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

Does Your Home Need Pipe Relining?

Monday, May 24th, 2021

sewer-line-unearthedTo answer this question, it first helps if you understand what pipe relining is. This describes a process where we insert, through trenchless technology, an inflatable lining that hardens once it’s inserted into your sewer line. This is the easiest way to fix leaks and other damage that may have occurred to your sewer line.

Most homeowners don’t really think about this much, but the sewer line of your plumbing system is probably the most important part of your plumbing system, removing wastewater from your home safely and hygienically.

Sewer lines are usually buried beneath the yard, which keeps them unexposed so they’re less likely to suffer from damage that can come due to weather-related wear and tear or animals. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean they’re immune to problems, and those problems can be hard to spot since the sewer line is underground.

So how can you spot sewer line trouble, such as a leak?

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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.

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“Knock, Knock,” Time to Check Your Pipes

Monday, October 26th, 2020

woman-covering-her-earsIt’s the middle of the night. You’re peacefully sleeping when it happens. You’re awoken by a persistent knocking sound that isn’t coming from your front door—it’s coming from inside your walls!

When you first hear it, you may think you’re just imagining things. Or perhaps you’ll think your house is haunted (spoiler alert: it probably isn’t). But eventually, the noise will become so annoying that you just can’t ignore. And what could very well be happening is that your pipes are knocking.

Read on as we uncover what causes this, why it’s a problem, and what solutions are available. And if you’re concerned about anything plumbing related, please don’t ever hesitate to reach out to our team.

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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 Best Prepare for Stormy Weather

Monday, April 13th, 2020

neighborhood-under-dark-sky-with-lightningIt’s that time of year again! The snow is melting away only to be replaced by weeks of torrential downpours. Stormy weather is not pleasant to contend with, but the good news is there’s something you can do about it, and we can help!

No, no, we don’t mean we can control the weather. We wish we had Mother Nature on speed-dial, but alas our powers lie more in plumbing in Des Plaines, IL. And the good news is, there are plenty of plumbing devices and systems that can help you prevent home damage due to stormy weather.

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Could Your Hygiene Practices Lead to a Plumbing Emergency?

Monday, March 16th, 2020

hand-on-bathroom-sink-faucetLet’s put it this way—those hygiene practices can certainly lead to problems with your bathroom plumbing! Due to this, a common service we recommend is routine drain cleaning as part of your overall plumbing maintenance plan.

Of course, regardless of maintenance, if you do have an urgent plumbing problem you needn’t look too far for an emergency plumber in Des Plaines IL!

But with maintenance, our plumbers can successfully keep your drainpipes clear and free with advanced tools like drain snakes and hydro-jets. This helps remove buildup that can lead to frequently clogged drains, and prevents your plumbing system from suffering damage. When you’re ready to schedule drain cleaning, give our team a call. In the meantime, read on as we uncover a couple hygiene practices that could lead to plumbing issues.

Brushing and Washing Your Hair

No, we don’t want you to stop doing this, nor do we want you to start attempting to do it over your kitchen sink. But, your bathroom sink and shower drains are pretty susceptible to clogs from hair. Hair catches easily in the curved piped section below the bathroom sink—a component called the p-trap. When this happens, it starts to catch other hair follicles until a clog builds up.

Drain covers are your remedy to this! You’ll be able to find mesh, metal, or even rubber drain covers at any hardware or bathroom supply store, and even online.

Using Oil-Based Cleansers and Beauty Products

More and more individuals are using things like coconut oil for teeth whitening and facial masks, and bath bombs for softer and healthier skin. These are all great products, but they can do a number on your sink and bathtub drains!

This is especially true if you experience hard water in your home. This is water with a high level of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These minerals make it hard for even basic soap to break down as it goes down your drains, let alone oil-based products.

Soap scum, by the way, is another common threat to your bathroom sink and bathtub drains, by the way! Ask us about the installation of a whole-house water softener to combat this!

But what happens is that unless you’re able to get the water very hot, soap scum and oil residue doesn’t get fully flushed down your drainpipes. Rather, they go partially down, stick to the walls of the drainpipes, and then harden and start building up a clog the more that goes down the drain.

Just like with hair, the best way to combat this is with a drain cover. Simply wait until that drain cover dries off and wipe it off to dispose of the residue left behind by your product in the trashcan.

“What About Store-Bought Drain Cleaner?”

We understand how tempting it is to reach for a bottle of store-bought, chemical based drain cleaner. It’s affordable and convenient after all, right? Unfortunately, the ingredients used in these products are caustic, and actually eat away at the lining of your pipes. So the more you use them, the more likely it is that you’ll be paying for repiping sooner rather than later!

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!

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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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Do You Need Water Heater Repair?

Monday, 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.

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Avoiding Holiday Hazards in Your Kitchen

Monday, 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.

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How to Clean Your Drains

Monday, June 24th, 2019

tap-water-flowing-down-drainWhen we refer to “drain cleaning in Des Plaines, IL,” what we are talking about is methods to remove clogs from your drain pipes. This is one of the most frustrating problems there is for a homeowner to deal with. You might be doing something totally benign, like brushing your teeth or taking a shower, when all of the sudden a drain backs up and you’re dealing with a huge pool of water you can’t get rid of.

And sure, it’s easy to look for a quick solution, but there are problems with that! So, what should you do when your drains are clogged? How do you clean your drains?

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