Drain Cleaning in Briggsdale, CO

Briggsdale homes and their sewer lines

Briggsdale homes are farmhouses and ranch houses spread across large parcels, a handful of older houses near the school, and manufactured homes on acreage.

Every Briggsdale home drains to a private septic system, and nearly all rely on private wells.

Older ranch houses here often have cast iron or clay out to the tank; newer homes and replacements are PVC.

Briggsdale drain problems

Briggsdale drain calls come from distance, cold and age. Lines run a long way from house to tank on big lots, open grassland wind drives frost into shallow pipe, and ranch houses with decades of additions have drains that don't always flow the way they should.

What drain work usually costs in Briggsdale

Frank Briggs's town

Briggsdale was established in 1909 in the dryland farming boom that brought homesteaders onto the grassland of northern Weld County. It was named for Frank N. Briggs, a farmer and one of its founders, and its post office opened on August 1, 1910. The dry years of the 1930s emptied many of the homesteads around it, and much of that land later became part of the Pawnee National Grassland, which surrounds the area today.

Briggsdale is a small place, with about 134 people in its census area, but it is the center for a wide stretch of ranch country. Briggsdale RE-10 runs an elementary and a secondary school for students from ranches spread over many miles, and the community sits on State Highway 14 between Ault and the Pawnee Buttes.

Septic and wells on every place

There is no public sewer anywhere around Briggsdale. Every house drains to a private septic system, and nearly every house has its own well. The tank and field are the homeowner's to maintain. Many systems here are decades old and were installed long before current rules, so it's common not to know exactly where the tank is or how big it is. When you call about a Briggsdale backup, mention whether you know where the tank lid and cleanout are, and when the tank was last pumped.

Long lines on big lots

Briggsdale houses sit on large parcels, and the tank is often far from the house. A long run of pipe has more joints that can separate, more places where a sag can form and more length for grease and paper to settle. Ranch houses with additions may have a newer bathroom tied into an old line at a poor angle. Hydro jetting can clean a long line end to end, and a camera shows the route and any trouble spots.

Shelterbelts and roots

Homes on the grassland often have rows of trees planted on the windward side for shelter. Those trees need water, and their roots grow toward septic lines and leach fields, where the soil stays moist. Roots usually show up as drains that slow a little more each summer. A camera inspection shows where they're getting in, and repairing those joints keeps them out.

Wind and frost on open ground

On the grassland around Briggsdale, there is nothing to stop a north wind in winter. Frost goes deep in bare soil, and snow blows off exposed ground instead of insulating it. A septic line that was buried shallow, or one that runs under a driveway kept clear of snow, can freeze solid. Houses that sit empty for a few days are at the most risk. If a Briggsdale drain stops after a frigid night, stop running water and call; the ice can usually be cleared from a cleanout, so the yard stays intact.

When a Briggsdale drain backs up

1. 01

   Stop the water

   Keep laundry and dishes on hold.

2. 02

   Find the cleanout

   Look along the foundation, in the basement or in the yard toward the tank.

3. 03

   Check the tank area

   Look for standing water, odor or soft ground.

4. 04

   Describe the drive

   Tell the plumber which county road you're on and how to find the house.

Briggsdale warning signs

• Every fixture slow at once
• Gurgling in a toilet when the tub drains
• Roots on the cable after clearing
• A drain that stops after a bitter night
• Odor or wet ground over the field

Full houses at branding and harvest

On a working ranch, the house fills up at busy times: neighbors helping at branding, crews at harvest, family at the holidays. A septic system sized for a small household can be overwhelmed. If you know a busy stretch is coming, have the tank checked first and spread out laundry so the system isn't flooded all at once.

Older systems with no records

Ranches around Briggsdale have changed hands over the decades, and records of the septic system rarely follow the deed. Many owners don't know the size of their tank, how old it is or where the field runs. If you've bought a place recently, it is worth having the tank located, pumped and inspected once so you know what you have. The pumper can tell you the tank's size and condition, and a camera from the house cleanout shows the line in between. Write down what you learn, including the distance from a corner of the house to the lid, and keep it with the property papers for the next owner.

What changes the price in Briggsdale

A simple clog is quick. Long lines, roots, thawing and finding a buried tank add time. Plumbers come from Greeley or Ault, so travel adds a little. Describe the house, the distance to the tank and what you've noticed, and ask what a Briggsdale visit should run.