Having a plumbing emergency is never a welcomed occurrence. But having an emergency plumber’s number handy will give you a great peace of mind! Knowing you can reach out to a trusted, licensed and experiences professional when you need Des Plaines, IL emergency plumbing is ideal.
We’ve handled a number of plumbing emergencies throughout the year, from homeowners having backed up sewage in their yards, to their home flooding due to a burst pipe. The first thing to remember is that you should leave emergency jobs to the pros, to prevent further damage. Additionally, it’s a good idea to know some of the most common emergency calls we reply to, and how you can work to potentially avoid them. Read on!
The Overflowing Toilet
This is definitely something you never want to see. Not only does this mean you have no use of this toilet until the problem is repaired, but there’s a potential for water damage as well as unhygienic issues. Fortunately, you can stop an overflowing toilet on your own in an emergency by turning off the valve on the feed line—if there is no valve, open up the top of the toilet and rig the change to shut off the flow.
The best way to avoid this problem from occurring is by only flushing waste and toilet paper. Even wipes that are marketed as “flushable” can build up and create a clog in the toilet, so that when you go to flush it, the water can’t go down, but the toilet tries to fill again anyway.
The Wedding Ring down the Drain
Please don’t panic! The first thing you should do if this happens is to stop the flow of water so the ring (or other piece of jewelry) can’t go down any further. Then, call a plumber.
Emergencies can happen when a homeowner tries to unhook the pipe themselves to try to retrieve the lost jewelry. The problem is that if there’s anything mucking up the lining of your pipes, the ring can get caught in it, and trying to dig around can end up damaging your pipes. The best thing to do in this case is to call a plumber—and in the meantime rest assured that the ring is probably in the p-trap of your sink.
The Burst Pipe
Weather is warm enough now that you shouldn’t be dealing with this any time soon. But this happens when pipes freeze. It’s not so much frozen conditions that cause them to burst, but rather the process of thawing out. Thawing ice creates pressure within the pipe than can lead to a burst or a crack.
The best way to do this is to insulate your pipes in the winter, and open your sink cabinets a crack when you’re running your heating system in the winter so they’re less susceptible to frozen temps.
For expert plumbing service, installations, or maintenance contact Reliance Plumbing Sewer & Drainage, Inc. Our knowledgeable plumbers serve the North Shore and Northwest Chicago suburbs. Rely on Reliance!