DRAIN CLEANING – FORT MCMURRAY
Your drains are under attack every day. They typically take the worst abuse and beating of your mechanical system. You plunge them, you snake them and you pour highly caustic and potentially damaging ‘drain cleaner’ down them. Your sewer drains are one of the most important and delicate plumbing systems in your building or house and they need to be well maintained. Ram Mechanical specializes in periodic drain cleaning.
Unlike pressurized piping systems, like waterlines, the sewer or sanitary drains in your building or house rely on gravity to move waste throughout your house, down the streets and eventually to the treatment facility. This means that the drains in your floors and walls have a slight slant to move material to the lowest point on the system. In addition, drains which are directly exposed to the atmosphere of your building, sinks, tubs, showers, and floor drains, have a ‘p’ shaped jog in the pipe (a p-trap) close to the drain. The purpose of the p-trap is to always retain enough water to seal the pipe and to keep sewer gasses from venting into a living space. P-traps, especially in bathrooms, where the hair goes down the drain, is a hotspot for drain clogs. Like the arterial system of the human body, over time, unhealthy drains will collect deposits, which will build upon the inside of walls of their pipes. This build-up may occur slowly and eventually could back the drain up causing thousands of dollars in damage.
With an annual inspection, maintenance, and drain cleaning drain back up and sewage flooding can be completely avoided.
If you experience a drain clog, a slow drain, or require preventive maintenance, contacting an experienced Ram Mechanical plumber is your best solution. Depending on the specific requirements of your drain system, or the type of clog you are experiencing, there are many options when it comes to drain cleaning. Ram Mechanical specializes in a number of drain cleaning techniques, including:
auguring • rodding • snaking • swabbing • flushing • steaming
As soon as you put a call into us, we will dispatch an experienced plumber who will assess your drain cleaning needs, and propose a satisfactory solution.
Often overlooked; the sewer drains outside of your building will directly affect the performance of the drain within your building. Blockage of the drains outside will cause your system to backup and could cause raw sewage to flood the low lying areas of your building. If there are mature trees around your property, chances are there might be some root growth into your sewer. Our technicians and plumbers have CCTV (closed-circuit television) camera equipment which can immediately inspect and report the nature of the inside of your sewer system. We will look for breaks, growths, roots, and sags. In addition to offering drain cleaning, we also offer pipe relining. Once we clear whatever blockage you are experiencing, we can reline your sewer in order to help prevent future intrusions and blockages.
CCTV Inspection
Inspections of new and old pipe systems are essential to the health of a pipe network and to your pocketbook. Today’s latest technology allows for very precise images of what is going on within a pipe network. Generally speaking, you will find pipes in your walls and underground. Most of them are way too small for a person to crawl into to inspect. This presents a problem for which Ram Mechanical has a solution. We employ the latest technology in optics and robotics to view, inspect and report on a multitude of pipe types and sizes. Whether you require troubleshooting of an old pipe network or quality control on a new system, Ram Mechanical is your one-stop-shop for CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) inspection and reporting.
CCTV or Closed Circuit Television Inspection
CCTV inspection is the process of inspecting and reporting on the condition of pipes with the use of optics and digital recording. CCTV systems can be floated, flown, forced or driven through pipe systems depending on the type of pipe being inspected. The CCTV inspections of today allow for high definition (HD) imaging and immediate reporting via cloud computing. Gone are the days of waiting for printed reports and VHS videotapes.
The value of CCTV inspection can be realized by a wide variety of clients. Building owners who have reoccurring blockages or problems with their pipework can troubleshoot without ripping down walls or pipes apart. CCTV inspection is also a secret weapon in asset management. The age and remaining life of the pipework in a building can be estimated and valued as a part of an asset management portfolio. CCTV is also an invaluable tool when it comes to quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC). A contractor’s pipework QA program can be managed by implementing a CCTV inspection at the end of the day of the pipe installation. This process not only tracks progress, but it also makes an indisputable, time-stamped diary of quality which can be signed off on by the owner’s representative daily. An owner’s QC program can be supplemented with CCTV inspection by building specifications around CCTV imagery and reporting. Pipe sags, slope, flattening and joint connections can all be measured and compared to specification for compliance. Ram Mechanical has the ability to provide CCTV inspection on line as small as 1.25 inches or 32 mm!
Steam Drain Cleaning
Steam cleaning your drain lines is a good way to help prevent blockages over time, thaw frozen pipes or break up stubborn blockages. Ram Mechanical is pleased to offer highly specialized drain streaming services. Our specialized equipment can safely and effectively clean all types of pipe, be it cast iron or PVC; residential or commercial.
Grease and oils should never be poured down your drains. Even hot grease or oils poured down the drain will eventually cool and stick to the inside of your drains. This may take some time, but slowly and surely, grease and oils will cause a blockage. Slow water draining, a bad smell, and continually pouring grease and oils down your drains, are sure signs that you have a grease blockage and will require a professional to come and clear it up for you. Ram Mechanical is able to offer a highly effective, specialized steam service for clearing away grease blockages. Our trained service technician will insert the steam line into your drain; this will liquefy the grease. Once the steam is able to move through the blockage, the technician will continue to run the steam down the line and into the main sewer, ensuring the grease does not form a blockage further down the line and causing more costly treatments or callbacks.
Frozen pipes can be expensive to repair and can cause costly repairs. During cold winter months, drains located on or near outside walls, exposed piping outside or extended periods of time where drains are unused; can become frozen. If you find you have a frozen pipe or drain, locate the frozen pipe, it will obviously feel cold to the touch. Working pipes will feel warm. If a water line is frozen, shut off the water supply in the house. Label your frozen pipes and drains. Call a professional. Our technicians are trained to thaw frozen pipes and drains in a safe and cost-effective manner. Our steam service can be used to thaw out drains, and storm sewers if ice has formed over the openings or within the drain or sewer line.
Continued use of a frozen drain or sewer line can cause raw sewage to back up into your house. Call us immediately upon discovery; Ram Mechanical will quickly and effectively get your drain and sewer back to proper working order.
