We often rely on our kitchen and bathroom sinks to dispose of unwanted food particles and other bits of garbage. Garbage disposal units are designed to grind up organic waste matter and after a time, we come to rely on them for getting rid of all kinds of organic detritus. But before you dump another piece of food down the drain, stop and consider the damage you may be causing.
My Drain Company Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Glendale’
Things You Should Never Pour Down the Drain
Monday, May 4th, 2015What Is Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement?
Monday, April 27th, 2015Replacing a damaged sewer line was once one of the most difficult of all residential plumbing jobs to perform. It required large excavations using power digging equipment, took a few days to complete, and left lawns and gardens looking like archaeological digs. And this is still the way that many sewer line replacements are done. However, better methods have come along to do this job, such as trenchless sewer line replacement. Thanks to trenchless technology, a sewer line replacement job can be completed faster and cleaner and at less expense.
It you need to have your sewer line replaced in Glendale, CA or other parts of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, call My Drain Company. We offer trenchless sewer line replacement that will solve your problems quickly.
How trenchless sewer line replacement works
The development of trenchless technology emerged out of lateral digging techniques originally used for mining, and which later became an important part of civil engineering to lay pipes and electrical cables in cities without disrupting the streets. Trenchless technology uses hydraulics to draw replacement pipeliners through older pipes, then expands the pipeliner to shatter the aging and damaged pipes and replace them with the liner.
The process only requires digging only one or two small holes. For most sewer line replacement jobs, the technicians only need to dig a hole outside near where the sewer line exits the property and connects to the municipal line. From inside the home, the technicians insert the new pipeliner into the spot where the sewer line leaves the house. A hydraulic device attached to the other end of the sewer line then draws the pipeliner through and sets it into place. The last stage involves drawing a “pipe burster” through the pipeline, a device that expands the lining and bursts the outside pipe so the new pipe takes its place. The technicians finish the job by filling in the single hole and re-landscaping it.
And that’s all it takes. The process requires only a few hours of time and leaves the property virtually untouched.
If it’s time to replace your sewer line, you don’t have to make it into a nightmare for your home. Just call on a company that handles trenchless sewer line replacement, like My Drain Company, and let them do the job fast and right.
Why Call on Professionals for Your Commercial Plumbing Repairs
Monday, April 20th, 2015There are very few businesses that don’t rely on a plumbing system in some way. Running water and waste removal are essential parts of keeping a company running smoothly and employees, clients, customers, tenants, etc. content and safe. If something goes wrong with the plumbing at your company, such as leaking pipes, clogged toilets, or a loss of water pressure, you need to call on professional plumbers with commercial experience right away. (more…)
Do I Really Need Storm Drainage in Glendale?
Monday, April 13th, 2015Storm drainage systems are a basic part of many properties. These additional drains—such as trap drains, gutters, downspouts, and storm sewers—remove standing water from the property and carry it down to the municipal drain that removes it into the sewer system. This keeps flooding and standing water from damaging the property.
The Dangers of F.O.G. (Fat, Oil, Grease) and Your Kitchen Drains
Monday, April 6th, 2015Drain cleaning is a service that you should have done on a regular basis for your kitchen. Professionals will use a variety of high-end equipment, such as motorized drain snakes and hydro-jetters, to thoroughly cleanse the drains in the kitchen of built-up food particles. This will help keep your kitchen efficient and avoid trouble from slow drains and full clogs in the future.
For professionals drain cleaning in Glendale, CA, call My Drain Company Inc. We offer 24-hour emergency service for times when you have surprise clogs or other urgent plumbing repair needs.
Aside from arranging for routine drain cleaning from experienced plumbers, there are some important steps you can take to see that your drains stay in the best shape possible, for as long as possible. One of these is to avoid pouring F.O.G. down any of your kitchen drains.
Wait… what is F.O.G.?
The initials F.O.G. stand for “fat, oil, and grease.” These products of cooking, food preparation, and clean-up are one of the worst enemies your drains pipes and sewer lines have. Restaurants and other food service companies use special grease traps to prevent these substances from harming the plumbing and the sewer system, but residential kitchens usually aren’t equipped with these appliances, so you will have to take care that you keep F.O.G. out of your drains in the first place.
The reason that fat, oil, and grease are so problematic for a home’s plumbing is that in their hot, liquid form they appear harmless and often get poured down the drain or the garbage disposal without thought. They can infiltrate a long way down into the pipes before they cool down and start to transform from liquids into waxy solids. This is when they begin to create trouble.
Solid F.O.G. will coat the inside of drainpipes, significantly reducing the volume available for waste water. This will make it easier for clogs to up, and much harder to remove them. If F.O.G. gets into the garbage disposal, it will eventually jam up the flywheel and other mechanical components, requiring that the system receive repairs.
The best way to deal with liquid fat, oil, and grease is to pour it out into a separate receptacle that you remove to the regular trash. Clean off excess F.O.G. from plates with a paper towel and put the towel in the trash. If you do start to encounter problems due to fat, oil, and grease in your kitchen drains, call for a professional plumber to use hydro-jetting to cleanse it out.
My Drain Company Inc offers excellent drain cleaning service, and we will take care of any major clogs you may encounter. We have provided high quality kitchen plumbing services with the best equipment for over 15 years.
The Benefits of Installing a Grease Trap
Friday, March 20th, 2015Grease and oil are very common in kitchens across the world, and are used in the preparation of thousands of different dishes. While they’re great for serving up all sorts of tasty foodstuffs, disposing of grease and oil tends to get a bit problematic. Though both materials are liquid when being used to cook, once they cool they congeal into a viscous, semi-solid state. This can present a huge problem for your plumbing system. Let’s take a look at how grease and oil can affect your plumbing system, and how grease traps can mitigate those effects.
The Effects of Grease and Oil on Plumbing
The plumbing system in your home, including your kitchen, is really only designed to handle liquid waste running through it. There are a couple of exceptions, like your toilet or the garbage disposal. However, the garbage disposal isn’t really suited to handle grease and oil any better than a regular kitchen drain. The problem is that the garbage disposal is supposed to render solid waste into small enough pieces that they can be washed down to the sewer. When oil and grease are poured down the disposal, however, they are already viscous liquids. This allows them to stick to the blades of the garbage disposal, as well as the walls of the drain pipe. Then, they harden into a type of muck that can gum up the disposal and clog the drains. This is why you should install a grease trap.
The Grease Trap and Its Benefits
A grease trap is a device that is designed to collect grease, oil, and any other materials that may cause problems if allowed to enter the sewage disposal system. They come in a variety of sizes, from individual kitchen models to one’s large enough to serve entire restaurants. For your own home, it’s best to consult a professional to determine the right size for your needs. As oil and grease are washed down the drain, they are collected in the grease trap instead of solidifying on the walls of the pipes. Once the grease trap fills up to a certain capacity, it must be removed and cleaned.
If you don’t have a grease trap installed in your kitchen yet, call My Drain Company. We install grease traps and offer other quality plumbing services in the Glendale area.
Why Do I Need Clean My Drains Regularly?
Friday, January 30th, 2015Clogged drains are a frequent and frustrating problem for homeowners everywhere. They can be caused by a wide variety of factors, depending on the location of the drain. Regardless of the type of clog, however, none of them are good for your plumbing or your peace of mind. A lot of people hold off on hiring a plumber until the drain really starts to back up. While you probably don’t need to hire a plumber every few weeks, you should be cleaning out your drains yourself on a fairly regular basis. Let’s take a look at why you need to clean your drains regularly.
An Ounce of Prevention…
Cleaning your drains to prevent clogs is all about preserving the health of your plumbing, which also saves you money. A clog can cause a great deal of damage, depending on how bad it is. If a clog crops up that you can’t handle, which will happen if you don’t clean your drains regularly, you’ll need to hire a plumber to deal with it. The plumber will often be able to unclog the pipe using special equipment. However, the problem can sometimes necessitate replacing an entire section of pipe, which is a cost you don’t want to accrue.
Cleaning your drains on a regular basis also drastically lessens the frequency of major clogs occurring, saving you a call to the plumber and increasing the lifespan of your drains.
Procedure
So, how to you actually clear out your drains without the specialized knowledge and tools that a plumber possesses? Well, there are a couple of different ways to do it. The most popular way is to pour about half a gallon of hot or boiling water down your drains. This flushes out any detritus that might be building up on the walls of your pipes. Baking soda and vinegar are also quite popular solutions, and are excellent at removing grease and oils from the drains.
If you do have a clog that you can’t seem to get rid of, call My Drain Company and schedule an appointment with us today. We provide professional drain cleaning services in the Glendale area.
How Do Professional Plumbers Detect Leaks?
Wednesday, January 14th, 2015Leaks are very often out of sight, making them difficult to locate until they create such a mess that you can’t miss them. No one wants to wait until serious water damage has occurred before finding out about an existing leak, so how do you go about finding one? Hire a professional plumber to perform leak detection and repair for your Glendale property.
Signs of a Leak
First, let’s take a look at signs that can indicate you’ve got a leak somewhere in your home:
- Your water bill is unexpectedly high – has your water bill risen significantly but your water usage hasn’t? Water leaks are notorious water-wasters, so if your bill is suddenly sky-high, it is likely a leak has developed somewhere in your plumbing.
- Sound of constant running water – are you hearing the sound of running water when there are no open faucets? Running or dripping coming from unknown parts mean water is escaping from somewhere, somehow.
- Decrease in water pressure – your plumbing system needs to maintain a level of pressure inside it to help push the water to where it needs to go. A noticeable drop in water pressure means the air inside the system is no longer balance, and it is likely from a leak that is allowing the air to escape.
Finding Leaks
As mentioned above, many leaks are not readily visible to the eye. This is why professionals use different tools to help them locate leaky plumbing:
- Audio equipment – professional plumbers have specialized listening equipment that allows them to hear the smallest drip through drywall, plaster, cabinets and even concrete. This equipment allows the plumber to pinpoint the exact location of a leak and commence repair.
- Infrared detection – infrared technology can detect areas of moisture by temperature. Typically a leak will be cooler than the air that surrounds it, so infrared can be a fast, efficient way to find the source of a leak.
- Video – using a camera placed on a fiber optic cable, professional plumbers can look deep into any plumbing system. The camera sends back real-time video of the inside of the piping, and many cameras are equipped with dye injectors that can help pinpoint any other additional leak problems.
As you can see, accurate leak detection entails training and using professional equipment that most homeowners simply won’t have. If you suspect you have a plumbing leak, call My Drain Company today and schedule an appointment for professional plumbing repair in Glendale.
Signs You Have a Slab Leak
Friday, January 9th, 2015Many homes are built on what is known as a slab – a concrete block that serves as the foundation for the whole house. It isn’t unusual for certain piping, including your main water line, to be embedded in this cement for protection. However, cracks can develop with the piping, usually due to poor installation or damage, and these cracks can create a leak inside your slab – aka, a slab leak. It isn’t all that easy to spot a leak inside a block of cement, so to help you, the experts at My Drain Company have put together a small list of signs that can indicate you have a slab leak.
Constant Sound of Running Water
Unless you have a stream on your property, you don’t want to hear the sound of constantly running water while you are in your home. This does not include the sounds of water running from a tap or faucet; instead, this would be a trickling sound coming from an unknown location. If you are hearing this sound, and can’t locate its origin, call an expert for help.
Significant Drop in Water Pressure
If you have noticed a uniform drop in water pressure throughout your home, and have no other plumbing issues of which you are aware, there is a chance it could be a slab leak.
Significant Increase in Water Bill
Seeing a large increase in your water bill when you haven’t changed your level of water usage is usually indicative of a leak somewhere; let an expert determine where the leak is so a plan can be made for repair.
Foundation Shifts
If the leak has been there long enough, or is big enough, it can cause shifting in your foundation. This is because the soil beneath the slab is wet and unstable and as a result of the weight from your home, is causing the concrete to shift and even crack. This is a serious problem and should be handled immediately.
Slab leaks are serious business; allowing one to continue can cause tremendous water waste and even damage to your home’s foundation. If you are seeing the signs of a slab leak, call My Drain Company today and schedule an appointment for slab leak repair in Glendale.
Don’t Make These 3 Simple Mistakes with Your Garbage Disposal
Friday, December 19th, 2014The garbage disposal is a wonderful invention, and has succeeded in making the lives of homeowners quite a bit easier over the past decades. Despite its tough reputation, however, a garbage disposal does have its weaknesses and vulnerabilities. If you want your garbage disposal to live a long, productive life, don’t make these 3 simple mistakes.
Putting Bones in the Disposal
This should be a no-brainer, and yet we still run into people every year who insist on putting small bones in the garbage disposal. The misperception is that the garbage disposal is strong enough to handle bones as long as they are small and relatively thin. This is false. Bones splinter and crack when they come into contact with the garbage disposal blades, but they won’t be ground up finely enough to be washed away without a problem. Instead, they are more likely to break your disposal by jamming it.
Oils and Grease
It’s always a pain to get rid of oils and grease. When dinner is over and you’re trying to get the dishes done in a timely manner, it is very easy to just pour it all down the disposal. If you want to preserve your garbage disposal’s health, however, you’ll abstain from doing this. When oils and grease get into the garbage disposal, they harden and clog the drain. This causes the disposal to fill up with waste that can’t drain properly, causing your kitchen area to smell as well as needing a plumber to clear it out.
Vegetables and Fruits
Now, this last one really depends on the kinds of fruits and vegetables you’re putting down the disposal. The two kinds you’ll want to avoid are hard ones and fibrous ones. Putting something like a potato down the disposal can cause it to overheat, as it will require more work than the disposal is designed to do. Fibrous fruits and vegetables like celery can tangle the blades, causing the disposal to jam.
If you’re having issues with your garbage disposal, call My Drain Company. We provide garbage disposal services throughout Glendale.
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