Tag Archives: plumbing services

Jun '23

Fix Your Broken Drain Pipes Like a Pro: Expert Tips from a Local Plumber

When it comes to plumbing issues, broken drain pipes are one of the most common problems homeowners face. Not only can this create unpleasant smells and potential health hazards, but it can also cause water damage and, ultimately, be pricey to repair. As such, fixing broken drain pipes requires a thorough understanding of the problem and the right steps to fix it efficiently. To help you manage this issue like a pro, we have compiled expert tips from a local plumber.

What Causes Broken Drain Pipes?

Before we talk about the solutions, let us discuss the causes of broken drain pipes. Pipe corrosion, which is common in older pipes made of iron and galvanized steel, can cause breakage over time. This happens due to exposure to naturally occurring chemicals and minerals in water. Moreover, shifting soil, heavy traffic, and piercing can also contribute to breakage, leading to drain pipe issues.

Expert Tips to Fix Broken Drain Pipes

Fixing broken drain pipes may sound daunting, but with the right tools and techniques, you can save some money on repairs, and ensure the job is done correctly. Here are expert tips to help you fix broken drain pipes like a pro.

Step 1: Inspection and Preparation

Before commencing the repair process, it is critical to inspect the broken drain pipes properly. First, locate the leak by inspecting the entire pipe’s length visually. If the water damage is visible, then use a moisture meter to detect water. You can then mark the area with chalk. Check the surrounding areas for any obstacles like concrete slabs, gas, or electric lines that can hamper your work. Also, clear the area around the leak completely to make sure you have enough space to work.

Step 2: Turn Off the Water Supply

Turning off the water supply valve is a crucial step before starting the repair process. This will help prevent any further damage or leaks while you work on the drain pipe. Make sure you know where the main valve is located and how to turn it off.

Step 3. Remove the Damaged Section

After turning off the water supply, it is time to cut out the damaged drain pipe section. To do this, you need to measure and mark the damaged area accurately, then use a handsaw or a reciprocating saw to cut out the section. You can use a pipe cutter for accuracy in small spaces. Remove the damaged section carefully by loosening the pipe’s clamp connection or cutting it with a saw.

Step 4: Choose the Right Replacement Pipes

Choosing the right replacement pipes is critical to ensure a successful repair. PVC pipes are becoming more popular because they are easy to use, cost-efficient, and sturdy. However, if you have an old house, you may need to use cast iron, copper, or clay pipes. Make sure you choose pipes with compatible outside diameters to fit the existing pipes.

Step 5: Install the New Pipe Sections

The next step is to install new piping sections. First, measure the new section of the pipe to fit the existing one. Then, attach the pipe section to connectors (such as elbows or couplings) by using PVC cement or lead sealant (for cast iron pipes). For PVC pipes, always allow the cement to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions before using it.

Step 6: Test the Repair

After repairing the broken drain pipes, it is critical to test the repair to ensure there are no more leaks or issues. Turn the water supply back on and let it run for a while to confirm everything is running smoothly. Check for any leaks around the repaired area, and tighten any pipe-fitting connections if necessary.

Preventive Measures for Future Drain Pipe Issues

When it comes to broken drain pipes, prevention is always better than cure. Here are some preventive measures to keep in mind:

Regularly inspect and maintain your drain pipes to ensure they are in good condition.

Avoid using chemical drain cleaners that can corrode pipes and cause further damage.

Dispose of grease and cooking oil in a trash can, not down the drain, to avoid clogging.

Avoid flushing anything other than toilet paper down the toilet to prevent clogging.

The Bottom Line

Fixing broken drain pipes can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and techniques, you can handle it like a pro. Inspecting, preparing, and choosing the right replacement pipes are crucial steps to ensure a successful repair. Also, preventive measures like regular inspections and avoiding drain clogging can help you avoid future drain pipe issues. However, if in doubt, don’t hesitate to seek the help of a professional plumber.

Sep '22

Why You Should Always Opt for a Local Plumber in Chicago

Your home’s relationship with your plumber is like your relationship with your family physician. Although the relationship is professional, it has a personal dimension. Because the doctor has watched your body transition through various stages of life, they are intimately familiar with your body’s health needs.

In the same way, Abacus Avenue Management explains, you also want your plumber to have a familiar knowledge of your home’s plumbing system. When there is an issue with the water pipes or drains, you don’t want someone who will deal with those problems in isolation from other issues in the system. You want them to adopt a holistic approach that considers your home’s history.

How do you build that relationship between yourself, your home, and your plumber? A simple way to do this is to find a professional and experienced plumber who is local and stick with them. When looking for a plumber, you can choose between a national/regional company and a plumber who operates within your community.

Why you should always choose a local plumber

Here are six reasons you are better off working with a local plumber.

Reputation

A good reputation is probably the most important quality you want in your plumber. You will understand just how important this is if you have ever had a plumber make a problem worse than it was in the beginning.

It is easier to verify the claims of a plumber if that person is local versus when they are not. Your neighbors may be able to share first-hand experiences of working with the plumber.

It is also more accessible to follow up on the references a local plumber shares with you. When dealing with a non-local plumber, you often only have the company’s word regarding their reputation.

Personal touch

When working with a local plumbing company, you can put a face to the company’s operations. You know exactly whom you are dealing with because you meet the company’s owner and the staff. You can build a relationship with the organization. This is important when solving plumbing issues in your home since people are nicer to people they know.

You cannot get this kind of treatment when you hire a non-local company. First, the chances that you will meet the owner or principal officers of the organization are very slim. Second, the company’s employees are constantly being rotated, and you never know whom you will get.

Flexibility

The employees of the non-local company who fix the plumbing issues in your home often don’t have the power to make crucial decisions. But a local company can make decisions on the fly; it is easy to agree with them on what needs to be done and how it should be done.

A local plumber does not have to wade through layers of red tape before acting. In a couple of minutes, you can decide with your plumber; this is very important when dealing with plumbing emergencies. A local plumber’s flexibility can save you tons of time and money.

Availability

When dealing with plumbing issues in the home, it is vital to have a plumber who can be available at short notice. Because the plumber lives in your community and you have a personal relationship with them, it is easier to get your local plumber to come to your home at odd hours.

Access to 24-hour service every day of the week can make all the difference when dealing with emergencies like burst pipes, clogged drains, sewage backups, or plumbing issues with the potential to cause massive damage. Not having to wait hours for a plumber will save you money.

Affordability

Local plumbers are more affordable and more effective than non-local plumbers and chain companies such as Roto-Rooter and the like. Why is this? Local plumbers treat customers like friends and family. This is quite unlike non-local plumbers, where the customer is a number or faceless name.

Additionally, non-local plumbing companies have considerable overheads to worry about, and their primary concern is the bottom line rather than maintaining the relationship with their customers. As a result of these differences, the local plumber charges less money for their services, even though they are better.

Informed

Finally, a local plumber will have an intimate knowledge of the area. They know the common plumbing problems and the solutions that have worked for them in the past. The local plumber is used to the water issues peculiar to your area and the piping systems used in homes.

They do not have to look long and hard to understand the problems in your home, even if they are visiting for the first time. Overall, this can amplify the plumber’s efficiency and also help you cut costs.

When looking for a plumber to service your home, look no further than your friendly, local plumber.

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Jul '22

10 Ways to Find a Dependable Plumber in Chicago

The plumbing system is a huge part of what makes your home such a nice place to live in. Although you don’t see this system at work most of the time, it is toiling away every single hour to keep you and your family supplied with clean water. It also carries away all the wastewater generated in your home without any fuss.

What would happen if your home’s plumbing system suddenly stopped working? That’s not something you like to think about, but it is a very real possibility. There are two ways to keep this from happening. You can avoid damage to your home’s plumbing by using it in the right way, says Ocean Blue Management. Secondly, you can protect your plumbing by only hiring a qualified plumber to work on it.

If you live in Chicago, you know that finding someone to fix problems with your plumbing is not hard at all. However, whether that person has the training and experience to do a good job is another matter altogether. The cost of letting unqualified persons handle your home’s plumbing system goes beyond the money you pay the person and your wasted time.

Badly done plumbing repairs and amateur plumbers subject your home to a slew of issues. Long after the joy of paying a small fee to a non-professional is forgotten, the unrelenting pains of that bad decision will still haunt you. What are the steps you can take to make sure that the plumber you hire to work on your Chicago home is trustworthy?

10 steps for finding a dependable plumber in Chicago

Experience matters

There are things you can only learn from years of practice; that’s why experience often coincides with competence. Also, a plumber who has been practicing in an area for a long time would have built a reputation. That reputation is easier to verify. A new company, on the other hand, might be a bad plumber who has recently moved to your area.

Are they local?

Give preference to local Chicago plumbers over national chains. Nationwide companies may have all the sophisticated equipment, but they lack one key thing: the personal touch. Local companies are more responsive, they can adapt to your specific needs, and you can build a long-term personal relationship with the plumber.

Verify credentials and licensing

Most tradesmen are happy to display proof of their competence via their various certifications and the training they have done. However, you should not take the plumber at their word. Take the extra step to verify all claims. Also, ensure the plumber you are working with is licensed by the municipality and that the license is still valid.

Ask about memberships

In addition to certifications, training, and licensing, the plumber should be a member of the local chapter of their professional body. Professional bodies have a code of conduct they expect their members to follow. The plumber knows that he can lose his standing, or license if he fails to uphold those standards.

Insurance and warranty

What kind of insurance do they offer? What happens if one of their workers is injured on your premises while working on your plumbing? What about if they damage your home or belongings while doing their work? Do they have enough insurance to cover these and is there a warranty on their work?

Look at their team

How many people do they have on their payroll? Are they permanent or temporary employees? What are the qualifications of the people who work for them? Permanent employees are more committed to their work than temporary staff, since, unlike temps, they may have to work for that same customer again in the future.

Check their online reputation

Follow the company’s online footsteps by checking the comments and reviews left by past and current customers. How does the company interact with people on its social media pages? Pay particular attention to its response to negative comments and reviews. What are its Yelp, Google, and BBB ratings?

Ask for referrals

Can the plumber furnish you with a list of people they have worked for in the last 6-12 months? These should be people who live close to your location. Ask the plumber’s permission to contact the people on the list. Make the effort to speak with some of them about their experience working with that plumber.

Ask for recommendations

Skilled workers and technicians who have worked within a specific location for a reasonable length of time often know one another. Your plumber, HVAC technician, and the local hardware store know the best workmen in the area and the ones who are no good. You can ask them for recommendations.

Are they willing to put things in writing?

Ask the plumber for a copy of the contract they give to their customers? Let them also provide the estimates in writing, rather than over the phone. A plumber who is unwilling or unable to do these cannot be trusted. Having things in writing helps you avoid unnecessary disputes in the future.

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