Tuesday, April 30, 2013

What Is Video Snaking?

What Is Video Snaking ?

Video snaking or "See-Snake" is a process where a plumbing company runs a video line or camera down your branch lines (the pipes that lead from bathtubs and faucets to the house's sewer line) or down the house's sewer line (the larger pipe that leads from the house to the municipal sewer line on the street). At the end of the line is a camera that lets you see the line close-up. If you are doing an entire sewer line video inspection you will see a walk-through, leading from the trap, down through the sewer line, and up to any obstructions. If the camera can push through the blockage, it may continue through to the municipal line.

How Often Will You Need This Done?

This would not be a frequent occurrence. If you are purchasing a home, adding a bathroom, or remodeling your kitchen or bathroom then video snaking is in order. Typically, most homeowners call in a sewer line video inspection only if there is a problem, such as a blockage that cannot be fixed by plunging, or sewer rodding or drain cleaning. Locating the problem via video is a lot more cost effective than aimlessly digging holes, looking for the culprit.

If you live in the Naperville-Plainfield-Aurora, Geneva-Batavia-St.Charles or Wheaton-Winfield-Warrenville-Glen Ellyn area, contact AquaTech Plumbing at 630-416-3555, 630-377-9555, or 630-462-3555 for any of your video snaking needs.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Prevent A Gas Emergency In Your Home With These 10 Safety Tips:

1. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when operating and caring for natural gas appliances, and use each appliance for its intended purpose.

2. Keep the area around your gas water clear and free of debris.

3. Ensure fuel-burning appliances are installed, used and maintained properly and safely. Hire a qualified technician to inspect heating and venting equipment annually, and use a carbon monoxide alarm that meets current standards.

4. Never use a gas oven to warm a home.

5. Don't use fuel lines for storage. Heavy coats or other items hanging from a fuel line (often located near the ceiling in basements) can stress the joints in the pipe and cause gas leaks. Don't allow children to swing on the pipes or hang clothes from them either.

6. Use a broom to keep gas meters, pipes and other service equipment clear in winter. Gas-appliance chimneys and vents must be cleared after snow and ice storms to ensure proper venting and prevent carbon monoxide accumulation.

7. Set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees or lower. Check the water temperature before placing a child in the bathtub, and never leave a child alone or with other young children in the bathtub.

8. Replace flexible connectors. Cracks can form and cause serious gas leaks in these flexible pipes that attach appliances to fuel lines. Limit the number of times you move natural gas appliances, and replace flexible connectors at least every 10 years with an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved model.

9. Never use a gas generator inside your home, garage, or near a window. Generators emit toxic and deadly carbon monoxide gas.

10. Rely on your eyes, ears, and nose to spot a gas leak. A damaged connection to a gas appliance, a hissing sound, or its distinct smell are all telltale signs of a gas leak.