Tag Archives: how to avoid a plumbing emergency

Chicago’s Plumbing Nightmares: How to Avoid Them

Chicago’s Plumbing Nightmares

Plumbing issues in your home are a big deal because they affect your family’s comfort and safety. However, Ocean Realty Management says, not all plumbing issues in your home are equal in their effect. Some plumbing problems are mild, while others can be absolute nightmares. 

This second type of plumbing issue is called plumbing emergencies; they can make your home uninhabitable. How do you deal with plumbing emergencies in your home? That depends on the kind of plumbing emergency.

But generally, when dealing with a plumbing emergency, you need three things, a level head, proper information, and quick action. This post will discuss the worst plumbing problems in your home and how to avoid them.

5 plumbing nightmares in the home and how to avoid them

Clogged toilet

A toilet that won’t flush can be your worst plumbing nightmare, especially if it is the only toilet in your home. If a toilet is not flushing, trying to force it can result in the toilet overflowing and causing an even bigger problem. How can you avoid this issue?

  • Only flush toilet paper and human waste; nothing else should go into your toilet, including all so-called flushable products.
  • Use single-ply toilet paper if you use a lot of toilet paper or the toilet has a history of clogging.
  • To prevent mineral buildup and debris accumulation, clean the toilet thoroughly at least once a month.
  • Inspect your sewer line for tree root intrusion if you have mature trees in your yard.

A broken Water Line

If the problem is undetected, it can waste hundreds of gallons of water daily and damage your landscaping or subject your building to the risk of structural damage. How do you avoid this plumbing nightmare?

  • Keep an eye on your water bill; look for spikes in water usage that are not due to known changes in your home.
  • Monitor the water pressure; low water pressure is a reliable sign that your water line is leaking.
  • Avoid planting trees or shrubs with invasive root systems near the location of your water line.
  • Have your water lines inspected yearly by a professional plumber. It lets you detect problems before they become emergencies.

Frozen and burst pipes

The pressure of frozen water inside a pipe can rupture it. When that pipe eventually thaws, the burst section will discharge water into your home. A frozen pipe may prevent water from reaching your entire home or specific plumbing fixtures. How do you avoid this problem?

  • Keep the home warm at all times by having your thermostat above 55°F (13°C) always.
  • Keep cabinet and room doors slightly open to let warm air circulate to unheated spaces in the house.
  • Keep garage doors closed at all times so that your water pipes are not exposed to cold air.
  • Insulate all exposed pipes in the home, as well as the attic, basement, and crawlspace.
  • Keep faucets slightly open to ensure a constant flow of water through the pipes.
  • Have a plumber inspect your plumbing for leaks and weak spots before winter.

Clogged sink, shower, or tub

A clogged sink, bath, or shower drain is not only annoying, it can upset your daily routine. If the sink, shower, or tub doesn’t drain at all, you will be unable to use it. If it drains slowly, you will waste time waiting for it to empty. Here is how to avoid this plumbing nightmare.

  • Install drain strainers to keep hair, food scraps, and other debris out of the drains.
  • If the water in your area is hard, consider installing a water softener in your home.
  • Do not dump grease, oil, fats, and food waste into the kitchen drain.
  • Do not use your garbage disposal unit as a trash can.
  • Every month, use vinegar and baking soda or hot water to unclog your drains.

No hot water

This can be a life-threatening problem if it happens in winter or if there are elderly people or infants in your home. Without hot water, you will struggle with dishes and laundry. There are many reasons why a water heater stops producing hot water. You can prevent them by doing the following:

  • Ensure the proper thermostat settings. The thermostat setting may have been lowered accidentally.
  • Every month, check the water heater for leaky or loose pipe connections.
  • Drain the water heater every 6-12 months to get rid of sediments and prevent corrosion.
  • Make sure your water heater is the right size for the hot water needs of your household.
  • Have a professional plumber do comprehensive maintenance for the water heater yearly.

The above steps can help prevent plumbing nightmares in your home, but what about when you already have a plumbing emergency? The best way to deal with plumbing emergencies is to call your plumber. Having a quick emergency plumbing service on hand is necessary for dealing with plumbing nightmares in your home.

7 Tips to Prevent a Plumbing Emergency

7 Tips to Prevent a Plumbing Emergency

One of the biggest fears of every household is accidents that can happen, such as a clogged sink or a broken toilet, that are not so threatening. In these minor cases, you can wait until morning to schedule a plumbing appointment. However, many other troubles are far more concerning than this. Here, we can list situations such as water heater leaks or failures, ruptured pipes, gas line leaks, toilet overflows, and even sewer line backups. People may have difficulties fixing these issues because of the high costs and money they must spend. Luckily, we at Chicago Plumbing Experts will show you some activities you can do that we believe are the best tips to prevent a plumbing emergency.

Removing sediment build-up by draining your water heater tank annually

An inner lining is placed inside to prevent a tank from corrosion due to constant contact with water. As a result, the heater will produce less hot water if the sediment builds up inside it. However, the tank can overheat and crack the protective lining if it is always running, so this will cause a significant leak. So in order to avoid this problem, the best solution is to contact a professional so they can flush your water heater yearly.

A heater tank in a window.

Water heater maintenance is vital for a well-running plumbing system.

Remove the usage of flushable wipes and oils, fats, or grease down your sink.

Using these wipes can cause a clog because they don’t biodegrade as quickly as other materials, and after using them, the right thing to do is to dispose of them in the trash can instead in the toilet. Also, it is essential to know that when you rinse fats, oils, or grease down your sink, they will be in a liquid state, but over time they will become sticky as they travel down the drainpipe. A clog will be formed when this sticky mass attracts debris piling up inside, so one of the most straightforward tips to prevent a plumbing emergency is to let those fats, oils, and grease solidify and throw them in the trash can.

A flush pipe.

Throwing materials in the toilet, down the sink, and in the shower drain can cause a flood.

Make seasonal plumbing appointments and know when an inspection is required.

Your plumbing system is sensitive to every season. In the winter, it is crucial to protect it from the cold and freezing weather; in the summer, it must provide you with much more water. Keep in mind that the safest tip to prevent a plumbing emergency is to create a list of items that need to be done. This way, you’ll prepare your plumbing system for the upcoming seasons. It would be best to do this checkup at least twice a year. You may possess a few skills that can come in handy when it comes to plumbing. But there are tasks and works that only a trained plumber knows how to do. We recommend just calling a reputable plumber near you to inspect and diagnose any potential threats that can create trouble in the future.

Your home’s water pressure plays a significant role, so be aware of it.

In every house, the water pressure is slightly different, but if your pressure drops strikingly during a shower, bath, or dish wash, that is alert, and something must be done. If you notice the lower pressure coming from a shower head or a faucet, know that this is very much fixable by cleaning the aerators because sediment can build up inside of it. You may also find a water pressure gauge helpful when measuring your water pressure. However, if they can not determine the root of the problem, reduced pressure can directly result from a water leak. Calling a plumber will be the perfect solution if you ever find yourself in this position. 

Knowing the location of your water shut-off valve and using steel hoses will save your home. 

Knowing how to shut off the water in your house will make a big difference if, by any chance, you have a burst pipe emergency in your home. The only troubles you will have after doing this are some wet mops and cleaning cloths to clean up, but it is much better than replacing a whole ceiling. Besides this, owning rubber washing machine hoses is risky because they will lose their flexibility over time, and there is even a good chance that they will burst and leak. Instead of using them, buying stainless steel hoses for your washing machines is better. 

Sometimes, these things are done after a while, and unfortunately, all these problems listed will lead to water gathering. This can damage your furniture, so getting it out of the way is best. In order to avoid further damage to your things, it’s best to look for an alternative. For example, you can store your furniture in a storage unit until the repairs are done. So while searching for furniture movers here in Chicago, check out what storage solutions they can offer as well.

A blue plastic hose.

The lifespan of rubber hoses is shorter compared to steel ones.

Avoid using strong chemicals and toilet bowl treatments.

Don’t use harsh chemicals when you want to fix your drain blockage. They can cause the pipes and clogs to deteriorate. These home solutions represent a health hazard for you. Therefore, you can use essential tools such as a drain snake or a plunger as alternatives. Drop-in toilet bowl treatments are also a considerable risk that may corrode the pipes by contaminating the water. Luckily, there are ways to solve these matters by using natural alternatives. You can try some tips to prevent a plumbing emergency, such as using half a cup of baking soda and vinegar and pouring down the clogged drain. After waiting for about an hour, rinse the area with hot water.

Having good ventilation is crucial for the functioning of the plumbing system.

Ventilation eliminates gases and odors in your house, and it is also responsible for allowing the flow of water waste to pass through drain pipes. Therefore, the material of the ventilation piping is essential. A person can choose options like dry and wet venting options. However, the ventilation must be installed appropriately to prevent potential health hazards. 

Keeping your residence safe from all these disasters is daunting. But with some knowledge, you can overcome these fears and recognize the nuisance before it happens. In this article, we wanted to share tips to prevent a plumbing emergency that are efficient. We hope that they will help you with saving your time and money.