Ever wonder where the stuff you flush down the toilet goes? No? Well, fair enough... flush it and say goodbye! Unfortunately, many of us do have to think about it. Nearly half of all Americans live in a house with a septic tank. We won't go into details, but this is the place where all your "wastewater" (okay, it's sewage) goes. We all flush and forget, but your septic tank needs ordinary maintenance.

Before calling the Trustworthy plumber's number, try to identify the problems as closely as you can. The more specific and more details you can provide, the better they will be able to gauge the emergency and estimate the cost of repair.

When you contact the actual plumbers that you have on your listing of emergency numbers (which might very well be the first page of Google) be sure to learn how quickly they will be able to get to you. The sooner the better is always the general rule to go by. You don't want to sit with the issue for the next few days, even a few hours might be too much to ask in some situations. The best plumbers will be the ones that can get to you the quickest.

If your service provider has adequate knowledge and training on the topic, this might be a good time to find out more about energy alternatives. He may be able to install low-flush toilets and lower-output shower heads. This is also a good time to talk about solar thermal water heating, though perhaps before the roofer is finished up top.

Cutters or tubing cutters are also essential to any plumber. These are water line repair used to cut through copper pipes. When using these tools, you'll notice that there's going to be some uneven edges on the pipe. Just use a file to make the edges smooth.

Sometimes repairs do not need to be immediate, but they should be quick. When you do not need emergency repairs, but cannot wait days for help, you should find a plumbing company offering same day services. This means you can call in the morning and have someone there to make the repair within hours. Since some companies do not offer emergency services, same day service may be the next best thing, so you should look for this offering if it is the best your Local plumber has.

Ask for an estimate for the total cost of repairs. Some 24-hour plumbers will not want to give an estimate over the phone, and would want to personally assess the plumbing situation first. But you may be able to get a rough estimate and an idea of the price if you come well-informed about the plumbing emergency. Picture out the scenario to your emergency plumber and ask for the usual or average cost of repair.

If these three methods do not work, there are chemical you can buy in the grocery store or home improvement store that break up drain clots chemically. These products are not typically environmentally-friendly and should be used as a last option, but they are effective. Alternatively, you can call your local plumber who always has more tricks and bigger tools to take care of that plugged up drain.