Drain Cleaning in Howard, CO

Howard homes and their sewer lines

Howard homes range from older ranch houses and cabins near the river and highway to 1970s and later houses on acreages climbing toward the mountains, including many manufactured homes.

Every Howard home relies on its own septic system and well.

Lots on the slopes often have long, steep lines to the tank and rocky ground that kept lines shallow.

Howard drain problems

Howard drain calls center on septic lines, slope and cold. Lines on the mountain side drop steeply and then flatten, leaving solids at the bend, rocky soil keeps pipe shallow where it freezes, and older homes near the Arkansas have roots from cottonwoods and narrowleaf willows along the river.

What drain work usually costs in Howard

On US 50 below Salida

Howard is one of the communities strung along US 50 in the upper Arkansas valley, where the river runs between the Sangre de Cristo Range to the south and lower hills to the north. Named for pioneer John Howard, it has had a post office since 1882. About 850 people lived in the Howard area in 2020, up nearly 18 percent from 2010, and its neighbors include Coaldale downriver and Salida, the closest town of any size, about 13 miles upriver.

Homes from the river to the forest

The Howard area stretches from the river and highway up the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristos into San Isabel National Forest. Near the river, homes include older ranch houses and cabins on gravelly bottomland. Higher up, there are houses and manufactured homes on acreages, many built since the 1970s on lots of several acres. The differences matter for drains: a river-bottom lot deals with roots and groundwater, while a mountain-side lot deals with steep lines, rock and frost.

Steep lines that flatten out

On the slopes above Howard, the drain line often drops steeply from the house and then levels off as it approaches the tank. Water picks up speed on the steep part and leaves solids behind where the slope eases. Over time, paper and waste build up at that bend until the line closes. Clearing it with a cable or jetter restores flow, and a camera shows how far the bend is from the cleanout. In some cases, a cleanout added near the bend makes future maintenance much easier.

Cold in the upper Arkansas valley

At about 7,400 feet, Howard has cold winters, and on clear, calm nights cold air settles into the valley along the river. Lines buried shallow over rock, drains in crawlspaces and pipes under manufactured homes freeze during cold snaps. If your drain stops all at once on a frigid morning, ice is likely. Stop running water and call; a plumber can thaw the line from a cleanout. Close gaps in skirting and insulate exposed pipe before the next cold spell.

River-bottom roots

Cottonwoods and willows line the Arkansas through Howard, and the older homes near the river often have clay or cast iron lines with joints roots can enter. Roots grow fastest in the warm months and can close a line in a season. If cable clearing brings back fine roots, ask for a camera inspection to see how many joints are involved and whether sealing or replacing them makes sense.

The Hayden Pass Fire and the Howard station

When the lightning-caused Hayden Pass Fire burned in the Sangre de Cristos south of Coaldale in July 2016, the Howard fire station served as an evacuation shelter. The fire destroyed very few structures, but burned slopes in the area shed more water and sediment during heavy summer storms for years afterward. If your property is below a burned drainage, keep the area around your cleanout and tank lids clear, and have the line checked if runoff ever buries them.

When a Howard drain backs up

1. 01

   Stop using water

   Don't keep flushing a toilet that's rising.

2. 02

   Think about the weather

   Sudden stops after cold nights suggest ice; gradual slowing suggests buildup at a bend.

3. 03

   Find the cleanout

   Check outside along the foundation or under the home, and clear snow away.

4. 04

   Describe the road

   Mention steep or unplowed drives and any forest road access.

Howard warning signs

• Drains stopping after a cold, calm night
• Gurgling where a steep line flattens
• Roots on the cable from a line near the Arkansas
• Slow drains under a manufactured home
• Wet ground near the tank in spring

Manufactured homes on the Howard slopes

Many homes on the slopes above Howard are manufactured houses, and the weak point for their drains is the drop where the line leaves the floor and goes into the ground. That short stretch is exposed to the air under the home, and if the skirting has gaps it freezes before anything else. Heat tape designed for drain pipe, insulation over the drop and tight skirting all help. Check under the home each fall for loose hangers or sagging pipe, which hold water that freezes.

Power outages in a cold snap

Winter storms in the upper Arkansas valley sometimes knock out power. A home that loses heat during a cold night can freeze its drains and traps along with its water lines. If you have a wood stove or generator, use it to keep the house above freezing. If the power will be out a long time, shut off the water and drain the lines, and pour RV antifreeze in the traps.

What changes the price in Howard

A fixture clog is quick. Long sloping lines, thawing, rocky ground and the drive from Salida or Cañon City add time. When you phone, describe whether the house sits near the river or up the slope, and ask what range to expect for a Howard visit.