Reliance Plumbing Sewer & Drainage, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Plumbing’ Category

Why You Should Hire a Pro for Drain Cleaning

Monday, April 16th, 2018

Plumber unclogging a tub drain with an electric auger.Chances are, at some time or another you’ve performed a DIY (Do It Yourself) project in order to save money. In some cases, this ends up being an easier and cheaper choice for a project. For instance, panting the inside of your home, or adding a tile backsplash in your kitchen, or even fixing a squeaky door are all examples of tasks you can take on yourself. However, there are also projects that should just be left to the professionals—such as fixing a broken computer, replacing a heavy duty appliance, or doing major plumbing work.

Of course, you might not always need a professional plumber in Glenview, IL for your plumbing job. Something like a drain clog can sometimes be relieved with a plunger and a little bit of elbow grease. But this is not always the case. Take a look below while we examine cases in which you should definitely hire a pro for drain cleaning.

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Don’t Underestimate the Damage a Slab Leak Can Do!

Monday, April 2nd, 2018

interior of a home showing flooring throughoutWouldn’t it be nice if you never had a problem with your plumbing system? Unfortunately, it’s pretty rare that homeowners never have a plumbing problem—no system is perfect, after all. Scheduling maintenance and other plumbing services with trained professionals will definitely help keep your system as reliable as possible, but your plumbing is put through a lot of work, and you may eventually encounter an issue.

Hopefully, your plumbing woes will be nothing more than a minor leaky faucet or slow-moving drain. In some case though, the issue can be more serious and lead to significant property damage. A prime example of this is a Glenview, IL slab leak.

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Avoid These Common Springtime Plumbing Troubles

Monday, February 19th, 2018

woman under sink with panicked expressionWith our area’s snowiest winter in 3 years, it may seem strange that we’re already talking about spring, but it’s always best to be prepared, even when it comes to your home’s plumbing. Actually, especially when it comes to your home’s plumbing.

Our Evanston, IL plumbers are standing by to help with whatever plumbing needs may arise, but we would like to help you avoid the most common springtime emergencies if at all possible. Keep reading to learn more!

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Kitchen Remodel Tips: Planning Around Your Plumbing

Monday, February 19th, 2018

Professional gas range and range hood, white cabinet, antique ceiling lamps, fine bone china teacups in cabinets. Chalk paint hand-painted stools. Antique brass fruit tray. Antique cherry wood tea tray.Winter is a popular time for small indoor remodeling projects, since you aren’t spending a whole lot of time outdoors. But those small projects can be come huge to-dos if not done correctly, or with professional assistance.

Take your Glenview, IL kitchen plumbing for instance. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with your plumbing on a normal day—a jammed garbage disposal, a clogged drain, a leaking dishwasher. Adding an amateur remodel job to the mix could be the recipe for disaster! Not to fear, though. We have some tips for you on how to plan around your plumbing—or rather, with your plumbing—when doing a kitchen remodel.

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6 Most Frequent Causes of Drain Backups

Monday, February 5th, 2018

Split drainage pipe caused by ingress of tree rootsIn today’s world, there are probably a few things you take for granted as a homeowner. The fact that your water heater will always provide you with hot water, the fact that your dishwasher and washing machine will clean your dishes and clothes respectively, without error. And the fact that water will flow flawlessly through your pipes day in and day out.

At least, you probably took that last one for granted until you met your first plumbing clog or drain backup. Hopefully, you were able to relieve it using a plunger and some elbow grease. Some drain backups require a bit more than that, though—and no, we aren’t talking about corrosive store-bought drain cleaners. We’re referring to the services of a professional Glenview, IL plumber.

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These Are the Plumbing Emergencies You Want to Avoid

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2018

woman under sink looking at the pipe in panicIn addition to causing considerable damage to your home, plumbing issues can potentially impact your water bills. Even the smallest leak can account for significant water loss—gallons, over the course of a year. Fortunately, if you do run into any sort of plumbing problem, you can rely on our Glenview, IL professional plumbers to resolve it for you.

But, understandably, we’re sure you’d like to try to avoid having plumbing problems all together, particularly those that constitute an emergency service call. We have a few examples of common plumbing emergency calls below, and how you can help prevent them.

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No, You Shouldn’t Hear Your Pipes Knocking

Monday, January 8th, 2018

woman covering her ears, isolated on a white backgroundHave you ever been sleeping or resting comfortably, and in the middle of the night start to hear a soft but persistent knocking sound behind your walls? At first it may be easy to ignore, particularly if you’ve heard it before. Inevitably, however, this sound will grow with each passing night, and eventually you won’t be able to tune it out anymore. What you’re hearing is knocking pipes, and you shouldn’t have to deal with this nuisance!

Fortunately, however, there are solutions, which we’ll get to in a moment. If you are concerned about this issue or there are other symptoms alongside this annoying knocking sound, then it may be time to call a professional Evanston, IL plumber.

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How Freezing Temps Lead to Pipe Bursting

Monday, December 25th, 2017

Icicles hanging from a brown pipe. Frozen water and metal surface, winter time concept. selective focus shallow depth of field photoIf you haven’t already taken steps to winterize your home, now is certainly the time to do it, before we’re under heavy amounts of snow. Winterizing your home includes fixing any drafts that can lower your HVAC efficiency, making sure your heating system is maintained, and ensuring your pipes are protected.

The latter is particularly important, as neglecting this winter task can leave you with frozen pipes, and eventual pipe ruptures. This is most likely to happen with the exposed pipes that lead outdoors as well as exposed pipes around your water heater, but it can essentially occur anywhere in the home where pipes face too much cold without appropriate insulation.

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Can You Detect a Leak on Your Own?

Monday, December 11th, 2017

faucet with slow dripLet’s say you’ve found yourself with unexplainable high water bills. Naturally, your water bills will change each month, depending on how much you use certain plumbing fixtures (for instance, you won’t be using your irrigation system in the dead of winter!) But when your utility bills spike for no reason, it’s time to take a close look at what’s going on with your plumbing.

But can you detect a leak on your own? Well, yes and no, which we’ll get to in a moment. First, it’s important that you understand why even the smallest leak is actually a pretty big deal. The US EPA states that a faucet leaking at just one drop per second wastes 3,000 gallons of water per year. And considering that a “small” leak can happen anywhere along your water lines—including underneath your slab or behind walls—this can be detrimental to your home and your water bills.

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Minor Clog or Major Plumbing Issue?

Monday, November 27th, 2017

a pipe with a pinhole leak Have you noticed a seemingly minor clog somewhere in your home? Maybe your kitchen sink drain is a bit sluggish. Or perhaps you noticed your toilet bubbling while using another plumbing fixture. Your first instinct may be to go get some of that liquid drain cleaner you can buy at pretty much any hardware store, and solve your problem that way. Unfortunately, not only is this only a temporary solution, but it can also actually damage your plumbing.

Additionally, if it’s not a minor clog as it may seem, and you actually have a more serious plumbing issue progressing, then you may be delaying repairs that could have prevented a huge plumbing emergency later on. The best thing for you to do to prevent minor clogs and major plumbing issues is schedule routine Glenview, IL drain cleaning services. Even outside routine service though, there are signs that are good to be aware of so you can call for drain cleaning before the problem gets too advanced.

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