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
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…
For tough blockages that can’t be cleared with a cable drain cleaning machine, water jetters can save the day. In the past, cable machines were the only option available. They do a great job of cutting roots and debris, as well as removing objects from drains, but certain types of stoppages can’t be cleared with…
After four decades, Jack Elvig Sr. still values performance and reliability in drain cleaning tools. “I’ve been exclusively in commercial property maintenance since 1966,” Elvig said. “And in that time, I’ve developed a pretty clear picture of what works and what doesn’t.” That’s why the Seattle-Tacoma maintenance professional favors General Pipe Cleaners’ equipment, especially the Power-Vee™…
Choosing the right tool for the job will clear the line faster and reduce your maintenance expenses caused by using the wrong tool at the wrong time, making your job easier and profits bigger. By taking the time to answer a few questions about the blockage before you start the job, you can easily match…
Q. I’m planning to expand my business from remodeling to doing a little drain cleaning work to increase my income through the slow months. What type of drain cleaning tools would you recommend to meet the inevitable clogged drain emergency? A. You’ve made a good decision. A drain cleaning tool can pay for itself in…
How can we make our customers’ day-to-day life easier, more efficient and more productive? When plumbing tool manufacturers are developing the next great tool—that is the question they are looking to answer. Today’s plumbing contractors have several tools at their disposal that can make their days easier and more productive—allowing them to quickly diagnose a…
Q: We maintain apartment buildings by the river. When heavy rains come in the spring and fall, the river rises, causing basement floor drains to back up. Is there a device that can prevent a major mess? A: Yes, you have two options. There are a number of water sensors on the market that will detect water…
It’s springtime, and that means it’s time for the baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and tree root problems. Actually, tree roots have been growing all through the winter, trying to find a source of water. They find their way into cracked sewer lines and loose pipe fittings. You just won’t know about it until the…
Grease-clogged pipes produce problems. But the right drain cleaning equipment, Chris Fantauzzo contends, turns those problems into profits. “Health inspectors, for instance, want restaurants to clean grease traps regularly – often every six months,” said Fantauzzo, the owner of Mercer Drain Cleaning Service. Bar owners, municipal authorities, and homeowners, he added, also suffer grease, sediment, sand…
In a previous post we talked about how cables that become kinked or tangled inside your drum can masquerade as power feed problems. Remember, if the cable is so ‘stuck’ inside the drum that you can’t move it in or out by hand, the power feed won’t either. It’s not nearly as strong as you…
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