everytime we dispatch a professional to one of our thousands of satisfied customers, we provide service that is... "Smart. Neat. Fast. Economical"™