How to Avoid Toilet Clogs at Your President’s Day Party

The big holidays like Christmas and New Year’s have passed, but even with them being finished, there are still many special days to celebrate. One of the more notable ones is the one that we just celebrated as a nation – President’s Day.

A lot of people celebrate this special day by having people over and cooking special foods, remembering the great leaders of our country and what they’ve done.

But even when there are special days, and especially when you’re cooking up a storm, it’s important to remember some household tips that you can use to keep your pipes healthy and working well.

Clog Prevention Starts With Food Knowledge

When you are cooking for a holiday or another special occasion, it’s easy to often cook things that aren’t as healthy for you. But when you’re cooking, it’s also important to know that things that may not be healthy for you, may also cause problems with your pipes and lead to clogs.

Some of the common foods that can cause clogs in your pipes are:

• Foods that swell, like pasta and rice.
• Fats and oils.
• Coffee grounds.

There are times when you can take care of a clog on your own, using a plunger or a snake. But depending on the size of the clog, calling a plumber is a better idea so that you don’t make things worse.

Quick & Simple Food Disposal

One thing that is common when you have a lot of guests over and cook a big meal is that you have lots of leftovers. Yes, leftovers are good and sometimes you can send some home with your guests.

But what happens to that leftover casserole that no one can eat another bite of? Well, rather than putting out bags of trash and filling up landfills, a good investment is a garbage disposal.

Not only will it help you make short work of some of those leftovers, but it also will do it in a way that is good for the environment. Just imagine not having to gather up all of the garbage from leftover food and take it out. A lot of it can go into your garbage disposal and leave you more time to spend with your family. Just make sure that you don’t chop up things like rice, bones, pasta and fibrous items.

Drain Cleaning Means Happy Pipes

How often do you think about your drains? Probably not very often. But just think about them for a minute. Think about all of the things that go down them every day. Hair, excess food, little pieces of soap and much more.

Yes, these things don’t cause problems by themselves. But as weeks and months go by things start building up and eventually you have a problem. That’s why having your drains cleaned regularly is essential.

Not only can it extend the life of your pipes, but it can stop clogs in their tracks and help with preventing leaks and home damage from leaks and floods. When your drains are cleaned regularly, your life is going to be much better at home. You don’t have to worry about the ticking time bomb all of those items going down the drains can cause, and you can entertain guests with ease.

At Apple Valley Plumbing, we hope that you enjoyed your time with your family on President’s Day weekend. We also hope you were able to use some of the information in our blog. If it was useful, please share the information found here with your friends. It could just help them avoid a big problem in their home.

The Truth Behind Your Hydrojetting Service

Drain cleaning is probably the last type of cleaning you think of when you think of hiring a housekeeper. However, it is just as important as keeping the visible portion of your home tidy. When your drains are left unattended to for long periods of time, you may begin to experience low water pressure, slow water drainage in tubs or showers, and overflowing toilets. Each of these problems can range from being an annoyance to a day-ruiner--and none of us at Apple Valley Plumbing wants your day ruined!

Hydrojetting: What it Is

When you are in need of serious drain cleaning, we recommend a process called hydro jetting. Hydro jetting is basically spraying water through a nozzle at a high pressure (and temperature) in order to blast away debris, dirt, contaminants, and clogs.

After your drains have been hydro jetted, you will notice that your water pressure has been restored, toilets don’t overflow nearly as often, and your drains function properly--probably as well as brand new ones!

The next question is WHY we recommend hydrojetting instead of snaking or store-bought cleaners. While snaking drains can be a good idea when done by a professional, sometimes clogs are too far for our tools to reach. In addition, the clog is the only thing removed with a snake, the debris and buildup in the pipe stay where it is.

Store-bought cleaners are another issue entirely, actually: they are dangerous. These products are made with lye which has been used over the years in soaps and detergents. Lye, when used in soap or detergent isn’t inherently harmful. When used in a high concentration (like in drain cleaners) it can cause burns to the skin, eyes, throat, and lungs.

Because these products are so potent, they can also damage your pipes, especially after years of use. Aside from these issues, store-bought drain cleaners are also bad for the environment, whereas hydro jetting uses ONLY water!

Let’s Talk Numbers

When you call to find out how much a hydro-jetting drain cleaning is, you may be surprised to hear the cost. While it’s true that the cost can vary based on the severity of any clogs as well as the types of drains that are being jetted, you may hear a price anywhere from $150-500.

Although this might be a bit more expensive than other options, hydro jetting rids your pipes of all debris that would otherwise allow for a clog to begin forming almost immediately. Basically, hydro jetting can eliminate the need for multiple calls to a plumber to snake a drain or multiple trips to buy cleaner (please don’t!)

Who to Call For Drain Cleaning Services

It’s true that you could call a number of plumbing companies for these drain cleaning services. However, there should only be one that you consider: Apple Valley Plumbing.

Our company values every customer and shows this appreciation by using upfront pricing for no surprises, arriving on time, and offering same-day services. When you trust your drain cleaning to our technicians, you can feel good knowing that we aren’t there to pressure you. Our guys will figure out exactly where the clog is and give every option available and explain what their recommendation is and why. Give us a call to make an appointment today!

Schedule Professional Drain Cleaning and Start 2018 off Right

What’s more exciting than a new year and all the potential laid out before you? Do you have any New Year’s resolutions yet? If you haven’t got your list compiled, we have a few suggestions. Make this the year that you take on a few preventative maintenance tasks so that you can keep your home in great shape and keep operating costs down.

One area that you should focus on if you haven’t before is taking care of your drains. A professional drain cleaning has numerous benefits that span from cost savings to reducing water waste, to protecting your plumbing. Curious to learn how drain cleaning can benefit you? Read more.

Freshen Your Water Professionally

If you’ve got an unpleasant odor coming from your drains, there is probably debris lingering inside. Food matter and other particles will begin to decompose and emit foul odors.

A low-tech solution you can use in the short term is to sprinkle the drain with baking soda and vinegar. Flush generously with hot water when you are done.

To keep this problem from reoccurring, get your drains cleaned professionally. Give yourself the give of free-flowing water, clear drains and a fresh smelling home in 2018.

Save Yourself Some Money

If you get a lot of clogs, maybe you’ve been spending a lot of time and money pouring corrosive drain cleaners down the drain.

Not only do these cleaners send dangerous fumes through your home, but they can also cause damage to the drain.

By having your drains professionally cleaned annually, you can clean your system out and extend its lifespan. Clean drains also mean less water waste, which can be helpful in reducing your water bills.

Prevent Clogs

In your kitchen, there is a good chance that food waste, grease, and soap residue reside in your drains. In your bathroom, your drains may be filled with hair and soap buildup.

It’s only a matter of time before these clogs grow into a greater problem. If you get your drains cleaned professionally, this residue doesn’t have a chance to accumulate, which means that water won’t get backed up.

Noisy Drains?

Are you experiencing any cracking or squeaking sounds coming from your drains and surrounding pipes?

That is likely because you’ve got a buildup of residue causing a narrow passageway for the water to flow through. As the water applies pressure on its journey through, it makes a squeaking or cracking sound.

Clear the water’s path with a drain cleaning. 2018 is the year for great changes. Take care of your home with drain cleaning in Apple Valley, MN.