Category: Drain Repair

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Septic Tank Cleaning and Your Home

Imagine leaving for a weekend getaway and coming back to find a pungent smell of rotten eggs has taken over your home.  Or worse, your yard is swamped in pools of sewage.  If not properly maintained, your septic tank could fail and leave a huge mess for you and the environment.

Take Luxemburg Wisconsin for example. Up to 60 percent of sampled wells in a Kewaunee County study contained fecal microbe, the type that are capable of causing illness and even fatalities for humans and calves.

According to the La Crosse Tribune, they study found “microorganisms including Cryptosporidium, a parasite that comes from both people and animals. Researchers estimated Crypto in drinking water is likely infecting 140 of the county’s 20,000 residents each year.” The cause of this contamination is bovine and human waste that enters groundwater through cracks in failed septic systems.

Even in Santa Maria, California, where the water report came back as overall safe, they found certain contaminants that cause residents to avoid the tap entirely.

“Definitely no, we would not drink the water out of the tap,” Santa Maria resident Agkash Lakshmanan said.

Big Problem

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, septic tank failures are one of the main causes of water contamination in the United States. In fact, approximately one in four homes in the United States rely on septic tanks to dispose of their waste, so while one broken septic tank may seem like a non-issue, the spills add up. The EPA states that when a septic system is improperly sited, designed, constructed, or maintained, it can contaminate ground water with bacteria, viruses, nitrates, detergents, oils, and chemicals.

Fortunately, there are key measures you can take to avoiding septic tank failures. First, conserve the amount of water you use. By reducing your showers and using water-saving fixtures you can reduce the amount of water the soil has to absorb.

You should also never dispose of anything down the drain or toilet that doesn’t belong there, such as chemicals, solvents, cleaning fluid, orange peels, coffee grounds or paint. These could clog the drain and potentially kill the good bacteria in the tank. In addition, you should make sure the drainfield is covered well with grass to prevent soil erosion and keep gutters and other drainage systems away from your drainfield and septic tank to avoid excess water.

Finally, regularly pump your tank. This prevents solids from clogging the drainfield. Your tank should be pumped every 2 to 4 years to properly maintain your system.

Septic Tank Cleaning for your Home

At Angel Plumbers Inc. we can help you pump your septic system, or fix any other plumbing problems with ease. We work 24 hours for emergencies, so if you ever do come home to a swamp of sewage in your backyard, you can trust us to be there. Call today and get the reassurance of having a  family-owned business with trusted experts keep your system in shape.

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What to Know About Drain Cleaning in Calabasas, CA

Water and drainage are part of our everyday life. We take showers, brush our teeth, wash the dishes, and flush toilets. These are routine activities that we don’t even pay attention to unless something goes wrong.

What happens when you notice that the water in your sink isn’t going down the drain as quickly as it used to? Or worse, you detect that disgusting sewer smell in your bathroom? It means that your drains could be starting to clog up, and they need a drain cleaning service. The last thing you want in your house is an overflowing toilet or a flooding laundry room that will leave you ankle deep in soapy water.

What most people do is go to the store and get the biggest bottle of drain cleaner they can find. But as convenient as these products seem, you should keep in mind a couple of details before pouring that bottle of chemicals down the drain.

The Problem with Home Drain Cleaning Products
Drain pipes in most homes in Calabasas, CA are made of plastic -usually PVC – or cast-iron. These materials do not go well with caustic drain cleaners, which is the “solution” many of us use when we see our pipes starting to clog up.

Drain cleaners can eat through PVC. It doesn’t matter if you rinse the pipe after using it. So instead of having to unclog a drain, now you’re dealing with a broken pipe. Cast-iron pipes are no better because sometimes they develop pits. And when you pour that drain liquid, it will get trapped in the pits, slowly breaking down the pipe.
Another traditional method of cleaning drain pipes is to use boiling water. We’re sorry to tell you this, but this is nothing more than an old wives tale. It is especially useless if you use it on a kitchen sink. The reason is that many kitchen drains contain a lot of grease.

When you pour boiling water, it will melt the fat and make it slide along the pipe. This will make it look like the water is flowing as it should and you will think that the problem is solved, but in reality, you just made it worse.

As soon as the grease cools, it will re-solidify, and the drain will be obstructed again. But now the problem could be deeper into the pipe, and getting to it will be much more challenging now.

As you see, trying to clean a drain using household methods can cause a lot of problems and make a tiny issue blow up into an expensive problem. The best way to get your drain cleaned is to get a professional to do it. But don’t wait until you notice the problem, the best way to keep a drain from clogging is to have it regularly cleaned.

Angel Plumbers Drain Cleaning in Calabasas, CA

Angel Plumbers offers drain cleaning services that will keep your water flowing perfectly. We are ready to help you whenever you need. Call now at (310) 857-6800 and get a free quote!