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Blog Entry 30 of 39 Got a small plumbing job and don't want to pay big

Does the sink clog up on you every month? Wondering if you need a water filter and what type should you get? How about paying someone to winterize your sprinklers and swamp cooler when you could do it for next to nothing. When is it time to call in a professional and what do I look for in choosing one. I am a master plumber who's been in the business for 25 years. I've worked for many outfits (some reputable, some not) and I'm here to help as I dive into the world of journalism. C'mon in and lay on the couch...now...what's bothering you? Contact Dr. Plumb by clicking "send me a message" in the contributor information box

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Want not, waste not

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Contributed by: Micheal Gieger on 11/16/2006

I have customers who put everything but the kitchen sink down the disposal. Some have never had problems but most people, you know who you are, wonder why their disposal just doesn't do what it's supposed to do.

I had a lady who, after burning her spaghetti sauce, threw an entire pot of cooked pasta down her disposal. I snaked her line for two hours to no effect. I ended up having to cut out part of her waste line in a spider-riddled crawl space. Once I cut the line, mashed pasta water spewed all over her crawl space and me along with it. After cleaning up the mess, clearing the blockage and reconnecting the pipe, I presented her with a bill for $350. In the future, I hope she keeps the starch on her shirts and away from the drains.

Another fella called me because his entire house was flooding. My first question is usually, "What do you put down your drains?" His reply, "Oh, the usual, food and bathroom business." After we cleaned up the mess, I snaked his main line with an auger. Upon retraction, I started to see little strips of thread tangled in the cable. Once the cable was all the way out, I was looking at a ball of yarn that had wound itself around the auger tip. This man had flushed his dental floss down the toilet everyday since living in his home. I gave it all back to him along with a bill for $450.

Finally, a friend of mine had constantly complained of her slow-draining bathtub. I had put her off for some time because I hate charging friends or family. The only person I ever do free work for is my Mother-in-law. One reason: chocolate cake, she always has a piece for me when I visit. Mrs. Plumb would also make me sleep on the couch (two reasons).

Anyway, after a final call from my friend, I went over to her house and diagnosed the beastly bathtub bummer that was bothering her. Since our last communication, the tub had not only ceased to drain altogether, but the bathroom sink had joined in the party, too.

She seemed very responsible about what she was putting down the drain so I felt confident about the job being an easy fix. After snaking the tub drain, I pulled up some hair. I'm not talkin' a little hair, either. Chewbacca would have said, "Damn, that's a lotta hair." I eventually cleared the follicle frizzies and charged her $50, half my minimum (she had chocolate cake).

The point to all this is to watch what's going down your drains. Food can be composted or fed to your dogs. Composting is a great way to save money on fertilizer and keep a good portion of your trash out of landfills. I know the vet will tell you not to feed your dogs "people food," but occasional treats haven't harmed any of the dogs I've lived with (ask them).

Floss, hair, disposable cleaning products and excessive tissue usage are huge contributors to some of the jobs I've been on.

Throw your floss in the garbage, get a strainer for your tub and teach your kids to use as little tissue as possible. I know the disposable toilet brush packaging says it's safe to flush down the toilet. If it's biodegradable, then why not put it out back in the compost pile you're gonna start?

Chocolate cake isn't going to get you out of a plumbing bill you could have prevented yourself. For the good of all, use the comment box below to share any other blockage baddies you can think of.

Later,
Dr. Plumb

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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments

Submitted By: Michael Thompson

posted on 12/1/2006 @ 11:47:04 AM

Rated Blog Entry

Egg shells in the disposal can be a big problem as well. One or two didn't seem to cause a problem, but if I made scrambled eggs for the entire family, the shells would collect in a lump and clog the kitchen drain. Fortunately, I was able to clear it with a plunger, but because of our double sink, I had to stand on the drain plug in one sink while working the plunger in the other. Now I put egg shells in the trash.

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Submitted By: Joseph Kirchmer

posted on 11/30/2006 @ 3:06:49 PM

(Not Rated)

Another great blog entry Micheal.

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Submitted By: Ann Himel

posted on 11/28/2006 @ 3:23:15 PM

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So tell me if this is true: Our house was built in '74, and we have two mature trees in front. We were told that the system needs to be snaked annually (the main line out to the street) because the trees have grown roots through the main line and clog it up. Fact or fiction, Mike?

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Submitted By: Karin Malchow

posted on 11/16/2006 @ 2:15:47 PM

Rated Blog Entry

I know I am not the only person who has clogged the disposal and pipes with potato peelings preparing Thanksgiving dinner. One of our guests went home for his snake after all the men at the party stood in my basement, drinking and talking about which bend the remains packed into. The worst part is, I have a compost heap. I was just being lazy.

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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments

CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Micheal Gieger

Arvada , CO

Micheal Gieger has posted 39 blog entries and 11 comments since joining on 10/2/2006. Micheal Gieger 's average blog rating is 4.89.

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