Tips for Your Bathroom Remodel

February 17th, 2020

beautiful-bathroomIf you clicked on this blog post, there’s a good chance that your bathroom doesn’t look the way you’d like it to. Perhaps it is not as functional as it could be, or you are having trouble moving around the space with ease.

Depending on your specific situation, a bathroom remodel can absolutely be the answer. After all, aside from the kitchen bathrooms are the most used rooms in a home. Remodeling can give you a whole new space!

But have you considered how your bathroom plumbing in Evanston, IL plays a role in all this? Planning and preparing properly for all parts of your remodel job will make a drastic different in the results you’ll achieve with the project. There may be things you haven’t considered about your bathroom plumbing, such as:

Continue Reading

How to Detect a Damaged Sewer Line

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?

Continue Reading

The Problem with Scaling in Your Water Heater

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!

Continue Reading

“Should I be Concerned about Water Hammer?”

January 6th, 2020

woman-covering-her-earsFirst, it’d probably be helpful for you to know what water hammer is, so we can appropriately answer this question. It sounds ominous, but it describes a sound—a sound that resembles knocking, coming from inside your pipes. You may have heard it before and had no idea what the cause of the noise was.

Water hammer isn’t an emergency, but it is something to be concerned about in the sense that you want to have it addressed by a professional ASAP. To find out why it’s occurring and the problems it presents, keep reading!

Continue Reading

Beware the Insidious Slab Leak!

December 23rd, 2019

insidious-slab-leaks There is no plumbing system anywhere that is 100% flawless. At some point or another, you’ll need a clog cleared out or a pinhole leak repaired. You may even need a sewer line cleared out of tree roots or a leaky faucet replaced. There is one plumbing problem in particular though that is especially insidious, and that’s a slab leak.

What is it that makes a slab leak so bad? After all, aren’t all leaks created equal? Well, that’s something we’re going to explore below—and we will also provide some tips for helping you spot the signs of a slab leak so you can take quick action if and when you encounter one in your home. Give us a call if you have any questions or concerns!

Continue Reading

Do You Need Water Heater Repair?

December 9th, 2019

technician-servicing-water-heaterYour plumbing is something that’s easy to take for granted—after all most of this system is hidden from view and “out of sight, out of mind,” right? If there is any portion of your plumbing in Des Plaines, IL where this is most true, it’s your water heater. Though tank water heaters are pretty large, they’re usually tucked away in the corner of a garage or behind a door in a storage closet.

So, it’s easy to miss when it needs repair. Unfortunately, neglecting repair needs can lead to a complete water heater failure, and if there’s anything you don’t want to be without this winter—or really any part of the year—it’s hot water, right?

What is it, exactly, that you should watch out for with your water heater? Are there clear signs that a water heater is, in fact, in need of professional repairs? Certainly! Read on.

Continue Reading

How to Spot a Plumbing Leak

November 25th, 2019

water-running-down-a-drainIf you’re lucky, you’ll never need an emergency plumber in Evanston, IL. Of course, nobody can guarantee this—but we can certainly lower your risk! How so? By detecting and repairing leaks quickly and accurately.

Here’s the thing—plumbing leaks are notoriously hard to locate and even tougher to fix for the average homeowner. Most of your plumbing system, after all, is hidden from sight, and the problems that usually impact this system are subtle to start. This is why we recommend you scheduling yearly preventive maintenance with our team.

But in addition to that, we think you should familiarize yourself with the warning signs that your plumbing system is having some type of problem. On the rare chance that a problem occurs between maintenance sessions, you’ll be able to detect it quickly and have it repaired. Keep reading to learn about common symptoms and what they may mean.

Continue Reading

Is Your Water Heater Ready to Call it Quits?

November 11th, 2019

technician-serving-water-heaterThere’s something you should know about this time of year, especially if you have a water heater. No, we’re not about to warn you against frozen pipes—though that is a very real threat it’s unlikely to affect your water heater! But the cold winter air can have a negative impact on your water heater, especially if it’s aging. The chilliness causes the metal of your water heater tank to expand and contract, threatening the structure of the system.

Regardless of whether or not your water heater is old or new, one thing is for sure—this is a vital part of your overall Wilmette, IL plumbing system, and it needs to be taken care of properly through regular maintenance. Otherwise, you can find yourself facing a broken down water heater when you need it the most. Is your water heater about to call it quits? Keep reading for some common signs of a water heater in disrepair.

Continue Reading

Avoiding Holiday Hazards in Your Kitchen

October 28th, 2019

washing-lettuce-in-kitchen-sinkAs much as we don’t want to think about it quite yet, Thanksgiving is just a short month away. Are you hosting this year? Perhaps this means you’ll be doing a considerable amount of cooking? We can’t necessarily help you with any culinary tips, but we can tell you how to treat your kitchen sink this time of the year.

There are some important factors to be aware of when you’re cooking big meals, regardless of whether or not you have a garbage disposal system, but you may even want to be more vigilant about kitchen sink care if you do have a disposal system. Remember, when you need professional help with your plumbing in Des Plaines, IL, we’re the team to call. In the meantime, read on about how to avoid some common holiday hazards.

Continue Reading

How to Protect Your Home against Heavy Rain

October 14th, 2019

heavy-rain-causing-floodingWhen you think about Evanston in the winter, or really any part of Chicagoland, you likely think about snow. Snow and snowmelt do indeed pose a threat to the integrity of your home, but there is another concern that not too many homeowners think about, and that’s rain.

The last thing you need to deal with this winter is a flooded basement or any other type of water-related damage. The good news is, there are Evanston, IL plumbing systems that can help! No, they won’t stop the rain or snowmelt of course, but they can absolutely prevent the damage that can occur due to winter weather.

Continue Reading