Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no travel charges.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
Where & What Is A Sewer Clean Out?
This article gives details about Sewer Clean Outs in Dallas, Texas area homes. This information does not apply to most other areas within the U.S. In DFW, homes built on slab foundation or pier and beam foundation. Newer DFW homes and others with newer (lawn) sewer lines typically have a clean out, as they are now required by Building Codes. Unless the lawn sewer lines have been replaced, many older homes do not have a sewer clean out in the lawn. If the home does not have a clean out in the lawn, access to the sewer is through a plumbing vent pipe on the roof.
If You Live Outside The Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX area,
The Final Section Of This Article Discusses Sewer Lines Maintenance.
What & Where Is Your Sewer Clean Out?
A Sewer Clean Out Is The Location Where A Home’s Sewer Line Can Be Accessed For The Purpose Of Clearing Clogs. Clean outs typically have a screw-off, removable cap. From that access point, sewer line clearing machines can go both under the house or toward the city sewer line to find and clear the clog.
In DFW newer homes have a sewer main clean out access located in the lawn.
In newer DFW homes, the Sewer Clean Out is located in the lawn near the house. It may be inside a plastic box with a removable green lid. Due to its location, it is possible the clean out may be covered with rock or mulch — as it’s typically located within planting-beds close to the house.
Older DFW Homes May Not Have A Lawn Sewer Clean Out
Clean Outs For Smaller Drain Lines
In DFW homes, there are typically clean outs in exterior walls near sinks. They are accessed from outside. Only the removable plug (and connection it screws into) are visible from outside. Depending on the age of the home, the exterior wall clean outs may be: Metal, ABS / black plastic, or PVC /white plastic.
Sewer Lines Maintenance
Drain Lines Accumulate Build-Up On Their Interior Surfaces
The Most Common Build-Up Is Due To FOG (fats, oils, & grease) Poured Into Drains
The Environmental Protection Agency Estimates That Each Year Nearly Half Of All Sewer Backups Are Related To Grease Poured Into Drains.
Here is what happens after grease is poured into a drain. As it moves down the sewer line, grease starts to cool and becomes a semi-solid. Fats, Oils, & Grease mix with chemicals & solids in the sewers and form masses that build up and eventually block sewer pipes.
Of particular problem is FOG mixing with “flushable” Baby Wipes. These wipes do not degrade like toilet paper. Instead, they move down the sewer line or a short distance and settle to the bottom of the pipe. This Happens: Under Your Home, In Your Lawn, and In The City’s Sewer lines.
Click Here For A Demonstration Showing That Baby Wipes Don’t Disintegrate: Phys.org Toilet Paper & Baby Wipes Ability To Disintegrate
In This Test, Toilet Paper Took 2-1/2 Minutes To Disintegrate. After 20 hours, the 3 different brands of baby wipes were the same as when flushed.
2018 News Reports Detailed A Manufacturer Of White King Brand “Flushable” Wipes Was Fined $700,000 The wipes were advertised as “just like toilet paper” though they do not disintegrate in the sewer system. A Federal Court found the wipes manufacturer, Pental Products, guilty of false & misleading representations. In particular, Pental claimed that the wipes would break down in the sewerage system like toilet paper does.
Future Sewer Clogs Can Often Be Prevented
Once build-up starts accumulating, it will eventually clog your home’s sewer lines. The clog may be under the house or in the lawn (connecting the house to the city’s sewer lines).
Build Up also clogs municipal sewer lines. In September, 2016 workers in London discovered one of the largest grease clogs in history. The clog was twice the length of 2 soccer fields, and weighed an estimated 130 tons! Grease clogs of this magnitude can have municipal sewers backing up into homes and into the streets.
To Learn More About This Massive Baby Wipes & FOG (fats, oils, & grease) Clog, Click Here: FoxNews.com Baby Wipes & FOG clog.
Sewer Lines Maintenance /Cleaning
Sewer Lines Require Maintenance. Here Is The Best Drain-Maintenance Solution:
Use An Enzyme Drain Cleaner.
What is an enzyme drain cleaner? These drain cleaners do not have chemicals. Enzyme drain cleaners contain bacteria cultures & enzymes that respond to the presence of organic substances. Enzymatic drain cleaners are a much safer alternative to chemical drain cleaners.
There are many brands of Enzymatic Drain Cleaners. Enzyme drain cleaners are used mostly for sewer pipe maintenance. Possibly the best enzyme drain cleaner brand is BIO-CLEAN. It is sold and recommended by Al’s Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning. If the drain is already clogged, try a plunger or drain-snake.
BIO-CLEAN is a special combination of natural bacteria & enzymes that DIGESTS organic waste located in your plumbing system such as: grease, hair, soap scum, food particles & other organic wastes. Monthly BIO-CLEAN treatments are likely keep your drain liness clean and trouble-free
In nature, all organic matter is broken down and recycled by enzymes and bacteria. BIO-CLEAN uses this same principal to biodegrade organic waste that accumulates in your plumbing system. The enzymes are very fast and start breaking down waste. BIO-CLEAN contains billions of bacteria, and they double in number every 30 minutes! Unrestricted by gravity they spread through the entire plumbing system devouring organic waste.
BIO-CLEAN has no effect on inorganic materials such as sewer lines. BIO-CLEAN does not product heat, fumes or bubbling like many chemical drain cleaners. BIO-CLEAN is safe for plumbing and the environment. BIO-CLEAN is approved by the U.S.D.A for use in Meat and Poultry Plants.
Enzymatic drain cleaners have an added advantage for homes with a septic system (where no city sewer is available). Enzymatic drain cleaners were originally designed and used to help maintain septic tanks. A common product sold for septic tanks is Rid-X. The bacteria & enzymes can’t eat non-organic items such as sewer pipes and the interiors of septic tanks.
SHOWN: Rid-X Was Designed As A Septic Tank Treatment. It Uses Enzymes & Bacterial To Help Clear Septic Tanks.
If You Have Used Chemical Drain Cleaners That Did Not Clear The Clog
Don’t Use A Plunger Or Drain-Snake Later.
You Risk Getting Chemical Drain Cleaner On Skin Or Into Your Eyes.
Before Using A Drain Cleaner, Attempt To Clear A Clog With A Plunger Or Drain Snake.
A toilet plunger and a sink plunger are not the same. A Toilet plunger is designed to fit down into the area just below the bowl. This maximizes its effectiveness.
A sink plunger has a flat rubber. It’s designed to stay in contact with the sink to maximize its effectiveness.
Click On The Photo To View, See Details, Or Purchase This Item From Amazon.com.
SUMMARY:
This article describes what & where a drain line is for homes in the Dallas, Texas area. This information does not apply to homes with basements or slab homes in other locations within the U.S. .
Also discussed is sewer lines maintenance which notably reduces the chances of a clog in the future. We suggested how to easily provide drain maintenance with enzymatic drain cleaners. Monthly maintenance (bi-monthly for households of 1-2) will introduce organic-waste eating bacteria & enzymes into your drain lines. These bacteria will eat away at the build-up in the sewer lines until it’s gone. Once there is nothing to left eat, the bacteria will move on (into the city’s sewer main).
Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s is near your home in Garland, Richardson and Wylie. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no travel charges.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service