Call 1-877-ROOTER2 (766-8372)

Sewer back-ups are disgusting, especially if you have a house full of company on Thanksgiving.  “It happens,” says Bob Beall, “we have calls frequently on holidays.”  In most plumbing repairs speed is essential, but unclogging the main drain calls for patience.  “The column of water trapped by the blockage may extend above the clean-out, and it will gush out, adding to any existing flooding caused by the original clogged drains, as soon as the plug is removed,” says Mr Rooter.

“If possible, wait for at least two or three hours after you spot the trouble to permit dispersion of whatever waste can seep past the blockage,” says Beall.  “Even then, you will need to arm yourself, (and your company), with mops, pails, rags and old newspapers for soaking up the overflow.”  Not a welcome chore on a Thanksgiving Day.  Not a welcome plumbing emergency, any day.

Beall offers free expert plumbing advice daily and one of the most sought after answers from homeowners is:  How do I locate the clog?  Since waste flows downward and toward the sewer, any clog in a major drain is always below the level of the lowest stopped-up fixture and above the level of the highest working fixture.  “If all top floor fixtures clog and the main floor and basement fixtures drain freely, the blockage is in the upper soil stack.  If the main floor and top floor fixtures are stopped up while the basement ones drain freely, the blockage is in the lower soil stack,” says Beall.

Sometimes you can clear the stack from the roof.  If everything clogs, the blockage is in the main drain; clear it from the main clean-out or house trap.

Mr Rooter Tip Of The Day

Tip #1  To open the main clean-out:  Look for the Y-shaped fitting near the bottom of the soil stack or where the drain leaves the house.  Set a pail underneath the clean-out plug and lay rags around to catch the flood that may occur.  Use a pipe wrench to unscrew the plug counter-clockwise.  If the plug does not turn, first try working penetrating oil into the threads, then slide a section of pipe over the wrench to increase your leverage.  As a last resort, nick the plug’s edge with a cold chisel and – keeping the blade in the nick – hammer the plug around.

Tip #2  To work from the main clean-out:  Remove the plug completely and mop up the flood.  Using a drain-and-trap auger long enough to reach the sewer outlet, probe and remove the obstruction, then flush with a hose.  Coat the plug with grease or pipe compound and recap the clean-out.

Tip #3  To open the house trap:  Locate this fitting by its two adjacent clean-out plugs, visible at floor level if the main drain runs under the floor.  Spread heavy rags or stacks of newspapers around the trap to prepare for flooding, then slowly loosen the plug closest to the outside sewer line.  If no water leaks out as you unscrew the plug, the clog is in the trap or the main drain between the trap and main clean-out and may be fairly easy to remove.  If water seeps out, probe the drain beyond the house trap with an auger.  Unless you can remove such a blockage quickly, recap the plug and call Mr Rooter.  This is beyond the scope of what a homeowner can accomplish.

Tip #4  To work from the trap:  Unscrew the trap plug completely and feed an auger through the trap toward the main clean-out, but probe gently.  Do not attempt to free the blockage all at once, as you would when working from above, but poke a small hole in it.  Wait for water to drain gradually, then break up the blockage with repeated jabs of the auger.  After the flow subsides, open both house trap clean-outs and scrape out any remaining sludge with a wire brush.

TRADE SECRET:  If the clog is not in the trap but in the main drain between the trap and the clean-out, remove the second trap plug and feed the auger toward the clean-out, following the same precautions.  Recap the house trap clean-outs and insert a hose into the main clean-out to flush the main drain.  Replace the clean-out plug.

Beall ‘s goal is to provide affordable costs to homeowners for any of the services they may need, many of which might occur unexpectedly. Mr Rooter coupons help to achieve this goal, as well as expert plumbing advice offered daily to homeowners.  Mr Rooter prides itself on excellent customer service.  Fast, courteous and front line services is what you should expect.  We guarantee that is what you will get and our customers always know the price before we start.

About Mr. Rooter ^® :

Established in 1970, Mr. Rooter® is an all-franchised, full-service plumbing and drain cleaning company serving 2.9 million consumers in the Northeast Ohio and Southwest Pennsylvania region. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its “Franchise 500” and Franchise Times Top 200, Mr. Rooter® provides services to both residential and commercial customers.  24/7 emergency plumbing repairs call 1-877-ROOTER2.  For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit our Web site at www.rooter2.com .  Follow Mr. Rooter on Twitter (https://twitter.com/mrrootermedia ), or like Mr. Rooter on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/MrRooterPittsburgh).

Mr Rooter currently serves seven major Southwest PA counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Sharon, Mercer, Washington, and Westmoreland.  Mr Rooter Youngstown serves three major Northeast OH counties:  Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull.

There’s A Reason They Call Us Mr.™

Debra Santavicca PR, SMM, WebIT

Mr. Rooter Media Center
724-553-9510
www.rooter2.com