As the year comes to a close, we take a look at some of the most popular stories on www.cleaner.com. If you missed any of these, now is your chance to catch up.
10. Finding the Right Stand-On Skid-Steer and Tool Pairing
Mini stand-on skid-steers are valued for their versatility, and today one job that many utility contractors are using these compact machines for is trenching. But there’s a lot to consider when outfitting a mini stand-on skid-steer with a trencher attachment. Whether it’s digging more efficiently, minimizing downtime, or getting more from their equipment to keep smaller crews efficient it’s important to determine which machines and attachments can help operators boost their ROI. This article from January took a look at what to consider when selecting a mini stand-on skid-steer and trencher attachment.
9. The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Sewer Inspection
AI is a hot topic in all areas of life these days. This article by NASSCO Executive Director Sheila Joy discussed how AI applies to sewer inspection and what NASSCO is doing to provide leadership on this evolving aspect of the industry.
8. Pipe Plug Best Practices
Sean Comerford, technical applications managers at Oatey, offered these guidelines for using pipe plugs when performing testing and repair of drainage, waste and vent systems.
7. Sewer Cycling Below London
Six cyclists cruising down a 2.8-mile-long sewer nearly 200 feet below the streets of London. That unique visual caught readers’ attention back in the spring. The “super” sewer is being constructed by Tideway London for Thames Water. Construction began in 2016 and is on track to be completed in 2025. Tideway London employees working on the project were given an opportunity to buy raffle tickets to win a chance to take their bikes down into the new sewer.
6. 5 Myths About Safe Excavation Practices
In April to mark National Safe Digging Month, Sarah Magruder Lyle, president and CEO of the Common Ground Alliance, provided her five most pervasive myths and common errors in the excavation industry.
5. Utility Crews Need Excavator to Pull Massive Root Infestation Out of Sewer
Stories about particularly large sewer blockages are always attention-grabbing at cleaner.com. In October, we featured this story out of Adelaide, Australia, in which crews needed to use an excavator to pull a gnarly root infestation out of a sewer.
4. Stop Being the Roadblock to Your Own Business Success
Every month Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill of Spark Marketer provide an article exploring some sort of business-related matter. In this article from April, they looked at how it’s not always the competition that business owners need to worry about. Sometimes business owners are their own worst enemy and do things that hold their company back.
3. Texas Plumbing Company Takes On John Oliver’s Challenge to Craft Movie Parody Commercial
Radiant Plumbing & Air Conditioning has become known in its Austin, Texas, community for its various pun-heavy and satirical marketing materials, from radio spots to window displays. A main attraction, though, is its 30-second TV ads, which are typically movie-themed. They caught the attention of comedian John Oliver back in March as he dedicated a segment of his HBO show to praising the company’s clever cinema-based marketing. Then he issued a challenge of a seemingly difficult movie to spoof and Radiant Plumbing responded.
2. The Subtle Art of Cable Drain Machine Operation
Readers appreciated the insights of regular contributor Anthony Pacilla as he discussed the finer points of cable machine operation, which he describes as “a smooth and subtle art.”
1. Selecting the Right Drain Cleaning Tool
The most-read story of 2023 got back to some core tenets of this industry — how to clean a drain in the best way possible. Alex Meyer, a product manager with RIDGID, provided a rundown of the array of drain cleaning tools on the market and the type of work each is best suited for.
