Posted by Carol, a resident of the Palo Verde neighborhood, on Sep 5, 2006 at 3:00 pm

Used them too on several occasions and always been very impressed.

Posted by Amateur Plumber, a resident of another community, on Sep 5, 2006 at 4:50 pm

Wow, you must be one satisfied customer to go on bat for the guy. What was the charge?

Yesterday, Labor Day, we had a near emergency. The drain backed up and I couldn't clear it as usual with the plunger. At that point, my wife suggested calling a plumber but I had other ideas than to pay someone triple overtime.

I started with the cleanout in the back of the house. I sent in the 25-ft snake I've had for years and immediately came upon a blockage. I wasn't convinced this was enough so I opened up the only other cleanout that I am aware of, inside the garage right behind the washer. I also felt a blockage and cleaned that out. I thought maybe, just maybe I took care of the problem. So, I had my daughter load up the washer. Bad mistake. Water started gushing out of the drain pipe as soon as rinse cycle started. Luckily I had the foresight to put a bucket under the stand pipe catch good amount of the flow.

At this point, I almost gave up and thought I couldn't save that triple overtime for some plumber after all. I instinctively walked out to the front yard to look at the city sewer access. Lo and behold, sewer water was oozing out from under the cover and I realized the real blockage was between that point and the main city sewer line. I put on a throw-away glove and stuck my hand into the ooze, looking for the cleanout. Even though I felt something, I couldn't be sure what it was under all that stinky, muddy puss. So, I used a little can to ladle out most of the ooze until I could see the cleanout. Opened it and sent in the snake. I could definitely feel blockage and unblocked it by churning the snake many times.

Guess what? It worked this time. I took care of the emergency without wasting a penny on a plumber, good or bad. It's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it and I feel that I was able to get the job done!

Posted by Walter E. Wallis, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Sep 5, 2006 at 5:20 pm

That test, opening the curb cleanout,is one every one should do. If water comes out, call the city since they have equipment to do the job without damaging the pipe. If water doesn't come out, call the plumber.

Triple A is good, too.

Posted by Jan H, a resident of the Leland Manor/Garland Drive neighborhood, on Sep 8, 2006 at 2:00 pm

In Palo Alto, when the blockage is on the city side of that curb cleanout, the city pays to have it fixed. Well worth checking where the problem is.

Posted by ck, a resident of the Community Center neighborhood, on Aug 27, 2008 at 12:12 pm

Triple a is no more, used to be Stinky but new company is not the same or same good value.

Posted by Carol, a resident of the Palo Verde neighborhood, on Aug 27, 2008 at 1:45 pm

I agree with ck

I posted saying I was pleased back in 2006, but I had to use them again a couple of months ago and was not so pleased and they cost a lot more than I expected.