Tips for Detecting a Leak

November 26th, 2018

bursted copper pipe with water leaking out, 3d illustrationIf you’ve been a homeowner for even just a short time, chances are you’ve had to deal with at the very least, a minor plumbing issue. And one of the most common of plumbing issues? Leaks!

What makes plumbing leaks so formidable? Well, there are a few things. First off, even if leaks seem “minor,” such as a dripping faucet, those leaks can waste gallons of water over the course of a shorter time than you may believe. Because they’re minor though, they trick you into thinking they’re not that big of a deal—until you notice the cost of water starting to add up.

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Drain Care Part 2: Protect Your Kitchen Sink This Holiday Season

November 12th, 2018

Pouring water in the kitchenIn our last blog post, we explored some of the ways in which you can prevent drain clogs in your bathroom. This, of course, is not the only area of the home that suffers from plumbing problems. Another room of the home that gets just as much use of its plumbing appliances, if not more, is the kitchen. And with the holiday season just around the corner, there’s no better time to talk about ways to protect this part of your plumbing system—particularly, the kitchen sink.

If you do run into a problem with any part of your plumbing, then give a call to a professional plumber in Park Ridge, IL, such as a member of our team. In the meantime, however, read on to learn more about taking care of your kitchen sink.

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Drain Care Part 1: Bathroom Plumbing No-Nos

October 29th, 2018

Bathroom Interior Home Design PhotoDrain clogs are an unfortunate part of life, particularly when they occur in one of the most used spaces in your home—the bathroom. Taking care of backed-up drains tends to be one of the most basic jobs of a professional plumber in Libertyville, IL, as we know how to tackle a wide range of causes for clogged and slow drains.

For instance, we might be removing clumps of hair caught in the p-trap of the sink, retrieving objects accidentally flushed down the toilet, and cleaning soap scum that’s built up in your shower drain. We’ll explore these below, talking about how you can prevent drain clogs, and also reveal a couple other surprising reasons homeowners suffer from drain problems in their bathroom.

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Tips for Protecting Your Home during the Rainy Season

October 15th, 2018

beautiful home after rainWe may be known for our snowy winters, but there’s another winter threat that Winnetka homeowners face that’s not thought about enough—and that’s how much rain we get during this time of the year. The last thing you want to deal with is a flooded basement or any other type of water related emergency, so what can you do to avoid it?

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Winter Plumber Woes to Prepare for Now

October 1st, 2018

Icicles hanging from a brown pipe. Frozen water and metal surface, winter time concept. selective focus shallow depth of field photoTemperatures are mild for the time being, but soon enough, they’ll drop to unbearably cold levels. As such, you’ve probably already start preparing by winterizing your air conditioner and getting maintenance done for your heating system, right? But what about your plumbing system? As fall progresses and we inch closer toward winter, the time to prep your plumbing is now.

There are three winter plumbing problems in particular you should prep for to avoid. Of course, if you do run into any of the following issues, you can contact a professional plumber in Palatine, IL from our team. In the meantime though, we’d like to help you avoid this issue if possible.

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Factors That Can Lead to Premature Drain Repair

September 17th, 2018

Water running down the drain - shallow DOFThe plumbing system of your home is massive, and the smallest of problems can easily go undetected for months or longer. Something like a pinhole leak or the use of corrosive chemicals may seem really minor now, but give it time to build up and eventually you’ll have a plumbing emergency on your hands. Unfortunately, not many homeowners know how to properly take care of their plumbing pipes—in particular their drains.

Keep reading to discover just how to do so, and how you can avoid premature drain repair in the meantime.

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Need Help with Your Bathroom Plumbing?

September 3rd, 2018

Bathroom Interior Home Design Photo

When you set out on a bathroom remodeling project, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that you’ll have to think a lot about your plumbing. Perhaps you’re just doing a fairly “simple” job of removing old fixtures and attaching new ones, or maybe you want to move some stuff around. Either way, we recommend contacting a professional Skokie, IL plumber, especially if it involves repiping.

If you have a bit of experience here and there handling some plumbing work, like patching up a pinhole leak or tightening a connection, you may feel confident that you can handle a bigger project with ease. But you will likely end up being unpleasantly surprised. Aside from this, there are factors you probably haven’t thought about that professionals deal with every day! Read on to learn more.

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Signs of a Slab Leak

August 19th, 2018

cracked concrete foundationFor any homeowner who’s already had to deal with one, the term “slab leak” can strike fear in their heart—and for good reason. But, what is it that makes a slab leak so formidable when it comes to plumbing problems? Isn’t a leak a leak? Well, there are factors that set slab leaks apart, which we’ll be exploring in today’s post.

We’ll also inform you on how to spot the signs of a slab leak so you’ll be well prepared and can hopefully take quick action if and when you encounter one in your home. Contact a professional Winnetka plumber on our team with any concerns you might have in the meantime.

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What Your Company Needs to Know about Preventing Backflow

August 6th, 2018

RPZ backflow prevention deviceFirst, let’s start with what backflow is. Whether we’re talking about a residential building or a business, backflow is the undesirable reversal of flow in a potable water distribution through a cross-connection. Essentially, an outgoing faucet like a sprinkler head or drinking fountain can suck water back up and into the public potable water supply. It’s easy to understand how this can be a problem, as it can be very unhygienic and can make people ill.

Backflow prevention is a service that is sometimes helpful for homeowners—for instance, if you have an irrigation system in place—but is particularly necessary for businesses and commercial buildings. In fact, in most jurisdictions, it is legally required that commercial buildings have a backflow prevention system in place. According to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), our area is no exception.

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Yes, Tankless Water Heaters Need Tune-Ups Too

July 23rd, 2018

Tankless water heaterThe traditional water heater—the storage tank model—is pretty big, usually very noticeable, and often a bit noisy. As such, many homeowners realize a system such as this needs occasional maintenance, and are likely to schedule that service on a regular basis.

After all, scaling can have a major impact on a water heater, enabling a mineral build up that clangs around noisily inside the tank, causing issues with pressure, temperature, and potentially even corrosion. They also may need flushing on occasion to offset this issue.

What many homeowners don’t realize, however, is that if they have a tankless water heater, it also needs maintenance. And you may be surprised to learn that much of the maintenance performed on tankless systems is similar to that of storage tank water heaters. Keep reading to learn more, and be sure to call our team for your next water heater maintenance appointment.

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