-Clogged plumbing is one of the most frustrating problems at home and work, but at the same time, one of the most easily solved. When plumbers, like the Quality 1st Plumbing & Drains team from San Luis Obispo County, use sewer camera inspections to locate clogs and remove them, the drains and pipes are in good working order very quickly.

“The combination of advanced plumbing technologies like sewer cameras, and hydro jetting can clear a clog, and get everyone back to normal life very quickly,” said Quality 1st owner, Sky Sepulveda.

Sepulveda also cautions that clearing a clogged drain is only part of the solution. It’s also important to avoid the problems that caused the clog in the first place. The most common problems leading to clogged drains include:

• Flushing too much toilet paper, wipes, foreign objects, or trash down the toilet.
• Fats, oils, and grease that build up in kitchen drains. Surprisingly, soaps that are made with animal fat can also contribute to clogged drains over time.
• Attempting to wash food scraps down the drain.
• Overloading the garbage disposal, or putting the wrong things in it.
• Human and pet hair binds with grease and other substances that build up in drains.
• If home or work has hard water, mineral deposits can build up on pipe walls.
• Tree roots invading underground pipes are also a common cause of clogs.

When a plumbing company uses advanced technologies to remove a clog, one of the first things the plumber does upon arrival is to send the sewer inspection camera down the drain to locate the problem. The sewer inspection camera is a small, advanced camera on the end of a long tube. The camera is fed into the pipe and sends video images back to the plumber, locating problems in record time.

Once the problem is located, hydrojetting is used to remove the clog and clean the pipe at the same time. Hydrojetting is the process of using specialized equipment to run water at very high pressure into the pipe to clear out anything that doesn’t belong there. Because hydrojetting equipment releases a high-pressure stream of water, there is equipment that is appropriate for every job. High-powered hydrojetting is used to remove tree roots and other stubborn, dense clogs, less pressure may be used to remove less dense clogs.

The role of inspections

Avoiding the problems that can clog drains and pipes and regular inspections are highly important. Inspections are especially important for discovering potential problems. Quality 1st has conducted sewer camera inspections for hundreds of San Luis Obispo County residents. The plumbing team’s experience demonstrates that:

• Camera inspections are a cost-effective way to examine the condition of the pipes, identify leaks that may not yet be apparent, locate cracked or broken pipes, and identify situations that can lead to clogs and backups.
• Older buildings have older plumbing systems with aging pipes. The camera can quickly identify pipes that need repairing or replacing.
• When locating a clog, the camera returns images of damaged pipes that might be contributing to the clog, or indicate future problems.

A camera inspection can take place any time and many property owners choose not to wait until there is a problem. Some of the circumstances indicating an inspection is in order include:

• Preparing to remodel the building.
• Before selling or buying, especially an older home.
• When certain conditions indicating problems are present such as foul odors, slow draining pipes, gurgling noises, mold growth, standing water where it isn’t usually seen, low water level in toilets, the most obvious, sewer backup.

Quality 1st has been serving San Luis Obispo County with sewer camera inspections, hydro jetting, and the resolution of plumbing problems since 2003. The sewer camera allows the team to perform:

• Preventative maintenance through periodic inspections.
• Problem-solving and accurate diagnostics to pinpoint a problem or potential problem with precision.
• Pre-purchase inspections for home buyers.
• Cost-savings by eliminating digging to find the source of the problem and damaging lawns and landscaping in the process.
• Environmental benefits, solving the initial problem quickly before contamination from the sewage can spread.
• Reduced disruption because the problem is located quickly and repairs start just as quickly.
• Documentation and reports that property owners can submit for insurance claims or file for future reference.

Quality 1st Plumbing And Drains
1006 Par Ave
Paso Robles, CA 93446
Telephone: (805) 835-7460