EARL'S PLUMBING & HEATING, L.L.C.  HYDRO-TUNNELING DIVISION

  5105 WEST NAPOLEON AVENUE      METAIRIE, LOUISIANA 70001  

L.M.P. 521

The flow must go on!

WHAT IS HYDRO-TUNNELING?  WHEN YOUR TOILETS, SINKS, AND/OR BATHTUBS BACK UP INTO THE HOUSE AND CAUSE A FLOOD.  A PLUMBER MIGHT TELL YOU THAT THERE IS A PLUMBING PROBLEM UNDER THE SLAB AFTER THEY HAVE RUN A CABLE/ROOTER.WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU RUN A CAMERA (TUNNELVISION)AND LOCATOR TO DETECT WHETHER THERE IS A SAG OR BREAK IN THE LINE OR PERHAPS SOMEONE COULD HAVE THROWN SOMETHING IN THE LINE, AND IT IS LODGED IN THERE IN WHICH CASE A TUNNEL MAY NOT BE NECESSARY.

Here you can see the camera and monitor being inserted into the cleanout by the plumber on the roof of the house.  While the camera travels through the sewer and drain lines, another plumbers watches closely at the monitor to detect any breaks or sags in the line.

ALSO, THE LOCATOR WILL DETERMINE THE DIRECTION OF THE LINE TO GIVE THE TUNNEL CREW A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE TO START DIGGING TO SAVE THE HOMEOWNER UNNECESSARY EXPENSE.

IF IT IS DETERMINED THERE IS A BREAK AND/OR SAG UNDER THE SLAB, THE PLUMBER RUNNING THE CAMERA WILL DRAW A LAYOUT OF THE HOUSE WITH MEASUREMENTS AND GIVE YOU A SAMPLE COPY OF OUR PROPOSAL TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE COST INVOLVED FOR A HYDRO TUNNEL JOB.

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTACT YOUR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE COMPANY TO SEE IF YOUR INSURANCE POLICY WILL COVER ACCESS TO THE BREAKS AND/OR SAGS AND REPAIRS TO THE PIPE UNDER THE HOUSE OR IN THE YARD.  

MOST HOMEOWNER INSURANCE POLICIES WILL COVER ACCESS TO THE PROBLEM AREA IF WATER BACKS UP INTO THE FIXTURES (BATHTUB, SINK, OR TOILET) OR IN THE HOUSE CAUSING DAMAGE NO MATTER HOW MINOR IT IS; EVEN IF THE WATER JUST HAD TO BE WIPED UP OR IF THERE WERE NO BACK UPS AND THE PIPE HANGERS BREAK CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE PIPE.  A GOOD SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF ANY INTERIOR DAMAGE THAT YOU BELIEVE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE BACK UPS.

IN MOST CASES, HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE WILL COVER ACCESS TO THE PROBLEM, REPAIRS TO THE PIPE, AND REPLACE THE MUD AND SAND DUG UP FROM UNDER YOUR HOUSE.

ONCE THE PLUMBER RETURNS TO THE OFFICE, THE PAPERWORK ON YOUR HOUSE WILL BE PROCESSED.  AT THIS TIME WE WILL FAX OR MAIL YOU OUR PROPOSAL.  THE PAPERWORK PROBABLY WILL NOT BE FULLY PROCESSED UNTIL THE NEXT DAY.

ONCE YOU RECEIVE THE PROPOSAL, YOU SHOULD CHECK WITH YOUR INSURANCE CLAIMS ADJUSTER TO DETERMINE WHAT THEY WILL COVER ON YOUR CLAIM.  THEN IF YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PROPOSAL, YOU CAN SIGN AND SEND THE PROPOSAL BACK TO EARL'S PLUMBING.  WE REQUIRE A $500.00 MINIMUM DEPOSIT TO START THE WORK.  

EVEN THOUGH MOST POLICIES ARE THE SAME, SOME INSURANCE COMPANY'S WILL INTERPRET THE PROPOSAL DIFFERENTLY AND SOME INSURANCE POLICIES WILL COVER MORE THAN OTHERS.  ALSO IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU PROVIDE US THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S NAME, ADJUSTER'S NAME, PHONE NUMBER, AND CLAIM NUMBER.  THIS IS NECESSARY SO WE CAN SPEAK TO YOUR INSURANCE ADJUSTER TO PROCESS YOUR CLAIM IN A QUICK AND TIMELY MANNER.  

AFTER WE RECEIVE THE SIGNED PROPOSAL AND DEPOSIT, DEPENDING ON THE WORKLOAD, YOUR TUNNEL JOB WILL BEGIN IN APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 2 WEEKS DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION, WEATHER, AND/OR WORKLOAD.  

THE STEPS IN TUNNELING ARE AS FOLLOWS:

FIRST WE DIG A BASE HOLE WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 3 X 4 FEET.  THESE BASEHOLES ARE MADE BY USING A 5,000 POUND PRESSURE WASHER TO CUT THE HOLE OPEN.  

FROM THE BASE HOLE WE BEGIN TO DIG AN APPROXIMATELY 3 X 4 FOOT WIDE TUNNEL UNDER THE SLAB SO THAT THE TUNNEL CREW CAN ACCESS THE BROKEN PIPE.  ONCE THE TUNNEL IS DUG, WE USE A VACUUM TRUCK TO EXCAVATE OUT ALL THE MUD, SLOP AND POSSIBLE RAW SEWERAGE.  FROM THERE, A SAND TRUCK "BLOWS" SAND INTO THE TUNNEL TO MAKE THE TUNNEL DRY AND SANITARY.  

HERE YOU CAN SEE THE INSIDE OF A TUNNEL WHICH WAS DUG BY HAND, WHICH IS MUDDY AND UNSANITARY.  

BELOW YOU CAN SEE A "NEW AND IMPROVED" HYDRO-TUNNEL IN WHICH SAND HAS BEEN BLOWN IN TO HELP PROTECT THE PLUMBERS FROM RAW SEWERAGE AND PROVIDE A MORE SANITARY AND EFFICIENT WORK ENVIRONMENT.

ONCE THE TUNNEL IS DUG, MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES REQUIRE THE PLUMBER TO CONTACT THE INSURANCE CLAIM ADJUSTER TO COME OUT AND VERIFY THE BREAKS AND/OR SAGS IN THE LINE.  THIS SHOULD ONLY TAKE A DAY BUT IN SOME CASES THE ADJUSTER IS HARD TO CONTACT AND IT COULD TAKE UP TO A WEEK.

THE FIRST THING THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER MIGHT WANT TO SEE IS IF WE HAD TO BREAK ANY CONCRETE TO ACCESS THE BROKEN PIPE.

THEY ALSO REQUEST PICTURES OF THE DEBRIS, SUCH AS TREES AND CEMENT CHUNKS THAT ARE UNDER THE SLAB IN THE TUNNEL OR OUTSIDE OF THE TUNNEL.  

THEY USUALLY REQUEST PICTURES, AS YOU SEE HERE, TO SHOW THE WORK.  NORMALLY THE ADJUSTER WANTS TO SEE PICTURES OF BROKEN HANGERS, BROKEN PIPE(S) AND/OR SAGS.

THE ADJUSTER WILL ALSO WANT TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY CHIPPED FOOTINGS.

THEN, THEY ARE GOING TO WANT TO SEE IF THE TUB BOXES WERE SEALED AS SHOWN HERE.

AFTER ALL OF THIS IS INSPECTED AND OKAYED, THE ADJUSTER WILL GIVE THE OKAY TO REPLACE THE PIPE.

HERE IS WHAT YOUR NEW PIPE WILL LOOK LIKE ONCE IT HAS BEEN REPLACED.

NOTE:  HANGERS SHOULD BE PLUMBED TO THE PIPE AND SPACED EVERY 3 TO 4 FEET, ALSO ON EACH SIDE OF FITTINGS.

AFTER PIPE IS INSTALLED, WE WILL HAVE AN INSPECTION DONE BY THE PARISH CODE ENFORCEMENT.  AFTER THE PARISH CODE ENFORCEMENT GIVES US THE OKAY TO FINISH THE WORK, IT IS NOW TIME TO BACKFILL.  BACKFILLING IS THE PROCESS OF PUTTING SAND AND/OR MUD PUT BACK INTO TUNNEL.  AFTER THE HYDRO-TUNNELING CREW HAS BACKFILLED THE TUNNEL, THE TUNNEL WILL BE CLOSED UP AND COMPLETED.

SAND TRUCK

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF TUNNEL JOBS DUG BY HAND.

HERE IS A PICTURE INSIDE THE PIPE USING THE CAMERA.

YOU CAN SAVE TIME AND MONEY WITH OUR MOST INNOVATIVE HYDRO-EQUIPMENT!

Any questions or comments?  Please click on this text to send us an email!

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