Problematic sewer lines can be catastrophic circumstances.

Help your Colorado Springs home’s drainage system stay in tip-top shape while keeping your home running better than ever. 

Here are 4 sewer maintenance tips to help you avoid a crisis.

1. Watch What You Put Down Your Disposal

If you’re guilty of shoving everything on your plate down the garbage disposal you’re not alone. 

Many believe that because it’s called a “garbage disposal” they can put anything down the sink, unfortunately that is not the case. 

While garbage disposals can help you get rid of some garbage that would stink up your home, such as certain veggies, small fish bones, and more; there are actually many types of food that you can’t put down the garbage disposal.

Check out our blog on what you can & can’t put down your garbage disposal.

2. Use a Sink Strainer

If your sink doesn’t come with a garbage disposal, or even if it does, buying and using a sink strainer is a great way to help prevent clogs.

Even if you try to get every scrap into the garbage and are cautious about what you put down the disposal — things tend to slip by occasionally leading to a catastrophe.

This is where the sink strainer comes in. 

By catching all of those stray pieces of food before they go down the sink you will be keeping your drainage system running smoothly.

3. Plan Your Landscaping 

Did you know your landscaping projects can greatly impact your sewers and drains?

Planting trees outside of your home can not only increase the value of your home, new trees can give your home shade, and provide curb appeal; however, trees can also do significant damage to your sewer and drainage systems. 

Placing trees too close to your pipes can lead to the roots growing into the pipes causing caustostropic damage. 

Trees, like any living thing, require water. When they are looking for a water source your sewer pipes are one of the first things that will nourish them. 

Be sure to put your trees a considerable distance away from your sewers and drain pipes and make sure to give them enough water so they don’t need to look for it elsewhere.

4. Get a Drain Video Inspection

If you’re purchasing a new home you’ll definitely want to get a drain video inspection before signing any closing documents.

A drain video inspection is not part of your regular mandatory home inspections, but without it, it can lead to just as many expensive repairs as those that may be found in your general home inspection.

Drain pipes are not seen and therefore usually forgotten about, but ignoring your drain pipes by eliminating an inspection can leave you blind to tree root issues, clogs, breaks, corroding, and much more. This type of damage leads to thousands of dollars in repairs.

Even if you already own your home, if you’re experiencing frequent blockages, inconsistent water pressure or foul odors, a drain video inspection might be necessary.

Don’t Wait, Call a Sewer and Drain Cleaning Company

The longer you wait, the worse things will get.

Don’t wait until your problem gets too big and ends up costing you more, call a sewer and drain cleaning company at the first sign of a problem.

Whitney Sewer & Drain Cleaning in Colorado Springs is a local, emergency drain cleaning company that specializes in drain and sewer cleaning and repairs, drain video inspections, and sewer line repair and replacement.

Contact us for a free quote today!

The post 4 Sewer Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Pipes Running appeared first on Whitney Sewer.

A home inspection allows you to negotiate with the seller about the serious issues you may find or allows you to escape your contract all together if there are too many serious structural problems, safety issues, etc.

Although you, as the buyer, will be paying out of pocket for the inspections, getting inspections is crucial in the buying process so you know if you will have serious issues to deal with after you purchase the property. Since you are the one paying for the inspection, there are a few inspection options you can choose. 

Here is a list of 5 of the most important inspections to do before you buy your new home in Colorado Springs.

General Inspections

General home inspections are the most common home inspection done. 

A general home inspection will cover features of your Colorado Springs home that are visible to the eye. This ranges from roofing, driveway erosion, safety concerns such as fire and carbon monoxide alarms and various other things. 

Your inspector will then write a report detailing his/her findings and recommendations of how to proceed to bring the home up to standard.

A standard home inspection will cost around $500 – $700.

Before choosing your inspector, be sure to look over their reviews and credentials.

Sewer Scope Inspection

Unlike a regular home inspection, sewer inspections deal with problems not visible to the eye that may be underneath the house.

Oftentimes, sewers don’t show signs of any problems until it’s too late. Usually sewer companies, such as our team at Whitney Sewer & Drain Cleaning, aren’t called in until drains are backing up or even worse flooding your home with sewer water.

Our team at Whitney Sewer & Drain Cleaning in Colorado Springs performs sewer drain line video inspections by using high tech cameras to go beneath the surface of your property. This allows us to see if the water and waste are flowing in the right direction, if maintenance needs to be performed or if there are any disruption such as tree roots that need to be cleaned out and repaired.

Sewer repairs can be in the thousands of dollars depending on the damage done, while an inspection can range from $100-$250. It may seem unnecessary, but you’ll be thankful you spent the money if you buy a home with major damage.

Radon Testing

A naturally occurring radioactive gas, radon can increase the risk of lung cancer. 

According to the EPA nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U.S. has elevated radon levels and scientists estimate that 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths nationwide each year are related to radon.

Radon gas can build up in enclosed spaces, such as basements, and with so many basements in Colorado Springs homes, performing radon testing as part of your home inspection is wise.

Radon tests take 48 hours to show results and can be anywhere from $100-$200.

Lead-Based Painting

In 1978, the federal government banned the use of lead-based painting. However, many homes in Colorado Springs built before 1978, and even some after, still have lead-based paints in them. 

Lead-based paint can cause serious health conditions, even death. Replacing lead-based paint jobs is not cheap, so if you’re looking at an older home in Colorado Springs you should consider getting a lead-based paint inspection.

Chimney Inspections

Many homeowners want a wood-burning fireplace and their home, just don’t forget about getting a chimney inspection before closing.

Some older chimneys don’t have the proper liners or the structure could be falling apart. Both of these problems could cause serious damage and health issues. 

A chimney inspection will be able to see these problems and can make sure that your chimney is running smoothly.

Sewer Home Inspections in Colorado Springs

If you’re purchasing a new construction or a resale home in Colorado Springs, it’s important to remember that while the home itself may not have any issues by just looking at it, you never know what’s lying underneath.

As we mentioned, sewer problems can cost thousands of dollars to repair and often go unnoticed especially if you purchase a home with only 1 or 2 residents and you move in a family of 5. 

Before you purchase your Colorado Springs home, make sure to get a sewer drain line video inspection done. 

Whitney Sewer & Drain Cleaning has served the Colorado Springs area since 1972. Our focus is to provide our customers with excellent levels of service from your first call to the end of your inspection. To schedule your sewer inspection, contact us today.

The post What Home Inspections To Do Before You Buy appeared first on Whitney Sewer.

With how often sinks and toilets are used, backup and clogs are common even in the most well-maintained homes. However, not all problems are easily seen or can be treated with a simple plunger.

One of the most valuable tools in the sewer & drain business is drain video inspection.

If you are experiencing any of the issues below, call a Colorado Springs sewer & drain cleaning company to help you. They will be able to not only repair any problems but will also inspect your plumbing for any further issues.

What is a Sewer/Drain Video Inspection?

Our professionally trained, Whitney Sewer & Drain Cleaning specialists in Colorado Springs will attach a waterproof camera to a sewer cable and insert it into your drains.

The drain video inspections service will help the specialist visualize exactly what is causing the problem, this could include tree root intrusions, corrosion, cracks, and much more.

One of the many benefits of a drain inspection is that you can see exactly where the problem is and start your work there. This helps to avoid digging up your entire garden to get to find and fix the problem.

Once the inspection is complete, we will determine the best course of action, whether that be cleaning, repair or replacing your sewer line.

Is It Time for A Sewer Line Video Inspection?

Experiencing frequent blockages 

You thought you’d fix that blockage, but just a few days or weeks later it’s back, what is going on? Tree roots are known for invading sewer lines and creating havoc especially if they go unnoticed and untreated. 

Drain video inspections will allow your Colorado Springs sewer & drain cleaning specialist to see the problem and determine the best plan to get your water flowing again.

Inconsistent Water Pressure 

While a pipe in your home may be easy to see, a leak underground is much harder to recognize. One way is to check your water pressure. A leak in your sewer line can actually cause a drop in water pressure.

You Are Purchasing A Home 

You’ve fallen in love with your new home, but before you buy it, make sure you get your sewer lines inspected!

Most of the time, new homeowners forget to do this because sewer lines are not visible, but this can be a costly mistake that can lead you to spending quite a bit of money.

Foul Odors 

There are many things you want to smell in your home, sewage is not one of them. If you’re smelling any foul odors in your home it could signal a crack somewhere in your sewer line.

If you’re experiencing any of these problems, it might be time for a sewer/drain video inspection before things go from bad to worse.

Fix Your Drain Before It Gets Worse with Video Inspection

Problems that are left untreated can result in backed-up sewage, water damage and sewer line replacements. Be proactive and avoid expensive repairs down the road by getting your sewers and drains checked at the first sight of trouble.

Are you looking for local drain cleaning companies in Colorado Springs? Our specialists at Whitney Sewer Drain & Cleaning are ready to help. Contact us for an estimate and more information today.

The post How Drain Video Inspections Can Prevent Drain & Pipe Problems appeared first on Whitney Sewer.