Is it time to install a new garbage disposal? Selecting a new garbage disposal for your home is important because this appliance is typically used on a daily basis. A garbage disposal is a convenient appliance, but if you have the wrong one, it may become a big problem. Select carefully - we recommend a higher quality disposal with a stainless steel chamber.

We often get called to emergency plumbing situations in Ann Arbor. Pipes burst, sewer lines back up, toilets overflow, and sump pumps stop pumping. All of these situations wreak havoc on a home, and usually a small bit of prevention would keep them from happening.

You've had clogged drains before, and maybe you’ve fixed the problem using a chemical solvent. Before you pour another bottle of chemicals down your drain, consider the risks. Acidic solvents work to dissolve whatever they make contact with, including your pipes. You could also burn or injure yourself using solvents if some of it accidentally splashes on your skin or in your eyes. Plus, traditional solvents are very hard on your fixture’s finish, and bad for the environment.

Why did we choose to start this post with a toilet paper tube, you ask? Because that’s basically what Orangeburg pipe is. Used in many houses built during the 50s, Orangeburg pipe is a brittle, lightweight fiber sewer pipe, essentially made of tar paper. It absorbs moisture, deforms under pressure and eventually disintegrates.

We're not trying to scare you. But we do want to point out that using liquid drain cleaners is a bad idea – both for you and for your plumbing. (And we want to offer you an alternative, of course, because otherwise we wouldn't be very helpful, would we?)