Reliance Plumbing Sewer & Drainage, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Chicago’

What’s a Slab Leak and How Do You Know You Have One?

Monday, March 29th, 2021

modern-kitchenYou may have heard the term slab leak before and not thought much of it. If you are a homeowner or even a renter though, then it’s a term you want to know. It’s the term given to any leak that occurs in the cold or hot water pipes that run beneath the concrete foundation of your home. Slab leaks not only create substantial water waste, but can also result in property damage, leading to mold and mildew growth among other issues. A slab leak can also add extra strain to your water heater if the leak is happening in the hot water lines—and this is most frequently where they occur.

Fortunately, you have our professional and reliable plumbers on your side to help. But what causes a slab leak anyway. Shouldn’t a pipe set down in concrete be well insulated from such problems?

The thing is, there are a number of factors that can lead to a slab leak. We’ll uncover them below.

Continue Reading

The Single Biggest Plumbing Disaster You Want to Avoid

Monday, April 1st, 2019

view-of-home-interiorOkay, that might be arguable, but trust us, this is one plumbing problem you just do not want to have, especially considering how far it might have already progressed—and that’s a slab leak.

Let’s face it, most of the plumbing in your home is hidden from sight. This makes it difficult to tell exactly where (or even if) a leak is occurring. Detecting and locating leaks often takes a skilled plumber with the right type of equipment to pinpoint the leak’s exact location in order to repair or replace the pipe with the least amount of damage possible.

But the slab leak—that’s tricky. A slab leak is one that occurs beneath the concrete foundation of your home. It can happen with either the cold water or hot water lines, though it’s more common in the hot water lines (80% of all slab leaks occur here). These leaks waste significant amounts of water and can lead to structural damage to your home, not to mention the development of harmful mold and mildew. Leaks in your hot water line also mean that your water heater is wasting energy.

Continue Reading

Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes in Your Business

Monday, October 5th, 2015

With fall here in Glenview, IL, winter can’t be too far behind. And one of the most pressing winter problems for your commercial plumbing system is frozen pipes. Water expands when it freezes, which means big trouble when it’s in your plumbing at the time. Burst pipes can wreak havoc one your business, causing substantial property damage and forcing your employees and customers away while you get the problem dealt with. The best defense is a good offense when it comes to frozen pipes, and while you can call in a plumber to fix the problem when it occurs, you’re usually best off preventing the problem in the first place. Here are a few tips and tricks to prevent frozen pipes with your business.

Continue Reading

What Is A Hybrid Water Heater?

Monday, September 28th, 2015

If you’re a homeowner in the Glenview, IL area, chances are you know what a traditional tank water heater is. You may also have heard of a tankless water heater, which serves as a viable alternative to tank models by heating the water up instantly as it passes through the pipes. But between these two models lies a pair of other options: hybrid water heaters which combine the features of both. If you’re in the market for a new water heating system, you may want to consider a hybrid water heater, since they offer a number of advantages. But what is a hybrid water heater? We’ve broken down the two basic types below.

Continue Reading

Is a Sump Pump Right for My Home?

Monday, September 14th, 2015

Rain and snow are regular occurrences here in Chicago, and when floods come, your property can suffer a great deal. Basements and even higher floors can get filled with water, damaging the contents and requiring a huge repair effort – not to mention considerable expense – to make right again. The solution may be a sump pump installed in your basement and working to remove the water before it causes any real damage. In point of fact, a sump pump is right for any home that suffers from flood damage. Knowing more about the specifics can show you why.

Continue Reading

How to Detect a Slab Leak

Tuesday, September 8th, 2015

Slab leaks constitute one of the biggest problems a homeowner might face: an otherwise normal leak in a length of pipe placed under the foundation or the house, or in some cases even embedded inside the cement of the foundation. The leak itself is less of an issue than the difficulty in reaching it, as well as the immense difficulty in realizing it’s there in the first place. By the time the homeowner realizes that something’s amiss, the damage has been done. Here in Chicago, IL, professional plumbing services have the equipment to detect a slab leak and begin repair proceedings. But you have to spot the signs of trouble before you can call them in. Here’s a few brief ways to detect a slab leak in your home.

Continue Reading

Possible Causes of Sewer Line Problems

Monday, September 7th, 2015

Your sewer line is charged with transporting waste from your home to the Chicago, IL public sewer system, and as such is an extremely important part of your household. The trouble is that it’s usually buried underground, which means spotting causes of problems and pinpointing the spot to make repairs can be a tricky business. The good news is that modern plumbers have a number of tricks up their sleeve to help with the problem, such as miniature video cameras that can travel the length of the pipe and get a definitive inspection. Possible causes of sewer line problems are varied, but can include the following. Once they’re identified, a trained technician can discuss the possible solution with you.

Continue Reading

Why Should I Install an Automatic Shut-Off Valve?

Monday, August 31st, 2015

If you own a home, you may have heard about the concerns of backwater in your plumbing system. In-home flooding can come from a variety of sources and while some – clogged or burst pipes, for example – are limited to your home, others lie completely beyond your control to fix. Heavy rains here in the Chicago area, coupled with other periodic issues with our sewer system, can make backwater a serious concern. The good news is that an automatic shut-off valve is easy for a professional to install and can eliminate such concerns for good. “Why should I install an automatic shut-off valve?” you ask. Read on for the answers.

Continue Reading

What is Trenchless Sewer Repair and How Does It Benefit Me?

Thursday, August 27th, 2015

You might have heard about trenchless plumbing before, but not what it means or why it’s such a benefit to homeowners. It addresses some of the most difficult plumbing problems out there: leaks in sewer lines buried under your property. Time was, you had to uncover the entire pipeline to treat a leak or a breach, which could be a major headache in Chicago, IL with our cold winters and unpredictable weather. Trenchless plumbing gets around a huge number of problems, turning what used to be a major hassle into an infinitely simple operation. Here’s how trenchless sewer repair works, and how it benefits you.

Continue Reading

Watch for Signs of Water Heater Damage

Monday, August 24th, 2015

Water heater damage can be a tricky thing not because it’s necessarily hard for a trained technician to repair but because most people rarely pay attention to their water heaters until the damage becomes impossible to ignore. Here in Chicago, IL, time and weather can take their toll on most water heaters, and while you can help it avoid big problems by scheduling regular maintenance, sooner or later your water heater is going to need repairs.

Continue Reading