Reliance Plumbing Sewer & Drainage, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Plumbing’ Category

Don’t Ever Put These Items Down Your Kitchen Sink Drain!

Monday, May 10th, 2021

drain-with-water-going-downBefore you toss that banana peel down your kitchen sink drain and turn on your garbage disposal system, read on! Although garbage disposals are very convenient and simply to use, they’re not designed to chew up all uneaten scraps. In fact, there are many items that homeowners wouldn’t even think are damaging for their garbage disposal system or their kitchen sink drain, however, they can do a lot of damage.

So, we’re here this week to provide homeowners with a quick guide on what should and should not go down the kitchen sink drain. Hopefully, you and your family can avoid some plumbing catastrophes with these tips.

Continue Reading

Why Are Tree Roots Bad News for Plumbing?

Monday, April 26th, 2021

split-drainage-pipe-with-roots-in-itThere are a number of reasons that your plumbing system’s sewer line is buried beneath your property. For starters, your yard and home are more visually appealing this way. It’s also for functionality as well as safety and hygiene.

Unfortunately, this does mean that your sewer line is out of sight—so hard to spot problems with it when those problems occur. One of the problems that sewer lines are susceptible to is tree root infiltration.

Tree roots, since they’re constantly searching for a water source, actually are a fairly common find inside damaged sewer lines. And not only do they lead to leaks in the line, but they cause clogs and backups too. Even the smallest leak that exists in the sewer line can attract them too.

Continue Reading

When Is It Time to Call a Professional Plumber?

Monday, April 12th, 2021

woman-looking-under-sink-at-leaking-pipe-while-on-phoneSometimes, it can be difficult to detect the kind of shape that your plumbing is in. In fact, most homeowners don’t think about their plumbing system very much at all, particularly when nothing is necessarily going terribly wrong. Out of sight, out of mind after all, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t the best mindset to have about your plumbing.

It’s pretty much inevitable that at some time, you will need a plumbing repair. When this does happen, it’s important that you’re able to address it right away in order to prevent it from becoming a bigger emergency. So, what are the signs that it’s time to call in a pro?

Continue Reading

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

How to Protect Your Garbage Disposal and Kitchen Sink Drain

Monday, March 15th, 2021

sink-drain-with-water-flowing-downIf you are one of hundreds of homeowners throughout Skokie and beyond that utilizes a garbage disposal in their kitchen sink, then you probably think it can handle just about anything. Garbage disposal systems are very convenient and easy-to-use. But, this system was not designed to chew up all your uneaten scraps. In fact, it doesn’t “chew up” much of anything.

Your garbage disposal functions by using a motor to spin impeller “blades” to break up what’s going down the drain. This is great if you have cooking scraps or leftovers involving things like boneless meat, and most fruits (without pits) and veggies. There are some things though, that really shouldn’t go down the drain, both for the sake of the garbage disposal system and the sink drain itself. Keep reading to learn what these things are.

Continue Reading

Heed These Signs You Need Toilet Repair

Monday, March 1st, 2021

toiletDo you know what part of your plumbing system gets the most use every day? If you guessed your water heater, you’re probably right.

Okay, do you know the part of your plumbing system that gets the second most use every day? Your toilet! And it’s a plumbing appliance that you really need to be able to rely on, right? But when you use an appliance like this every day, it’s naturally going to accumulate wear and tear, and eventually, you will need some kind of repair, no matter how minor.

Fortunately, the pros from Reliance are here for you when that happens. But how do you know when to give us a call? You’d need to know the signs that your toilet is in trouble. Read on to learn what a few of these signs are!

Continue Reading

What to Do in a Plumbing Emergency

Monday, February 15th, 2021

woman-catching-water-in-bucket-under-sinkWhen you’re looking for a great plumbing company, you probably want one that offers emergency services (even if you don’t know it yet). As much as we hope they would, problems like severe leaks, clogs, and other plumbing problems don’t always choose to show up during regular business hours. Since your plumbing system is vital to your home’s functionality it makes sense that when you do have a plumbing emergency, you want it to be taken care of right away.

But how do you know what constitutes as an emergency? When is it “worth it” to give us a call? Sure, obviously if there is water gushing out of a pipe and into your home and you don’t know where your main water shut off is, it’s clearly an emergency. But some signs are more subtle. We can tell you that if you detect a sewer line leak, a slab leak (a leak in a pipe underground) or a sudden decline in water pressure, it’s an emergency! So, what should you do next?

Continue Reading

Is Your Sewer Line Damaged?

Monday, February 1st, 2021

sewer-line-with-tree-rootsIf there is any part of your plumbing system that’s most important, it may very well be the sewer line—the pipe that removes wastewater from your property and moves it into the civic sewer system cleanly away from your home. Sewer lines are usually buried underground, in your back or front yard, safe from damage that can come from inclement weather and other types of wear and tear.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that your sewer line is immune to all problems. Your landscaping like trees and shrubs can grow roots that infiltrate the line, for instance. A shift in the soil could cause instability and pipe breakage, too.

Fortunately, if this does happen, all you need to do is give our team a call. But, how do you know when it’s time to call? Read on as we uncover some common signs of sewer line damage.

Continue Reading

Top 5 Signs You Have a Plumbing Leak

Monday, January 18th, 2021

brown-pipe-with-pinhole-leakWe’ve all seen those movies or TV shows when a character walks into their home on a rainy day to discover water pouring from a spot on their ceiling. There are usually buckets involved and as dramatic as it is, it’s also usually resolved pretty quickly.

We have some bad news for you. Fiction is definitely not reality. The truth is, most leaks are actually from plumbing systems, not damaged roofs and rainy days. And once they’re coming through your ceiling or drywall, they’ve gotten really bad. They’ll require professional plumbing repairs and probably repair to your property as well.

We’d like to help you avoid getting this far. Fortunately, there are some ways you may be able to detect a leak before that leak grows dramatic-movie-worthy. Read on as we uncover the top 5 signs that you have a plumbing leak.

Continue Reading

Are the Pipes Under Your Home Leaking?

Monday, December 21st, 2020

beautiful-bathroom

This is what’s known as a slab leak, and it can be quite insidious. Slab leaks are what plumbers refer to as any leak that occurs in the hot or cold water pipes that lay below your home’s concrete foundation, and they can be a major problem. Not only do slab leaks cause considerable water waste, but they can also damage your property, lead to mold and mildew development, and add additional strain on your water heater if the leak is happening in the hot water lines.

A note about the latter: slab leaks usually do occur in the hot water lines.

Our highly trained and experienced plumbers are equipped to accurately locate this kind of problem in order to effectively fix it. But what causes it to begin with. Shouldn’t a pipe that is set down beneath your concrete foundation be pretty well protected?

Theoretically, yes. But, there are a lot of factors at play here. Read on to learn more!

Continue Reading