Drain Cleaning in Richardson, TX

Richardson was a small farm town until Collins Radio and Texas Instruments brought thousands of engineers in the 1950s and 1960s. Neighborhoods such as Richardson Heights, Canyon Creek, Reservation and Highland Terrace were built for them, many with distinctive mid-century modern designs.

Those homes sit on slabs with cast iron drains underneath. Many Richardson neighborhoods have alley sewers, so laterals run out the back of the house to a main in the alley.

North Richardson, above Campbell Road toward the Bush Turnpike, filled in during the 1970s and 1980s, with a mix of cast iron and plastic drains and fewer alleys than the older south side.

UT Dallas, on the city's north edge, has grown into a large university, and nearby apartments and rentals house thousands of students.

The city sits on expansive clay that moves slabs, and mature live oaks, pecans and cedar elms planted in the 1950s and 1960s now shade most streets.

The City of Richardson maintains the local sewer system, and the North Texas Municipal Water District treats wastewater. Property owners are responsible for the sewer lateral, including the run to an alley main.

Dry summers shrink the clay and crack old cast iron. Roots push into any joint along alley laterals.

Spring storms soak the ground and can overload mains. Holiday cooking and Lunar New Year celebrations bring grease clogs.

Richardson Heights, Canyon Creek, the Reservation and Highland Terrace are known for their mid-century homes, some with flat roofs, clerestory windows and atrium courtyards. Under those slabs, cast iron drains have been scaling and rusting for sixty to seventy years. Many owners are restoring these homes, and the drains are often the last thing anyone checks. Scope them before the new tile goes down.

Many Richardson neighborhoods were laid out with alleys, and the sewer mains run down the middle of them. Laterals leave the back of the house, cross the back yard and connect near the fence. Trees, shrubs and fence posts along the back line often sit right on top of them, and roots are a common finding. Plumbers will usually head to the back yard first, so unlock the gate.

Neighborhoods north of Campbell Road were built in the 1970s and 1980s, with a mix of cast iron and plastic drains. Trees planted then are now big enough to reach lateral joints, and slab movement cracks fittings now and then.

UT Dallas has grown from a small graduate school into a university of more than 30,000 students, and apartments and rental homes near campus fill every fall. Shared lines and heavy use mean more hair, grease and wipes. Landlords who clean main lines before each semester and leave hair catchers in every shower avoid most move-in emergencies.

In August, the owners of a 1957 home in Richardson Heights notice the shower draining slowly and a sewer smell in the hall. The plumber goes to the cleanout near the alley, cuts a mass of roots and runs a camera back toward the house. It shows heavy scale and a crack in the cast iron under the slab. A leak test confirms it, and the owners plan lining as part of their bathroom remodel.

Richardson's stretch of Greenville Avenue and Spring Valley Road is home to Chinatown and dozens of Asian restaurants, bakeries and markets. Woks, fryers and rich broths send a lot of grease toward commercial drains. Interceptors pumped on a short schedule and lines jetted regularly keep those kitchens open.

Richardson's clay swells and shrinks with the weather, moving slabs and bending the brittle cast iron underneath. A slab that has risen and fallen sixty times since the house was built has put a lot of stress on every joint. Running a soaker hose around the foundation in July and August keeps the soil steadier, and new cracks in drywall or tile are a cue to test the plumbing as well as the foundation.

Before buying a Richardson home from the 1950s or 1960s, ask for a sewer camera inspection and a hydrostatic test. Original cast iron under the slab is often due for lining or replacement, and knowing before closing helps you plan.

Many homes near the CityLine, Galatyn Park and State Farm office districts are rented to tech and corporate workers who move on after a year or two. Drain history rarely passes from one tenant to the next. Landlords who jet main lines between tenants and leave a note showing where the alley cleanout is save the next renter and the next plumber real time.

Tell the plumber the neighborhood and the year the house was built, and say whether the sewer leaves through the back yard to an alley. Mention remodeling plans, foundation work, big trees along the back fence and whether you've seen any cracks or damp spots inside. Unlock the back gate and put pets inside before the truck arrives.