Frequently Asked Questions
Speedy Rooter Plumbing provides plumbing services in Augusta, Albemarle, and Rockingham Counties, VA, along with communities throughout Central Virginia.
Below, we share answers to the questions we hear most often from our customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quotes and Plans
Call our plumbing technicians in your region for a personalized quote. Regional phone numbers are listed at the top of our home page.
For a general sense of pricing, see the Cost of Rooter Service page under the Services menu. It explains what affects the cost of common services. The most accurate way to get a quote is to call a technician in your area.
If you're interested in ongoing services to help prevent pipe damage, ask your technician about our Valued Customer Plan.
Individual plumbing services are performed on request, usually when a fixture or appliance is malfunctioning, unusable, or broken. You'll find a list of our individual services under the Services tab in the main menu.
Our Valued Customer Plan is an annual program designed to prevent plumbing problems before they disrupt your day. It takes a comprehensive, technical approach to keeping your plumbing and appliances working. For full details, see the Valued Customer Plan tab in the main menu.
Caring for Your Plumbing
Start by knowing what not to put down your drains. These items commonly cause clogs and pipe damage:
- Grease, oil, and coffee grounds
- Foods that absorb water and expand, like pasta and rice
- Medicine, paint, and cleaning products
- Any product labeled "flushable"
- Produce stickers
- Paper products
Food and paper products cause blockages once they're flushed or washed into your pipes. Chemicals cause damage by corroding pipes, and they can also pollute the environment once they leave your home.
Freezing temperatures are a common cause of burst pipes because water expands when it freezes. A little preparation goes a long way:
- Shut off the main water line before leaving on a winter trip.
- Call a Speedy Rooter technician and ask about pipe insulation options.
- Let faucets drip slightly during hard freezes, since moving water is less likely to freeze and dripping relieves pressure in the line.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks so warm air can reach the pipes.
A good routine is to clean and inspect your pipes in spring, then insulate and take damage-prevention steps just before winter. Preparing during mild weather helps you avoid burst pipes and water damage when the cold arrives.
The Valued Customer Plan fits this routine well because it includes inspection, cleaning, and prevention before harsher weather sets in. Call a technician to schedule your annual checkup.
Trenchless Services and Products
Trenchless plumbing services let our technicians diagnose and repair underground pipes without digging trenches across your property.
Sewer camera inspection is one of our main trenchless diagnostic tools. The camera sits at the end of a cable that's fed down the drain, with LED lights that let our technicians see inside your pipes on a screen.
We also use hydro jetting, which cleans pipes and clears clogs with high-pressure blasts of water. Our technicians always inspect your pipe system before starting work, so we know the source of the problem first.
You can find detailed descriptions of the pipe-cleaning products we use under the Products tab on the home page. They include:
- Drain Master
- RootX
- CCLS
- BIO-REM-ED
We use these products alongside our trenchless methods, and only when they're needed.
Availability and Emergencies
Our technicians are available 24/7. Plumbing damage can get more expensive the longer it goes on, so we're ready to help at any hour. Our emergency phone number is listed at the top of the home page. Write down your regional emergency number and keep it in the fridge so it's easy to find when you need it.
Call 911 first if water is in contact with electrical equipment, or if anyone is injured or in danger. Then follow these steps:
- Shut off your main water line.
- Call a Speedy Rooter Plumbing technician.
- Check which areas are damaged.
- Take photos of the damage.
- Review your homeowners insurance for plumbing coverage.
- Start mopping up standing water to help prevent mold.
Shutting off the main water line stops a plumbing problem from getting worse, but its location varies from home to home. Find it now, before you need it in a hurry:
- Look indoors first. Check closets, crawl spaces, the basement, the garage, and areas near large water-using appliances.
- Check outside. You may find a water meter mounted on the outside of the house or near the sidewalk.
- Turn the valve clockwise. This should stop water to the whole house.
- Drain the remaining water. Open both handles on a faucet, preferably on the lowest floor, until the water stops. This releases pressure in the pipes.
If you can't find your shutoff, call a technician in your region for help.
Pipe Problems
When you move into a home, find out the age and material of the pipes. If you're not sure, a technician can identify whether they're brass, galvanized steel, cast iron, copper, or PVC. The material and age tell us a lot about how worn the pipes are. A technician can also assess how ground conditions are affecting them and whether a more durable material would be a better choice.
Common signs that pipes need replacing include:
- Frequent clogs, even after several repairs
- A metallic taste in your water from pipe corrosion
Pipe corrosion is damage caused by a chemical reaction between a metal pipe and its surroundings, including the water flowing through it. Over time, corrosion wears the pipe down and causes rust, and it can affect your water quality. If you notice a metallic taste or discolored water, stop drinking it and call a technician right away.
Different pipe metals hold up better or worse depending on water chemistry and soil conditions. If you suspect corrosion, call your regional technician for a diagnostic assessment.
Clogs are commonly caused by what goes down the drain, tree root intrusion, and pipe corrosion. Watch for these signs:
- Gurgling drains, such as a shower drain that gurgles when the toilet flushes
- Slow drains in one or more fixtures
- Sunken spots or depressions in the yard above buried sewer lines, which can mean a damaged pipe is letting soil and roots in
Two related warning signs point to a different problem. A water bill that jumps and stays high usually means a leak in the water supply line, not a clog. A sudden change in water pressure at a faucet or shower head can also signal a supply line problem. Both are worth a call.
Septic Systems and Sump Pumps
We recommend pumping your septic tank every 2 to 3 years. The right schedule depends on the property and how heavily the system is used. Regular pumping helps extend the life of your septic field and prevents harmful buildup.
Signs your septic tank needs pumping include:
- Toilet backups
- Foul odors
- Soft or soggy soil around the septic tank
Putting off pumping can lead to expensive repairs and environmental harm. A neglected tank puts groundwater, neighbors, and local wildlife at risk. If you have questions about your septic tank's condition, call a technician to schedule a diagnostic assessment.
Septic pumping drains the waste from your tank. We recommend pumping every 2 to 3 years. The more regularly you pump, the less you'll need to spend on septic cleaning, which removes the buildup that accumulates inside the tank.
Heavy cleaning is usually needed when regular pumping has been skipped. After pumping, any sludge left at the bottom of the tank is treated with our products, leaving a healthier tank for you and the surrounding environment.
A sump pump sits in a sump pit at the lowest point of a basement. When water collects in the pit, the pump moves it through a discharge line and away from your home, keeping the lower level dry and helping prevent flooding during storms.
If you have a below-ground concrete basement and no sump pump, consider adding one. Call a technician to ask about sump pump installation, repair, or replacement.
Where We Serve
Augusta County
Albemarle County
Rockingham County
Central Virginia
Still Have a Question?
If your question isn't answered here, call Speedy Rooter Plumbing at (434) 205-1893. Our technicians handle plumbing services in Augusta, Albemarle, and Rockingham Counties, VA, and the surrounding area, and we're happy to help. Call now!
