Drain Cleaning in Ault, CO

Ault homes and their sewer lines

Many homes in Ault date from the early 1900s through the 1950s, built of brick or wood frame with clay or cast iron laterals. A smaller number of newer homes sit on the edges of town.

Inside Ault, houses drain to the town sewer; out on the surrounding farms, a septic tank is the rule.

Big old shade trees line many streets and yards, and their roots have had decades to find the joints in old clay pipe.

What clogs drains in Ault

Roots in old clay laterals are the leading cause of main line backups. Older cast iron inside the house scales up and narrows. Farm properties see septic slowdowns, and crawlspace lines can freeze in windy cold.

What drain work usually costs in Ault

A grain town with century-old homes

Ault grew up along the railroad and US 85 as a farming and grain town, and much of its housing dates from the early 1900s through the 1950s. Brick bungalows, small frame houses and a few larger older homes line streets shaded by trees planted generations ago. The sewer lines under those homes are just as old: clay laterals outside and cast iron inside, each with its own way of aging.

Clay pipe and roots

Clay sewer pipe was laid in short sections joined with mortar or early gaskets. After seventy to a hundred years of freezing, thawing and soil movement, those joints have opened slightly. Roots from the big shade trees along Ault's streets find those gaps and grow inside the pipe, forming dense mats that catch paper and solids. A first backup often comes in spring or early summer, when trees are growing fastest. Cutting clears the roots and restores flow; a camera shows how many joints are affected and how fast roots are likely to return.

Cast iron under the kitchen

Inside Ault's older homes, drain lines under kitchens and bathrooms are often cast iron. Over decades, cast iron develops scale and rust inside, which narrows the pipe and gives grease a rough surface to stick to. A kitchen line that clogs again and again may simply be badly scaled. Descaling with a chain cutter or jetter restores the inside diameter if the pipe walls are still sound. If the bottom of the pipe has rusted through, that section needs replacing, ideally before it leaks.

Basements and crawlspaces

Some of Ault's older homes have small basements, others have crawlspaces, and many had bathrooms added well after construction. Drain lines in vented crawlspaces are vulnerable in a windy cold snap, and basement fixtures are the first to show a main line backup. Closing crawlspace vents in winter and insulating pipes prevents most freezes. In basements, a gurgling toilet or water at the floor drain is the early warning to call before the line stops completely.

Farms around town

Farmhouses and acreage homes outside Ault rely on septic systems. If every drain in a farmhouse slows down, check when the tank was last pumped. Mudroom and shop sinks on working farms clog with dirt and debris, and a strainer basket in each one prevents most calls.

Lining versus replacement

When a camera shows roots at many joints in an old clay line, the two long-term options are lining and replacement. Lining inserts a resin-coated sleeve that hardens inside the old pipe, sealing the joints without digging a trench across the yard. It works when the old pipe is still mostly round. If sections have collapsed or shifted badly, those parts need to be dug and replaced. A camera inspection is the starting point for either decision.

Before you call about an Ault drain

Say roughly when the house was built, whether there are big trees near the line, which fixtures are affected and whether the line has been scoped before. If you're on a farm, mention septic. A clear path to the cleanout saves time.

Costs in Ault

An ordinary fixture clog in Ault costs little. Root cutting and descaling in older homes land mid-range, and lining or section repairs are quoted after a camera inspection. Investing in a camera on the first main line call usually saves money by showing whether you need maintenance or a repair.

Grain dust and the back-door sink

Plenty of Ault households work the land or the elevator, and the back-door sink sees chaff, grain dust and field mud every day in season. Those particles are fine enough to slip past a plunger but heavy enough to settle where the trap arm runs flat. Over a few months they cement together with soap scum. A basket strainer and a habit of shaking out gloves and cuffs outside save a call, and when the sink does stop, a small cable with a cutting head clears it in minutes.

Selling or buying in Ault

Buyers looking at older homes in Ault often ask for a sewer scope, and with good reason in a town where many lines are close to a century old. Sellers who scope ahead of listing can deal with roots or a cracked section on their own terms. Buyers who scope during inspection gain a clear picture of what they're inheriting and a basis for negotiating a repair or credit. Either way, keep the video. It's useful for every plumber who works on the line afterward.

Vent pipes on older homes

Older homes that had plumbing added over the years sometimes have limited venting, and roof vents can also be blocked by bird nests, leaves or, in winter, frost and ice. A blocked vent causes gurgling, slow drains and toilets that bubble, even when the drain line itself is clear. If a plumber clears the main and those symptoms continue, the vent is the next place to check.