SAFETY TIP # 1: Do not pour caustic liquid drain cleaner into a drain that is completely clogged. The caustic ingredients can get trapped in your pipes and cause severe damage.

SAFETY TIP #2: Do not use a plunger on a drain if you have poured caustic drain cleaner into it. Caustic chemicals in the pipes could splash up during plunging.

If you haven?t poured caustic drain cleaner down the clogged drain, you can try unclogging it by using a time-honored drain opener, the rubber plunger. This inexpensive tool will usually break up the clog and allow it to float away. Remember though, it may take more than a few plunges to do the trick.

1. Fill the drain or toilet with enough water to cover the cup of the plunger. (If you have a double sink, make sure that you plug up the other sink drain with a stopper or wet rag.)

2. Put the plunger in the water, making sure to let all the air out of the cup. A plunger works only when the entire cup is completely filled with water.

3. Press the cup flat against the sink or toilet to form a seal.

4. Plunge up and down rapidly. If you are not feeling much resistance or if you hear the water sloshing around inside and you are working on a double sink, make sure that the other drain is plugged.

5. If you are plunging a sink, once the clog has been loosened, run hot water through the drain to flush it out.

6. If plunging didn?t do the trick, drop a handful of baking soda with 1/2 cup of vinegar down the drain, followed by 6 cups boiling water. Let this mixture sit overnight. In the morning flush with more water.

7. An enzyme drain cleaner (available in stores) may also unclog your drain.

8. To read about other reasons for clogged drains, you can also see our section on Rusted Pipes.

If your efforts have been unsuccessful, you can call us at (612) 922-9422 or Contact us Online for advice, or you can schedule a service call to have one of our expert technicians evaluate and solve the problem!

It?s almost Fourth of July weekend, and that typically means many of you will be hosting family gatherings and parties at your home ? Independence Day is always a celebration. Whether you have plans to barbeque on the grill, attend a neighborhood picnic or watch local fireworks, a little plumbing know-how can save you from some of your worst party fears ? a plumbing disaster!

If you?re hosting a party this weekend, you?ll want to make sure your plumbing and appliances are ready to take the wear and tear that comes with lots of use.

1. Be aware of what you?re putting down your garbage disposal.

Our first piece of advice: don?t use your garbage disposal as a waste receptacle! When you?re making your famous potato or pasta salad, make sure the remnants aren?t thrown down your kitchen sink. Fibrous foods and starchy vegetables are difficult for the blades to grind.aCheck out this article for a full list of garbage disposal do?s and don?ts.

2. What do you do if your ice maker stops working?

There are many possible causes as to why your ice maker would stop working. First off, make sure water is flowing to the ice maker and there aren?t any kinks in the tubing. If you can?t figure out the issue, give us a call and we?ll help you figure out if it?s a plumbing issue or appliance issue. In the meantime, grab a few bags of ice to have handy!

3. Your toilet clogs!

If your toilet clogs the first thing you need to do is shut off the water valve located behind your toilet before it overflows.aWhatever you do, don?t try to re-flush!aFind a plunger and carefully plunge the toilet, ensuring you?ve made a tight seal around the hole. Once you?ve finished, turn the water back on and give the toilet a cautious flush to see if you dislodged the clog. If the water rises high, shut it off again and give us a call.

4. You?re running out of hot water from your water heater.

Planning to have guests stay overnight? We suggest that you wait at least 15 minutes in between a shower so hot water can replenish. However, if your system is 8-12 years old and you see signs of corrosion you should consider replacing it.

5. Before the party starts, make sure your gas plumbing system is working.

If you have an outdoor kitchen area, or a grill that attaches to a gas line, make sure it?s working before the party starts! You?ll have a hard time grilling those hamburgers and hot dogs without the gas line working properly.

Whatever happens, don?t stress ? Len The Plumber is here to provide you with Same Day Service, 7 Days A Week ? includingaJuly 4th! aOur certified and knowledgeable technicians are always standing by to take care of your plumbing emergencies. aFrom all of us at Len The Plumber, we hope you have a wonderful holiday and a safe, happy and healthy summer!

In response to sewer pipe and water line damage, many Sacramento homeowners may feel overwhelmed by the many renovation options, techniques and providers available to them. The entire process of inspection, finding damage sources, consultation and repairs can be drastically simplified early on, by contacting the right plumbing professionals. If you are a homeowner in the Sacramento area with a faulty or damaged sewer line, Express Sewer & Drain is here for you.a

Homeowners who learn the early indicators of pipe damage can be much more prepared for pipe renovations than those who don?t, and can thus make better informed repair decisions. Early detection and preventative countermeasures will significantly streamline renovations and pipe repairs later on.

If you begin noticing the following plumbing symptoms, your sewer pipe or other pipe systems may be damaged:

• Poor, decreased water pressure and pipe flows
• Strange or unnatural odors
• Lawn puddles, dampness or lush grass patches
• Clogging or frequent blockages

Before moving forward with any sewer pipe repair operations, it is important for homeowners to assure damages are to their sewer line and not other water pipe systems. A full, comprehensive inspection should inform you of where damages exist. Homeowners can pinpoint pipe damages using a variety of analysis techniques, including water meter inspection, irrigation inspection and water valve tests. If pipe damage has been detected, local plumbing professionals can help you determine the fuller and exact extent of damage.

Knowing the primary causes, factors and indicators of pipe line damage can significantly help you determine which sewer pipe renovation is ideal for your pipe line. Typically, most leaks, cracks, ruptures and corrosive buildups of pipes result from external interferences, such as environmental or foundational changes.

The most common examples of these pipe-threatening factors are:a

• Surface pressure
• Improper or faulty pipe installation
• Shifting foundations and soil activity
• Underground animal activity
• Chemical deterioration with age
• Root infiltrationa

Having identified pipe damage, you can begin to weigh your renovation options and decide which repair is best suited for your sewer pipe. Deciding between repairing a pipe and replacing a pipe depends on the extent of the damage and the condition of your pipe. However, homeowners no longer need to worry about damaging trench pipe replacements or incredible labor fees with today?s trenchless technology. These trenchless technology techniques, having been quickly adopted by plumbing professionals in the Sacramento area, can effectively repair replace damaged sewer pipes; whatever work the damages require, trenchless technology is today?s preferred solution.

If damage to your sewer pipe is centralized, or concentrated around a specific section of pipe, a trenchless technique known as sectional point repair may be your best option. This method, also known as ?sectional lining,? does not require sizeable digging, but rather two small, manageable cavities at both ends of the damaged pipe section.

First, a plumbing service professional performs a video inspection of the damaged pipe to determine the exact location of the damage. Using small cavities as entry- and exit- points, plumbing professionals line the existing pipe with a fiberglass and resin repair segment. Repair segments are made from a liquid solution, which is led through the existing pipe and cured within it using air pressure; hence why trenchless technology is also known as cured-in-place-pipe (CIPP).

These new segments are stronger and more durable than existing pipe lines, and their installation does not result in any great property damage. Due to sectional point repair?s swift and simple process, and minimal digging, the technique has quickly become the industry-preferred pipe repair method.a

However, as time progresses, and environmental and structural elements take their time on sewer pipes, repair operations may not resolve a damaged or broken pipe problem; rather, full replacements may be in order. Traditionally, these replacements would require large digging operations and costly labor; fortunately for Sacramento homeowners, your local plumbing service professionals are able to use trenchless solutions to replace unsalvageable sewer pipe.

Employing the same fiberglass solution as sectional point pipe repairs, these new pipes are fed through a small opening and cured underground, preventing the expensive, time-consuming hassle of digging and lawn remodeling. The unique and advanced material composition of these pipes gives them a 50+ year life expectancy.

More severe pipe replacements often begin with pipe bursting. Pipe bursting is the non-invasive process of fragmenting and dislodging old, broken sewer pipes; this is done by driving an expanding head, which is slightly wider than the damaged pipe, through the length of the pipe. This expanding head is physically attached to the new, replacement pipe, which is seamlessly installed as the expanding head clears the old pipe out of its way.

Pipe bursting replacement shares many of the same benefits as standard trenchless technologies:a

• Highly controlled and minimal digging
• Incredibly fast installation
• Cost-effective labor and process
• Professional and durable results

These new trenchless technologies are a significant improvement over traditional trenching renovation methods, and are something you should strongly consider if dealing with a damaged or broken sewer pipe. The thorough excavations of trenching repairs are a thing of the past with this new technology, as well as the property damage, high labor fees and stresses that came with it.

To learn more about sewer pipe repairs in your Sacramento home, or what trenchless technology can do for your home pipe system, contact Express Sewer & Drain today. Our service professionals have the experience and professionalism needed for successful plumbing consultation, inspection and trenchless repairs.

It?s time to break out the BBQ, pick up your favorite summer sweets and pull out the lounge chairs ? 4th of July weekend is almost here! Like most, we have a feeling that you might be spending your weekend enjoying fireworks shows, spending time in the yard with family and friends, and maybe even going to the beach. That said, we want to make sure that you?re enjoying these holiday happenings safely ? here are a few safety tips we?ve compiled thanks to the American Red Cross:

Especially if this year?s 4th of July weekend celebrations will be happening for the most part at your home, we want to remind you that we?re available 24/7 to assist with unexpected plumbing emergencies. If needed, don?t hesitate to give us a call at 714.630.8766 for help in your Orange County home!

If you are looking for ways to save more water at home, the best and safest way is to buy energy and water-efficient products, ranging from toilets, washing machines and dishwashers to sprinkler nozzles. Even though they can save both your water and money in the long run, they may outweigh your current budget. However, check out 5 ways to save more water at home (and more money for utility bills), without investing much.

Get a dual-flush toilet

Installing dual-flush toilets may significantly contribute to saving water. Basically, a dual-flush toilet treats solid waste differently from liquid waste, which makes it different from standard American type toilets. More specifically, it comes with two flush options: liquid waste is disposed of with a half-flush, while a full-flush is reserved for solid waste. In that way, you save can save as many as 3 gallons of water per flush, since a standard full-flush uses 3-5 gallons, as opposed to ??low-flush?? which uses only 1-2 gallons. Take a look at more water-efficient sanitary ware.

Install low-flow showerheads

A long hot shower can use up to 10 gallons of water per minute, whereas the low-flow option uses less than 2 gpm (gallons per minute). If you don?t want to cut down on the amount of time you spend in the shower, consider having water-efficient showerheads ? they are relatively cheap and easy to install. You can save approximately 8 gallons of water per minute with every relaxing shower you take!

Install aerators on all faucets

Aerators are a perfect and inexpensive option for your kitchen faucet. For around $5, you can save 280 gallons of water per month. Besides being a low-cost option, aerators are easy to install. The simple trick with aerators is that they function like a sieve: the water flow is reduced by mixing water with air. A single flow is therefore divided into tiny streams. Many users don?t even notice the difference in water pressure, some even say the pressure is lighter since the flow is controlled, which is also a major plus for having aerated faucets.

Check for leaks regularly

Don?t risk wasting hundreds of gallons of water due to an undetected leak. Make sure you run a regular check for leaking pipes and faucets. There are a few simple things you can do to check if there are any leaks. For example, put food coloring in the toilet tank ? if the water in the toilet bowl changed its color, there is a leak in your toilet. In most cases, you can fix that yourself. Also, check your water meter before and after a two-hour period of time when you don?t use water. If the reading on the meter is not the same, there is a leak somewhere in the house, so you?d better call your plumber to have a look at it.

Insulate hot water pipes

Since most water pipes are uninsulated, they don?t store the heat but rather give it off. Consequently, water heaters have to work harder and longer to make up for the lost heat, which inevitably results in higher energy bills. One way to prevent that is to insulate the pipes using a pre-slit foam pipe insulation or fiberglass pipe insulation. Most insulation options are available in hardware stores and are economical and easy to install. However, most people are reluctant to insulate hot water pipes themselves, so they choose to hire a plumbing service for maximum efficiency.

And don?t forget?

If you really want to start doing things differently and become more environmentally-conscious, you also have to change the habits regarding water usage. Think about the amount of water you waste every day without being aware of it. Why get rid of surplus water when you can use it for something else? For example, when rinsing fruit and vegetables or running water while waiting for it to heat or when accidentally dropping ice cubes, collect the ??leftover?? water and use it for watering the plants or flushing the toilet. The tricks are always simple, but the saving is great.

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