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

What’s the Deal with Slab Leaks?

Monday, August 3rd, 2020

slab-floor-in-kitchenThey’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. 

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Time to Test Your Sump Pump: Here’s What to Do

Monday, July 6th, 2020

backup-sump-pumpHow 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.

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Is DIY Plumbing a Good Idea?

Monday, June 8th, 2020

gloved-hands-under-sink-working-on-plumbingCan’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.

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Are You in Need of Tankless Water Heater Maintenance?

Monday, May 25th, 2020

tankless-water-heaterStorage 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.

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Signs It Is Time to Give a Plumber a Call

Monday, April 27th, 2020

close-up-of-mans-hand-using-cell-phoneA 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.

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How to Detect a Damaged Sewer Line

Monday, February 3rd, 2020

split-sewer-line-pipeYour sewer line is a part of your plumbing system that you’d probably prefer to never deal with it. We get it! We wish you never had to think about it at all—which is pretty easy to do since it’s out of sight (and out of mind).

Like any plumbing pipe though, a sewer line wears down, and it can suffer damage from clogs or leaks. There are a number of solutions available for sewer line damage so long as you contact a professional plumber in Des Plaines, IL, but first, you’d have to know that you even have a sewer line problem, right?

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The Problem with Scaling in Your Water Heater

Monday, January 20th, 2020

water-heater-tankIf you’ve never heard the term “hard water” before, we’d be surprised. If you told us you don’t know what hard water is or why it’s a problem, we’d be less surprised. The truth is, even though hard water is a very common thing, not a lot of people know what it actually is.

Hard water is water with a large presence of minerals in it—namely calcium, magnesium, and sometimes iron. These minerals are harmless to ingest, which is probably why not too many people worry about hard water. Unfortunately though, this complacency can lead to plumbing problems.

As harmless as hard water is for us, it’s actually harmful to your pipes. What happens is scaling—scaling is when deposits are left behind from hard water. In your drain openings and on your shower head, this shows up as limescale. But in your water heater, it settles right down in there, where you can’t reach it. And there’s your problem!

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Avoid This Winter Plumbing Problem

Monday, September 30th, 2019

icicles-hanging-off-pipe“Wait, what?” you might be wondering, “Why are we already talking about winter? Didn’t Fall just start?”

Well, yes. But honestly, this is an important topic, and we’d rather you be safe than sorry by planning ahead. Once our temperatures do drop to a point below freezing, your pipes are in danger. This may not seem like an urgent need, but if you’ve reached the middle of January to all of the sudden find yourself with a burst pipe or similar plumbing problem, you’ll be sorry if you didn’t take precautionary measures.

And that’s what we’re going to talk about today. We want to help you take the appropriate steps to make sure that frozen—or worse, burst—pipes won’t become an issue for your living space. We’d like you to take warning now, so that it won’t even be a concern later. Frozen pipes are a problem enough, but what they lead to when they thaw—burst pipes—is even worse. Of course, if you do run into any sort of plumbing problem, you can reach a trusted plumber in Evanston, IL just by dialing our number. In the meantime, read on to learn how to avoid this common winter plumbing problem.

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Support Your Home with Efficient Plumbing

Monday, April 15th, 2019

low-flow-toiletAre low flow plumbing fixtures really all they’re cracked up to be? In a word, yes.

Whether you’re looking to cut down on your energy costs or are concerned about the overuse of water and our environment, low flow fixtures are a great option. Low flow plumbing appliances and fixtures reduce the flow rate for each fixture or plumbing application in your home. This reduces the overall amount of water used in your home, lowering your energy bills.

Of course, if you do choose to have low flow fixtures installed, it’s important to talk to a professional Glenview, IL plumber. In the meantime, read on to learn more about these fixtures and how they’ll benefit you.

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“Why Are My Pipes Knocking?”

Monday, January 21st, 2019

Shocked and surprisedSo you hear a strange noise coming from behind your walls—you might even think it’s coming from the front door, but you check, and it’s not—it’s a knocking sound of some kind.

Don’t worry, your house is probably not haunted, but we don’t judge you if that’s the conclusion you jumped to. What you’re actually hearing is sometimes called water hammer. This is a fairly common occurrence. However, it does indicate a problem—one that can only be remedied by a professional plumber in Skokie, IL. Keep reading to learn more about this issue.  

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