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No more chemicals, the most modern tools used in drain cleaning

When it comes to drain cleaning, people often immediately have the wrong idea in their head: plastics bottles of “drain cleaner” sitting on the grocery store shelves in the cleaning supply aisle. But no professional plumber worth hiring will ever use these kinds of chemical drain cleaners. They are toxic, caustic, and can seriously damage the inside lining of drainpipes.

Professional plumbers instead use more advanced tools that can thoroughly cleanse and unclog drains without presenting the possibility of harm to the drain or to you. We’ll look at a few of them in this post.

For your drain cleaning problems call A & H Plumbing, Heating and Cooling. Our skilled plumbers are ready 24/7 to help you with keeping your drains clear and clean.

1. Drain Snakes

You can purchase manual drain snakes (also called drain augers) from many hardware stores, but your plumber will use a powerful motorized drain snake to clean your drains. Drain snakes are long coils of wire that can extend deep into a drain to reach thick clogs. By turning the wires using a motor, the plumber screws the end of the drain snake into the clog, similar to the way a corkscrew works. The plumber can then either extract the clog or break it apart to clear the way.

2. Scour Jetting

Also called “hydro-jetting,” this is the use of hot water shot out of nozzle at extremely high pressure. A motor creates the high pressure and blasts the water out to scour the insides of drains, removing blockage and also deep-cleaning the pipe interior. Because of the possible dangers from high-pressure water blasts, only professionals should undertake this work.

3. Video Inspection Equipment

This tool doesn’t “clear” or “clean” a drain, but it is an essential part of drain cleaning nonetheless. These miniature cameras and LED lights mounted on the end of a long fiber-optic cable allow plumbers to identify areas that require cleaning and to discover the types of clogs they have to remove. Video pipe inspection equipment removes most of the guesswork from drain cleaning, and a plumber can get straight to work on what’s wrong.

Unless you have a drain clog that needs cleaning immediately, we recommend you schedule regular drain cleaning once a year to maintain regular water pressure and deter clogging. Call on A & H Plumbing, Heating and Cooling today to arrange for quality drain and sewer services in the Greater St. Louis & Metro East area.

There Is No Such Thing as a “Minor” Leak

Every plumbing system runs into problems, and some people believe that comparatively minor problems can be corrected without having to call a plumber. This is usually a big mistake. Not only can small issues become big ones in a great big hurry, but many repairs require specialized equipment that it’s simply not practical to purchase for a one-time-only use. When it comes to plumbers, A & H has its share, and they can perform swift, efficient repairs on clogs, leaks and anything in between. Again, those don’t sound like much, but they have a way of getting out of hand very quickly. For example, here’s why there is no such thing as a “minor” leak.

Much of your plumbing is located behind the walls, in the crawlspace or similar hard-to-reach locales. Drips and leaks there have a way of going undiscovered for a long period of time. A slow leak in and of itself won’t cause much damage initially, but over time it can damage the surrounding drywall and electrical systems: increasing the cost of repairs dramatically. Leaks that go unaddressed have a way of expanding unexpectedly, and can turn into major water damage when you least suspect it.

Initial detection and early action are the key to addressing such leaks. If you can spot them early and call in a plumber, you can keep the repair bill fairly minor. If you let it go, however, or attempt to stop the leak yourself, it could need up creating a lot more damage, and the repair bill will balloon as a result. This is true even with such seemingly small leaks as a drippy faucet, or a leak which only releases a few drops a minute.

The experts at The Sunny Plumber know why there is no such thing as a “minor” leak, and we always move swiftly to get it resolved. When you’re looking for professional plumbing services in Greater St. Louis Metro East area, you won’t find any company more dedicated to their complete satisfaction than us. Don’t take chances with minor plumbing repairs. Give the experts a call today and make sure the problem gets solved right the first time, every time!

It’s Time For Your Air Conditioner Tune Up!

With all of the snow and freezing temperatures we experienced during this brutal winter, we never thought Spring would arrive….but here it is! It is almost time to turn on your air conditioner for the first time this year, and we want to help you make sure yours is in top working condition. Call A & H today to schedule your air conditioner clean and check!

What goes into an air conditioner tune up?

When you schedule a tune up, also called a clean and check, with A & H, we’ll send one of our technicians to your home to get your unit ready for the warmer weather. During the clean and check, we will inspect your entire cooling system and make note of any problems that are affecting its safety, efficiency or performance.

Along with an inspection, we’ll perform all of the necessary maintenance tasks (such as a thorough system cleaning) required to bring your system up to its peak performance.

What are the benefits of getting an annual tune up during springtime?

  • Reduces the risk of breakdowns this Summer. There’s no good time for your air conditioner to break down, but you’ll probably agree that it can’t happen at a worse time than in the sweltering middle of Summer. By getting a tune up during spring, you’ll have plenty of time to fix any problems with your air conditioner that ah mech 046might have led to a breakdown a few months down the line.
  • Cuts down on your energy bills. A tune up will bring your air conditioner up to its peak operating efficiency, which will cut down on its operating costs. The earlier in the year that you get your tune up, the longer you’ll be able to take advantage of this benefit.
  • Takes care of small problems before they become big problems. Small problems with your HVAC system rarely stay small for long. Instead, the typically get worse the longer they are ignored. Spring is a great time to take care of problems with your air conditioner because you’re not yet using it every day and you can catch small problems before they develop into expensive repairs in the months to come.
  • Extends the life of your air conditioner. You wouldn’t go years without changing the oil in your car, so why would you skip out on annual maintenance for your air conditioner? By getting an annual tune up, you can keep your air conditioner healthy and greatly extend its operating life.

If you have any questions about an air conditioner clean and check, call A & H today! We hope to see you soon!