Over the years, our customer service staff has collected tips to avoid various problems, tricks to get you out of jams, hints on the right tool for the right job, and so on. This Ask the Drain Brains blog is a selection of some of those hints and tips. You can search by category, for instance, Drain Cleaning, Sewer Cameras, Water Jetters, Cool Plumbing Tools and more.
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– The Drain Brains
Ten-thousand dollars! That’s what a national drain cleaning franchise wanted to repair recurring clogs in a 37-year-old Oberlin, Ohio, apartment complex. “They claimed they had to bust up the first floor laundry room concrete and hallway to replace the pipe and fix the problem permanently,” maintenance staffer Gary Schakel recalls. “But, I had other ideas.”…
Now is the perfect time to give your drain cleaning equipment a once- (or twice-) over to make sure it’s all in good working order. Regular preventative maintenance should be performed to prevent problems. Here is a general maintenance checklist for your equipment: Check for damaged power cords, pulled out strain reliefs, damaged switches and…
“That machine is my friend, and I go nowhere without my friend!” That’s Jeff Wall on the Mini-Rooter XP™ – his favorite drain cleaning machine. “I’ve had it everywhere – on rooftops, in basements, in crawl spaces and in yards,” he laughs. “I’ve taken it apart, transported it in sections and reassembled it in really…
Q. We’ve had the same handheld power drain cleaner for 20 years and it still keeps working, but my arms get tired from holding the machine. Is there an easier way to clear clogs in small drains? A. You’ve got a tough little machine that was great in its day. But now there are…
Here’s an interesting safety tip courtesy of an unexpected source: actor, Tom Hanks. Hanks was recently interviewed about his role in “Captain Phillips,” the true story of a kidnapped sea captain. He recalled what he learned from the real Captain Phillips. “He begins and ends his day with a walk-around of the entire ship.…
The sewer line of a one-year-old Kentucky house should have run clean and free, but the homeowner kept suffering persistent back-ups, and repeated snaking failed to work. That’s when Jarboe’s Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric & Remodeling sprang into action. The Louisville-based plumbing professionals marshaled an arsenal of General Pipe Cleaners diagnostic and drain cleaning equipment…
Q. I handle maintenance for a fast food chain, and the grease clogs are wearing me out. I clear it with my snake, but the clog comes right back. Is there a better tool for clearing grease clogs for good? A. Nothing clears a clog for good, but the best tool to clear grease clogs…
Today we’re addressing one of the most common questions that the Drain Brains at General get asked: How do I load a cable into a drum? Watch this short 3-minute video with tips for properly loading a drain cleaning cable into a drum of a General Pipe Cleaners drain cleaning machine. More Information Contact the…
“It takes longer to write up the bill than to unclog a drain with that tool.” That’s how Dale Smith describes the Kinetic Water Ram® from General Pipe Cleaners. The lightweight, compact device safely, quickly and cleanly clears clogged sinks, toilets and tubs with the power of compressed air. It’s also given Smith a clear…
If you have old drain cleaning equipment, you’d better make sure you check out the machines before you use them. Older machines don’t have the safety features of the newer drain cleaners. First things first, you’ll want to inspect the equipment for safety. Here’s what to check for on old equipment: Check the power…
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