What's In Your Sewer?

The heavy rain, snow and melting snows along with Ohioans staying-at-home have combined to create a serious problem for home drain and sewer lines, causing an increased number of sewer backups and basement flooding.

Heavy rains and snow mean even a mild clog can prevent water from sufficiently draining away from our homes, and the stay-

at-home order means we are all flushing our toilets more. A lot more. “People don’t realize how often we flush the toilet during an eight-hour day at work,” explains Anthony Peto, the founder of Northeast Ohio’s Sewer Cleaning Company. “Now, all that flushing is happening at home. The problem is compounded if you have kids or young adults home from school or college. It’s like having a houseful of holiday guests 24/7.”

And it’s not just the toilet. “We are all cooking at home a lot right now, sending a much higher volume of grease and food waste down the garbage disposal,” he warns. “It’s a big problem waiting to happen.”

Actually, the clogs aren’t waiting. Sewer Cleaning Company’s phone has been ringing off the hook with homeowners, apartment managers, and HOAs experiencing backups and those wanting to do the proper maintenance required to avoid them altogether.

“It’s all about prevention,” Anthony says. “Don’t wait until you hear the basement toilet gurgling. If you suspect you have a problem—or you’ve had a problem in the past—go ahead and get your sewer lines checked out now.”

Advanced Equipment

Sewer Cleaning Company has a high-tech videoscoping system to discover in advance exactly what kind of clog you have—if you have one. Their technicians run a camera down your sewer and record a video of what’s going on.

“It’s like a colonoscopy for your pipes,” Anthony says, “And once we have a ‘diagnosis,’ we know exactly the best method to clear the line.”

Although the company utilizes traditional snakes and cutter heads, they specialize in clearing lines with today’s leading-edge, high-pressure water jets designed to tackle different types of clogs. “In addition to sewer lines, we also clear your storm lines,” Anthony says. Rain storms never come at

a good time, so you need to be confident that your drains are clear. That includes the drain tile that takes the water away from your foundation, as well as your gutters and downspouts. It’s all part of the same system.”

Working in the Covid-19 Era

While the novel coronavirus pandemic has caused many businesses to completely overhaul their protocols, that’s not the case with Sewer Cleaning Company. “Our techs have always been exposed to foul substances, so we’ve been doing many of the CDC’s recommendations all along,” Anthony says. “That includes wearing gloves, booties, and minimizing the surfaces we touch. However, unless you have an outside cleanout, we
do have to come into your home, so we’ve introduced a 100% no-contact protocol. And because the coronavirus is detectable
in stool samples, our techs have to be extra careful when dealing with back-ups, but then we’ve always had to be extra careful. It’s the nature of the job.”

Tree Roots and Excavation

When it comes to clogged drains, here’s one of the biggest culprits: tree roots. “Roots are relentless,” Anthony says. “They’ll work their way into your sewer line through even the tiniest crack. They’re attracted to the water in your lines.”

If tree roots have destroyed or collapsed your sewer line and it’s just too far gone, Sewer Cleaning Company can also handle the excavation to replace the line. They have all of the equipment needed—Bobcats, excavators, even drones—to replace your old sewer line professionally. “Excavation is a last resort,” he assures. “But if it has to be done, people are relieved that we have the experience, skill, and equipment to do it ourselves and do it right.”