Let’s get straight to it–no, knocking pipes don’t automatically spell trouble. But they certainly can lead to problems if you just ignore them. And knocking pipes are easy to ignore at first. Sure, it’s a little alarming the first time you hear it, but it’s not that loud, and it’s easy to get used to.
Please don’t let yourself get used to it though! It could very well lead to plumbing problems which is the least thing any homeowner wants. Read on to learn more!
They’re bad news—that’s what!
Okay, clearly we need to elaborate on that a bit more. After all, you may not even know what a slab leak is.
“Slab leak” is a phrase used to describe any leak that occurs in the cold or hot water lines that are set beneath the concrete foundation of your home—the slab. Not only will this type of leak cause significant water waste, but property damage as well. It leads to mildew and mold growth, drywall rot, and more. Plus, a hot water line leak can put extra strain on your tank water heater too, which has to run longer to keep a steady supply of hot water available.
So, what causes these slab leaks? Shouldn’t a pipe beneath your slab be sturdy enough to handle anything? These pipes may certainly seem sturdy, but there are absolutely factors that can lead to leaks. Read on as we uncover a few.
The tough thing about hidden leaks is, well, they’re hidden! This means they can do a lot of damage, since it may be days or even weeks until you realize the problem is even occurring. The pipes tucked away in the various areas of your home, like the basement, inside a cabinet under the sink, or behind walls, tend to hide their problems well.
Fortunately, there are signs you can watch out and listen for. Being aware of these indicators could be the difference between a minor repair from our professional plumbers or an emergency service call to our team as well as carpenters to help fix your drywall and flooring after a leak has gone on for too long. Read on to learn what these signs are!
How often do you think about your sump pump? If your answer is “rarely,” you might be doing a disservice to yourself and your home. Households in this area are susceptible to flooding—there’s no denying that. But the good news is that it can be prevented, with a professionally installed and adequately cared-for sump pump.
But how do you know if your sump pump is in good condition? Do you need to call a plumber every time it’s about to rain to find out? Goodness no! While your sump pump should be professionally maintained at least once a year, you can and should test your sump pump on your own each quarter. Read on to learn more about what to do.
Drain clogs are pretty much an inevitable and unfortunate part of homeownership. They’re even worse when they happen in one of the most used spaces in your home—the bathroom. Managing backed-up drains tends to be a fairly basic job for professional plumbers, but that doesn’t mean you should attempt it on your own.
In fact, trying to remove drain clogs on your own with the most “affordable” option there is—store-bought chemical drain cleaner—can lead to more problems than good. Unfortunately, these “solutions” are very caustic, eating away at your pipes and never actually effectively removing the clog. It may just move it around a bit for water to get through before it just clogs up again a few months later. This isn’t how you should treat your bathroom plumbing! So how should you treat it?
Can’t a general handyman, or even a diligent homeowner, where you’d need to pay less money, do just as effective a job as a professional Evanston, IL plumber? We know this is a tempting solution to your plumbing woes, however, your results simply won’t be the same. Our professional plumbers have been in the industry for many years, and we’ve seen what can happen when homeowners believe they can watch an online video and resolve issues on their own. Plumbing is a tough job! Anything beyond clearing up a superficial clog or replacing a sink faucet aerator can benefit from the expertise of a professional.
Read on as we uncover why it is so important that you hire a licensed and insured plumber to do work in your home. Although hiring an inexperienced handyman or taking this on as a DIY project might save you money upfront, in the long run making this decision could end up costing you more.
Storage tank water heaters are large, always noticeable, and can even be a little noisy. In other words, it’s pretty hard to not pay some attention to a conventional water heater, if that’s what you have in your home. You likely know that it needs occasional maintenance from a professional plumber in Glenview, IL. Scaling can have a major impact on it after all, enabling mineral buildup that causes issues with water pressure, temperature, and even potential corrosion. They need occasional flushing to offset this problem.
But tankless systems don’t need maintenance, right?
Wrong! Much of the maintenance done for conventional tank water heaters is actually quite similar to the maintenance performed on tankless systems. Read on as we uncover why you do, in fact, need routine maintenance for your tankless water heater.
Have you ever wondered why your plumbing system’s sewer line is buried beneath your yard? You might have just assumed it looks more attractive this way. And that’s true, but the real purpose of this placement is for safety and functionality.
Unfortunately, this means it’s out of sight, making it harder to spot problems right away, and making it susceptible to problems like tree roots searching for a water source. This is actually a relatively common cause of sewer line damage and clogs, both of which require professional sewer line services to resolve.
As you’d expect, tree roots crave water and fertilization. So even the smallest leak from your sewer line can attract them. While tree roots aren’t the only threat to your sewer line, they’re certainly a big one, and worth discussing.
A lot of homeowners think any plumbing job can be a DIY-project. It’s true that in some cases this can be okay. For instance, perhaps you have a superficial clog that’s near the drain surface of your sink, and you can just eliminate it with a plunger or maybe even a drain snake.
We don’t discourage all DIY-plumbing fixes, but there are certainly times where you should call in a professional plumber in Des Plaines, IL, to avoid potential hazards or further damage to your pipes. You might even leave yourself more susceptible to problems in the future if you try to attempt plumbing work on your own. There are two plumbing issues in particular that we really advise you to give us a call for.
It’s that time of year again! The snow is melting away only to be replaced by weeks of torrential downpours. Stormy weather is not pleasant to contend with, but the good news is there’s something you can do about it, and we can help!
No, no, we don’t mean we can control the weather. We wish we had Mother Nature on speed-dial, but alas our powers lie more in plumbing in Des Plaines, IL. And the good news is, there are plenty of plumbing devices and systems that can help you prevent home damage due to stormy weather.