Drain Cleaning in Mocksville, NC

Is my backup the Town's problem or mine?

The Town of Mocksville runs its own water and sewer system, and its service reaches some customers outside town limits as well. When a single sink or tub is slow, the clog is in your plumbing. When every drain in the house backs up, the blockage is usually in your building sewer, the pipe running from the house to the Town's main, and a plumber can clear it from a cleanout. If the plumber finds that line open all the way out and the backup continues, or neighbors on your street are having the same trouble, that's the time to call the Town's Water and Sewer Department.

Does the age of my house change how drains are cleaned?

It can. Mocksville's housing is a mix: the median home dates to 1986, about 44% were built before 1980, and roughly 28% went up between 2000 and 2009. The older houses, many in the Downtown, North Main Street and Salisbury Street historic districts, are more likely to have cast-iron drains indoors and clay or cast-iron sewer pipe outside. Those lines collect scale and can let in roots, so a plumber may use a different cutting head or lower jetting pressure and suggest a camera inspection if the line clogs often. The 2000s homes mostly have plastic drains, where clogs come from grease, hair and wipes rather than the pipe itself.

What can I do to keep drains clear between visits?

Most clogs start with habits. Keep cooking grease out of the sink by letting it cool and putting it in the trash. Use a hair catcher in tubs and showers. Treat toilets as only for toilet paper, even when wipes are labeled flushable. Run plenty of water after using the garbage disposal, and keep fibrous scraps like peels and celery out of it. In older homes with trees close to the sewer line, a periodic check can catch root growth before it fills the pipe.

A note on permits

Clearing a clog doesn't usually require a permit. If the plumber finds broken pipe that needs replacing, the Town of Mocksville contracts with Davie County Planning and Development Services for zoning, permitting and inspections, so that's where the permit would come from.