"It went amazing. Paid the extra bucks for emergency service, because of our smallish waterfall, looking leak, sprouting from a bathroom pipe, enough to puddle water onto our basement/laundry room floor. Initially, spoke to Chris, who was pleasant and upfront with the per hour fees, for emergency services. He sent us Tim, who was hesitant at first, due to the location of the leak, but his experience and knowledge, enabled him to decipher the location of our leak and fix it. A quick trip to Lowes, where he promptly returned and in 90 minutes, the job was done. A week later and the valve is bone dry. Yay!!!"
"I would recommend this company highly. I watched them do my entire waterproofing job and the work and steps they took to do the job correctly was impressive. They cleaned the entire area thoroughly after they were finished. You would never know that a Six foot hole had been dug in my yard."
"Excellent work. The installation was completed in two days and the work area was thoroughly cleaned up. It has been a year since installation and the sump pump is working fine."
"We got 5 estimates from companies regarding a leak in our office and adjoining storage unit. This was the only company that accurately pinpointed the problem , which was a leak coming from gaps surrounding our electrical conduit pipe. Other companies had quoted us 6400$ to dig up the front yard and redo everything from the outside. Others wanted to dig up the inside. I’m so glad Mike explained everything to me clearly- and it all came down to common sense. These guys found the exact spot where the leak was coming from, and knew how to fix it. He also suggested replacing our sump pump because it was the original, and mud was starting to back up. He suggested we do this as it would be tragic to fix one problem and have another occur (and subsequent flooding) that could have been prevented. There was a minor connectivity issue with the sump pump a couple weeks later but I called at 9 am, the man who took the call put it in as an emergency because of some water splashing out and the problem was fixed by 11 the same day. Great responsiveness and customer service. I feel confident in my decision to choose this company, and would recommend them to others."
"I'm not fully moved into the home yet, but I will update when I am there permanently. The crew was very professional, worked diligently, cleaned up after every day of work (three day job--french drain expansion, two additional sump pumps installed, window drains into the sump pumps, pretty extensive job)."
"They installed our sump pump system with backup battering very efficiently and professional and in less than one day. After discussions on the correct equipment, they provided additional effort to be sure the wi-fi backup equipment was installed and was working efficiently. Any questions on installation and operation I had were answered on-the-spot and with ease. System seems great and I now have peace of mind during a bad storm or if the power should go out. I would recommend them to anyone."
"I had a great experience with Best Buy waterproofing. I contacted them for inspection due to water rising underneath my tile in the basement. They responded very quickly and had someone out for the inspection a day later. Ed completed my inspection and was very informative and communicative throughout the whole process. He didnâ t try to scare me into getting any services and was very patient with me. Any questions I had he was on it and available. When I made my final decision it was quick and a painless process. The crew cleaned up well and walked me through the work they had done. They installed a new drain and sump pump. Might I add they made my installation very esthetic by placing the line in the wall to hide the pipes when the dry wall is replaced. I will definitely recommend to friends and family!"
"Thomas Reamer and Ramon Goard installed a sump pump and drain line and reinforced the waterproofing material. Very thorough in explaining the problem, solution, and showing us pictures of the process throughout. They worked steadily through rain and heat. Very impressed with them and their work."
"Woke up this morning to my hvac leaking and contacted Markool. I have never used them before and was in a pinch. They fit me right in this morning and were out at my house within 2 hours. The tech stepped in the door and placed covers for his shoes so he did not track in any dirt which was impressive! The tech was very professional and super friendly. Problem was diagnosed and FIXED within an hour. The price was extremely reasonable to the point I was shocked in a good way (expecting a higher price). Anyways, I will most certainly be a returning customer. Thank you Markool Heating Cooling Plumbing."
"We have been working with Affordable for a couple of years now. To put it lightly, we have the basement from hell. When they arrived, we had some water in the basement and they quoted us based on their normal pricing. Once the concrete came up, we couldn't believe what we were dealing with. It is a constant flow of water that required two sump pits and an insane amount of work to install our drainage system. Every time they tried to dig a pit it would backfill with sand and water- they had to dig this up painstakingly- foot by foot. We thought for sure we were in for additional costs, but they stuck by the original estimate. Since then, any time we have had an issue or a question, they are quick to answer. Poor Kelly and Bobby probably recognize our number on the caller ID but whenever we make a call or send an email, we always get a response- usually with a visit on the same day. We highly recommend this company for their honesty, customer service, and quality work."
Drain Pipe Installation questions, answered by experts
A small amount of diluted bleach is okay to pour down a garbage disposal. As part of your weekly garbage disposal maintenance, use 1 teaspoon of bleach with your concoction of ice cubes and lemon peels. Turn on the disposal and run the water until the blades chop up the ice cubes.
Any more bleach in your disposal can harden oils and greases in your drain, which can cause problems. Always wear gloves when working with bleach, and know that you really don’t need bleach at all—vinegar, baking soda, salt, and ice should do the trick.
Biodegradable drain cleaners use naturally derived ingredients, such as baking soda, vinegar, and boiling water, which bacteria and other microbes can break down. Unlike conventional cleaners that rely on corrosive bleach (sodium hydroxide), biodegradable options are gentler on fixtures and less harmful to the environment. Because they don't release harmful gasses, they are also safer to use, especially in households with children, and do not require the same safety precautions as bleach-based products.
With a one-way cleanout, you can access your sewer line from one direction. Depending on the way it curves, a plumber can either access the side of the pipe that goes into your home or the side that goes to your yard. On the other hand, two-way cleanouts allow pros to access both sides of the sewer line, thanks to their dual-pipe design (they’re usually U-shaped).
The cost varies from $150 to $600, depending on the severity of the clog, pipe access, and required equipment.
Coke and other sodas do clean a clogged drain, so this is one of those urban myths that has some truth behind it. Coke and similar sodas are caustic and will provide some cleaning power to your drains. However, the power of soda pales in comparison to dedicated cleaners or even baking soda.
The Manchester, MD homeowners’ guide to drain pipe installations
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Find out the average sink install or repair cost in Baltimore, MD. Learn what you can expect to pay for local plumbing services and budget for your project.
Follow this guide to learn how to install a kitchen sink drain, from shutting off the water supply to lowering the drain outlet and connecting the P-trap.
