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Frequently Asked Questions About Drains
Q: How can Crush assist you with your sewer lines?
A: Call us and schedule a video inspection with our Super Cam. Our Camera saves you time, money, and the headache of guessing how to fix your sewer line. We’ll give you an estimate and a time frame and help that headache go away.
Q: Why do I keep having drainage backups and problems over and over?
A: The age and condition of your home and sewer line could be the problem. The sewer pipe used in the past was either concrete, transite (a lighter concrete material), clay, or Orangeburg (made of layers of a tarpaper-like material).
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Concrete and transite piping was a very porous material with very loose and unsealed connections, allowing roots to find openings into the pipes.
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The Orangeburg piping blisters and bubbles over the years leaving the pipe sometimes totally restricted or collapsed.
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Clay piping had joints every 3’ and those joints were very thin connections which allowed settling of the pipe in many spots, causing low spots and breaks or disconnections of joints.
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Our Super Cam allows us to video inspect the inside of your sewer line to evaluate the problem, whether it’s a break in the line, bad connections, or roots growing inside the line. Give us a call today. We can also determine the type of piping you have, the depth of the line, the length of the line, and which direction the line goes.
Q: When I flush the toilet, why does water come up in my tub?
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When a sewer line to the city or to a septic tank is plugged, any water flushed into the sewer line will come up in the lowest drain in the house, which is either a tub, shower, or floor drain.
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The more water flushed down the system through toilets, washer, dishwasher, or sinks, the more water will come up at that lowest point.
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Give us a call to clean your main sewer line between the house and the city or septic tank with our drain cleaning machine. We can clean that main sewer line through a clean-out, a pulled toilet, or a roof vent.
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If you don’t have a clean-out installed outside your home, we are prepared to excavate and install one at ground level for you.
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Q: Why do I hear gurgling sound when my washing machine empties?
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When a washer drains, it forces a lot of water down the drain at one time. If the drain is not vented properly, air bubbles trying to escape the drain line will cause the gurgling sound.
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Also, the drain line could be restricted by a buildup of soap and grease in the line.
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All drains in the house need to have proper venting for smooth drainage.
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If you are hearing gurgling when your washing machine empties, give us a call and we will determine what your exact problem is.
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Q: Why am I standing in two inches of water when showering?
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Tub and bathroom sink drains are only 1 ½” – 2” in diameter and can get a buildup of soap, shampoo, oils, dirt, and hair over a period of time, which causes slow drainage or even backup.
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These drains may be 10’-15’ away from the 4” main sewer line, so the possibility of low spots or bad connections could cause drainage problems.
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Placing a strainer of some kind over the drain to catch hair or other objects could help to keep your tub drain running smoother longer and decrease the chances of backups.
Our small drain cleaning machine could clean and clear that buildup away. If you are standing in water during your shower, contact us and we will get your shower draining quickly again.
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Q: Why does my kitchen sink drain so slowly?
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Sink drains are only 1 ½” -2” in diameter pipes and over time, soap, grease, and food debris may buildup in the line and cause slow drainage.
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Kitchen drains are sometimes 30’-40’ away from the 4” main sewer line, so there could be low places in the line, or bad joints or elbow in the line where food debris or soap/grease buildup may gather and cause slow drainage.
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If your kitchen drain is running slowly, give us a call and we can come out to get your drains running smoothly again.