Something stinks. I know there are a lot of dishes but they haven’t been sitting there long enough to stink. When the faucet is turned on, the smell gets worse. Finally, I broke down and called a professional. The plumber brought some tools but was unable to unclog my drains with his extensive drain cleaning procedure. This is when I found out about in-line camera sewer inspections.
In-line camera sewer inspections are done when it is suspected that a sewer line is being obstructed by something. They connect a specially made, waterproof, high resolution, drain camera to the end of flexible rod and it is inserted into the pipe. The malleable material of the rod allows for the plumber to see every inch of the pipe, even around corners. The best part of this for me was the elimination of the guess work. Is the blockage in my drain, the pipes under the sink, under the house, or somewhere else entirely? Taking apart sewer pipes is the worst job for me, so having a camera tell us exactly where the problem was located was simply heavenly. This type of camera can also identify if there is grease build up, broken pipes, root intrusion, corrosion, or leaks.
Leaks are another very common issue, unfortunately. According to research, 3,000 gallons of water a year could be wasted if a faucet is leaking one drip per second. Also, 20% to 35% of households have some degree of a leaky toilet. Fixing these simple plumbing issues can save a homeowner at least 10% on their water bill!
The end of my stinky drain story is a happy ending, thankfully; they found the blockage quite close to the surface and found they simply needed a longer sewer snake to remove the obstruction. However, not all stories end this way. If a sewer is more than 40 years old, there is a good possibility that it needs to be replaced in order to prevent corrosion and breakage. There could be many reasons as to why a drain is clogged or blocked whether it is your toilet, sink, bathtub or shower. (Part of the reason I love the idea of in-line camera sewer inspections, so there’s no wondering!) You do not have to try to fix it yourself. A lot of times, although we are trying to save money by doing our plumbing repairs ourselves, it ends up being more cost effective to call a professional to begin with! What with the amazing tools they have available to them nowadays like sewer snakes, the offer of an in-line camera sewer inspection, professional drain cleaning, etc; I’m confident that they would be able to diagnose and repair the problem in no time.
The last thing to consider is your water heater. Water heaters do last a long time but if you are not experiencing the heat you used to, or for the duration that you are used to, it may be time to replace it. Never try replacing a water heater on your own. This one is definitely best left to the professionals.
Now, if you’ve determined replacing your water heater is the best plan of action, you may want to try out a tankless water heater. These water heaters are designed for efficiency. They supply a limitless supply of hot water, even for multiple uses at the same time. Not only do they save energy and are much smaller than the standard water heater, these tankless heaters are a smart investment and you never have to replace the entire system! Each piece is replaceable in and of itself.
