Are you itching to get a tan without having to don a bathing suit?

Do you long for something fun for the entire family that will make lasting memories and keep you from entertaining?

If you’ve answered, “Yes!” to any of the following questions, we know EXACTLY where you need to be this weekend!

With us at the Committee to Benefit the Children’s Annual Touch-a-Truck Event!

Every year, the awesome people at CBC host an event for children to get up close and personal with service trucks of all different industries!

This year’s event takes place THIS SUNDAY, May 20th, from 11am-2pm!

We, along with great companies in our community,will be there with a service truck, some pretty sweet digging equipment, and a team of highly-trained staffers to make sure that your kids have a blast exploring our trucks!

 Also, as a thank-you for supporting such a great cause, we’re offering a special coupon for $20 off of any service call.

How do I get in, you say?

It’s a cinch! The event is being held at the backlot of Fiore Sales and Service at 69 W. Germantown Pike in East Norriton, PA (19401). Parking is available at Facenda Whitaker Lanes, and admissionis only $5 per person, with a $20 maximum per family.

If you want more information or would like to know how you can support the CBC year-round, click here!

“I have a main drain problem. I don’t even know what a main drain is! If it’s anything like a heart, I’m having a heart attack. Yep, I’ve caught the big one.”

She went on to tell me that, as a nurse, she always cautions people to change their ways before they have major health problems, cautions people against “putting bandaids” on serious health issues, and recommends simple daily habits to improve their lives. In a phrase, she’s an excellent nurse! As we talked, I realized that a drain issue really is like a heart attack. As she explained, there are many ways to open up a “clogged heart.” She was happy to hear that there are plenty of options for opening a main drain and that, most likely, it’s quite a bit simpler!

Just from talking on the phone with her, I could tell that she’s exactly the kind of person that I would want taking care of my loved ones if they were to have a health emergency.

My heart went out to her because, from time to time, we all fall into those pitfalls of life and emergencies just fly in from left field. We’re left wondering, “What could I have done to prevent this?” “Is this going to cost me an arm and a leg?” “How much time am I going to lose because of this?” and most importantly, “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON?!”

We all need to be comforted, informed, and protected.

In a lot of ways, Zoom is a hospital for drains. When you call in, you’re going to talk to a person who, like you, would hate to have a drain problem and understands the importance. They’re trained to help you through your emergency, so you’ll never be left out of the loop.  We’ll send out a fully-equipped truck –a drain emergency room on wheels– to you to help you, but we won’t go to work before you know what’s going on.

Imagine being operated on without knowing what the surgery is!! Not good!!

Our technicians aren't salespeople; they're drain doctors. And, just like doctors, they have a responsibility to inform you of your drain issue and give you all of your options before they get to work.  They'll even go one step further and let you know exactly what the cost of the work is before they begin, so you'll have all of the information in front of you before you make any decisions.

Emergencies always cost more though, right?

Think about it: how many times have you called a drain company when you weren't having an emergency? We don't charge more for emergencies, and we don't take advantage of the urgency of your situation to do more work.  

You'll be happy to know that the nurse in this story was back to her regular day in no time.

I hope that you have the good fortune to work with health providers like her if you ever fall ill, and our number in hand if ever you have a drain emergency.  Thank you to all of the emergency service providers in our community--your work saves lives! Do you have a friend or family member who provides great emergency service? We want to know--leave your story in the comments!

What is terracotta?

The word terracotta, from the Latin “Terra Cotta” which means “baked earth,” is a clay-based ceramic material.  This material is easily sculpted, but also hardens when heated due to a high iron content. Through the vitrification process, salts are heated to coat the clay, making it smooth and water-resistent. Terracotta has been used throughout history in buildings and sculptures, and takes its place in American history as a metal substitute during World War II.  As metal was harvested for war materials, baked clay were used in main drains throughout this area.

No one expected terracotta to last.

Fast forward to 70 years later, in a time where homeowners are having more drainage problems than ever.  Terracotta pipes are only stable when an even amount of pressure is applied at all sides, so the flucuation in earth movement causes the drain over time to bend, sag, and eventually break into smaller pieces.  Clay is most vulnerable at joints, so root intrusion is common.  The damage is irreversible; once the clay begins to bend, its days are numbered.

How do you know if you have terracotta and what can you do about it?

If you’re having frequent problems with your drains that cannot be fixed with a snake or water-jetting, you need to inspect your drains. Check personal and public records first. If you don’t have any information about the material of your pipes, a simple video inspection will give you all of the information you need right away. That same video inspection will also tell you the condition of your pipe: any present bends, breaks, or intrusions, buildup, and temporary blockages will also be seen on the recording.

If the video inspection uncovers terracotta, you have a few options. Yes, you can dig up the yard and completely replace the line, but don’t jump off the ledge just yet! Read “A Less Invasive Alternative to Open-Lawn Surgery,” one of our earlier blog entries, to learn more about Trenchless Pipe Replacement and how it can save you time, money, and heartache.

Terracotta was not intended to last a century, and in many cases, it hasn’t. As the years wear on, the earth [and our usage] will continue to take its toll on the clay drains. Whether you have had frequent drain issues, or you’re simply concerned for the wellbeing of your home and family, you need to know if you have terracotta pipes.  One video inspection goes a long way in preventing costly one-time services that will only temporarily relieve the problem.

If you want to know more about terracotta pipes, your options, or about video inspection services, give us a call at 1-800-Snake-It! We’re always available and happy to help you find the most effective solution to your drain issue.

“When we go out, we’re not sending you a representative or a salesperson. We’re sending a technician, one that I personally trained both in class and in the field, one that I know will be able to get the job done for you. You can feel safe knowing that they have knowledge, expertise, and a genuine concern for your issues. I’m proud of my guys, and I know you will be, too.” –Jason Criniti

Truer words have never been spoken! Following that precedent, our next blog post will feature tons of information on one of the trickiest drain set-ups in our area: terracotta. If you have terracotta pipes, you deserve to know what your obstacles may be and, most importantly, what your options are. Don’t dig into your wallets just yet–check out our next post “Holier Than Thou: Terracotta Pipes” for all of the info you’ll need on dealing with terracotta. Don’t miss it!

As if making new friends wasn’t great enough, we also bumped into some of our long-standing clients! Here, Zoomers Ashley and Jared strike a pose with Classic Management and the Galman Group!

Have a wonderful Easter weekend, and keep your eyes open for our next post!

"Thanks for coming out to help us last weekend! The service was fast--we'll definitely be calling you again!" --Bernard, Classic Management

"Thanks, Zoom, for serving our local properties!" Hector, the Galman Group

1. Does warmer weather mean more visitors? Treat it!

Whether you manage a restaurant, factory, or three kids, spring could mean more visitors. That means more rinses and flushes, and may even mean more garbage disposal abuse or loads of laundry. If your patrons or family members have come out of hibernation, prep your drains with BioClean, a superhero amongst drain cleaners, to help deal with the extra usage. BioClean is made up of natural bacteria enzymes that digest all of the dead organic matter that builds up in your drains. Monthly BioClean treatments will help you avoid business-stopping drain emergencies, and it’s safe for pets and kids!

2. Get to the root of the problem.

You may love that tree in your front yard, but your drains don’t. Roots have a nasty way of breaking through older pipes and causing all sorts of drain issues.  If you have root intrusion, using a mechanical drain snake will only offer a temporary solution. If I only learned one thing from gardening, it’s this: if you don’t remove the root, the weeds will grow back! In this case, that means removing your tree or replacing a pipe. Before you break out a chainsaw, let our technicians give your main drain a root elimination treatment. They’ll video inspect the line to figure out how severe the intrusion is, high-velocity water jet the line to clear all of the existing roots, and dose the line with RootX. RootX is a powerful combination of powder components that foam and line the entire pipe with a protective residue for 12 months. Many of our customers maintain their existing main drain and tree with simple yearly RootX treatments.

Before RootX

After RootX

That sounds much better that going Paul Bunyon on your front yard, doesn’t it?

 3. Hit your all-time low.

When you have a main drain issue, the problem will always begin at the lowest drain in your home or business. Find your lowest drain (usually a toilet or laundry tub) and check for bubbling, gurgling, or slow draining. If you notice any of those symptoms after your routine BioClean treatment (tip #1), give us a call right away! Your sewer system sustains damage every time the drains back up, so catch the slow draining before it becomes no draining. Perform a simple check every week to save short-term and long-term cash!

4. Don’t play doctor with your drains!

Would you let your friends diagnose you via WebMD? Or your boss detail your car? Probably not. So put down the plunger and the snake you rented from the hardware store before you hurt somebody. Seriously–mechanical drain snakes are dangerous! Drain snakes are designed to rotate and build torque so that they can bust through solid blockages. If the blockage is stubborn, or if the issue isn’t a blockage at all, the torque will have to release. You DO NOT want to be on the business end of an angry drain snake.  Our technicians are trained to safely and efficiently clear your drains by using a variety of drain snakes and high-velocity water jetters, so let them keep you safe during a drain emergency.

I hope you’re able to avoid a major drain emergency by following these simple hints. Subscribe to our blog or “Like Us” on Facebook for more tips and tricks! Now, go enjoy spring!

Contrary to popular belief, our new Zoom truck did not race to the death this past month. Our guys debuted brand new Zoom truck design at the National Pumper and Cleaner Environmental Expo to rave reviews! The pictures are just in, and our truck is ready for its close-up! Heck, the guys didn’t look too shabby themselves. Everyone had a great trip, learned lots, and got to show off our brand new truck design!!

 Check out some pics of the trip (and the truck!!)

While they had a great time, they inevitably got homesick and had to return to doing what they love best–serving the Philadelphia and surrounding areas with great drain service! Have you seen the new Zoom truck? Tag Zoom Drain and Sewer Service on facebook at www.facebook.com/1800snakeit !

Are you flushed??

Answer these questions and you’ll find out in no time!
 
1. Are you scared to use the bathroom from Friday night to Monday morning for fear that
    you might have a drain emergency?
 
2. Do you use all of your personal time off from work waiting for service providers to come
    to your home?
 
3. Do you have a seemingly automatic recurring $99 bill for months of services that don’t
    permanently solve your drain problem?
 
If you answered no to any of these questions, you’re not flushed.
 
And if you’re not flushed, your money is.
 
A sewer system is just one of the those things that no one notices until it stops working. When your drains are backed up, though, the whole world comes screeching to a halt. That’s why it’s so important to treat the cause of the problem and not just the symptoms.
 
Your drains need to get flushed!
 
Getting flushed means receiving the best drain care available. It means getting fast, focused attention to the source of the issue, and fixing the problem with ease. It means putting on shoe covers, laying out the red carpet (literally!), and getting to work on what really matters: making sure that the drain problem is solved, not just postponed.
 
You may think that a blocked drain is easy to fix, and that one simple service should do the trick.
 
What if doctors didn’t listen to all of the symptoms and gave the same type of medicine to every patient regardless of the problem? Obviously, a broken arm is much different than the head cold or a stomach virus. The best doctors look, listen, and feel for different symptoms before prescribing any treatments. Like our bodies, every drain system is different and needs unique care to maintain proper flow.
 
And it is NOT a pretty picture when it doesn’t maintain proper flow.

So, instead of throwing money down the drain for temporary, shot-in-the-dark service for the sake of a good deal, see a drain doctor and get the care your sewer system really needs.
 
Oh, and you’ll end up saving more money, time, and heartache.
 
Get your drains flushed! Send Zoom down the drains instead of your money, and give your drains the attention they need.

 There’s no time to waste! Rumor has it that Zoom is unrolling a new program this week that is FULL of awesome perks.

 Here’s the downlow: You already know that Zoom provides great residential service in the Philadelphia area and Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, and Delaware counties (that’s a tongue twister!). What you may not know is that they’re also the last word in commercial service: they’re known as the most efficient, most knowledgeable, and most reliable drain and sewer specialist throughout all of the areas they serve. This new program, which is rumored to be named the Commercial Service Program, is going to make it even easier to get dedicated service. From what I hear, any commercial property—apartment complexes, restaurants, chemical plants, you get the idea—is going to have access to these perks.

 This program saves you serious cash.  I’m hearing numbers like 10% off of all emergency services, and 15% off of all preventative maintenance services. Also, even though you’re getting mad deals on services, you also get priority service every time you call.

 Has it sunk in yet?

 If you’ve got commercial property, you need to get in on this.  Keep your eyes and ears open, because it’s going to drop soon! If you’re not already on the list to get instant updates on important stuff like this, email me at ashley@zoomdrain.com. I’ll make sure you don’t miss out!

Before your nearest grocery store sells out of Fritos Scoops, you’d better run a quick checklist. Snacks? Check. Drinks? Check. War paint/miniature footballs/team apparel? Check.

Fully functioning toilets and sinks? …are you sure?

And you thought running out of toilet paper was bad! Nothing—I mean NOTHING—ruins a great party like not having a working bathroom. I don’t even want to imagine the result of rowdy friends, drinks, and nachos without a fully functioning toilet. Can’t unthink that, can you? I can’t, either.

The bottom line is, you have to be on the offensive line when it comes to your sewer system, because being on the defense is no pretty picture.

That’s where we come in.

The fastest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to make sure that your sewer is up to the task of having a SuperBowl party is with a simple video inspection. Our techs will come straight to your home, record a full video of your drain, give you a detailed report of your drain, and offer recommendations to avoid a Superbowl sewer disaster.

The best part? If the Superbowl ads turn out to be lame, you can always upload your video inspection and show your friends how awesome your sewer is!! …no? Well, if it’s between that and home movies, I’ll let you in on a secret—no one wants to see your road trip to Montana again.

Ok, ok—you may not want to air your sewer on TV, but you’ll always have a record of the pipe material, condition, location, depth, and any issues that have been hiding in your drain. In short, you’ll be ready for anything your sewer has to throw your way.

Put a video inspection with Zoom Drain and Sewer Service in your playbook and squash sewer problems before the game begins!

You’ve paid for your emergency, and the work hasn’t even started yet.

If you think that’s ridiculous, we’d have to agree. Think about it! How many times have you called a drain and sewer company when it wasn’t an emergency? We think paying a fee for emergency, evening, and weekend service is just as silly as you do.

To us, the solution is obvious: no emergency fees. But how?!

Our technicians are the first and most important reason that we don’t need to charge emergency fees. We don’t need to call in “special forces” for emergency, evening, or weekend services.  Our technicians are experts in every aspect of drain and sewer cleaning, and we’ve equipped each of them with a warehouse on wheels that’s capable of handling every job at any time.   That means we don’t need to wait for the water jetting specialist or the video inspection specialist, and we certainly don’t need to charge an emergency fee.

I can already hear you asking, “But what about the general fee for sending a technician to my door?”

The answer to that is simple. We have an $89 initial service charge to send our technician to your home or business, where he’ll diagnose your drain problem, let you know everything that’s involved, and give you flat rate prices for any work to be done straight out of a menu price booklet before we start any work.  If you approve the work, our technician will stay and do the job and the $89 is applied toward the total cost of the job, so it’s essentially waived.

Let me paraphrase: no emergency fees and no additional service charges.

The next time you have a drain issue at your home or business, don’t let someone make you pay even more for your emergency. Give us a call or schedule online to have one of our experts fix your problem without all of the fees.