Preventing Frozen Pipes
Winter has stormed into Elgin and most of Illinois, bringing snow, ice and plummeting temperatures that can wreak havoc on plumbing.
A ruptured water line can cause extensive, costly damage and disrupt your life or business. Worse, floodwater can pose numerous safety and health risks, ranging from electric shock to illness from waterborne pathogens or even toxic mold.
With your family or business on the line, you want to do everything you can to prevent water from freezing inside your plumbing. But if you do think a pipe is frozen, don’t panic; frozen pipes don’t always rupture, and there are steps you can take to prevent pipes from bursting and safely thaw them.
Looking For A Quality Plumber In Elgin, Illinois To Repair Your Frozen Pipes? Call (847) 624-3872
A frozen pipe will not necessarily burst if the faucet valve is open to release pressure moving down the pipe.
Start with prevention
We’ll go into tips for thawing pipes below, but let’s start with steps you can take right now to reduce the risk of frozen pipes. Make sure you winterize your property outdoors, draining pools and irrigation systems and hoses, insulating and covering outdoor faucets and securing doors and windows in garages and outbuildings with water supplies. Also, be sure to follow these tips from the American Red Cross:
• Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas. Look in the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.
Source: American Red Cross
Picturesque winter weather brings the risk of frozen, ruptured pipes and costly water damage.
If pipes freeze, don’t panic, do this:
If you wake up one morning and the water won’t come on in your kitchen, don’t panic. While horrifying visions of water filling crawl spaces and mold spores sprouting may be unavoidable, a frozen pipe will not necessarily burst if the faucet valve is open to release pressure moving down the pipe. Take a deep breath, then follow these American Red Cross tips to safely thaw your pipe:
• If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.
These tips should help minimize the risk plumbing ruptures from frozen pipes. But sometimes nature simply shoves aside our best efforts and the worst happens. If you find yourself facing a water damage catastrophe from frozen, ruptured pipes, Call Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow any day of the week. You’ll talk to a real person, and professional help will be on the way.
Looking For A Quality Plumber In Elgin, Illinois To Repair Your Frozen Pipes? Call (847) 624-3872
Experience A Fast, Honest & Trusted Plumber In The Barrington, Illinois Area
Call Today! (847) 624-3872
Need a reliable Sump pump backup in Barrington, Illinois?
Call Today! (847) 624-3872
Commercial Plumbing Water Reclamation Installation
Looking For A Plumber You Can Trust In Barrington, Illinois? Call (847) 624-3872
Speakman Emergency Eyewash
Looking For A Quality Plumber In Barrington, Illinois? Call (847) 624-3872
Plumbers In Schaumburg YOU Can Count On
Looking For A Plumber You Can Trust In Schaumburg, Illinois? Call (847) 624-3872
A plumbing emergency can happen at any time.
Plan Beforehand to Avoid a Plumbing Disaster
Do your research and find out the most reputable, trained and reliable plumbing company in your area. Once you find the right plumbing company, you will have a peace of mind knowing who to call when you have a plumbing emergency.
Looking For An Emergency Plumber In Schaumburg, Illinois? Call (847) 624-3872
Talk to a Plumber not a Machine
When you call a plumber to schedule an appointment, you need to consider how the call is answered. Is your call received by an answering machine? Or, is there a person replying on the other end of the call?
After all, it is essential to get your call answered by a person during a plumbing emergency.
Avoid Over-The-Phone Plumbing Estimates
A plumber should offer the exact estimate only after assessing the plumbing problem. A plumber cannot properly analyze it over the phone. If you get an estimate over-the-phone, it is only the base price which can significantly increase after a plumber diagnosis the problem.
Go Through Online Reviews
There are many review sites available online where you get to read the real and authentic reviews written by people who have already opted for an emergency plumbing service.
Verify the Background of the Plumbing Agency
It is essential to know whether the plumbing agency conducts any background checking and drug testing before hiring their plumbers.
You will have the peace of mind knowing the plumber you allow in your home has been through all necessary precautions.
Looking For An Emergency Plumber In Schaumburg, Illinois? Call (847) 624-3872
Adesa Auto Auction Commercial Bathroom Installation
Looking For A Commercial Plumber In Elgin, Illinois? Call (847) 624-3872
Do you know what a sump pump is?
It is a kind of device that helps to extract water from a crawl space or basement. Motor is seen inside the sump pump. In addition, you may come across a discharge pipe, water inlet and float switch. Importance of the sump pump is not understood by most people.
From hardware or repair store, a sump pump can be purchased quite easily. However, the sump pump cannot be installed by an individual. It is a complex process. Therefore, it is better to go with a professional installation.
Looking For A Quality Plumber In Elgin, Illinois? Call (847) 624-3872
How to choose a commercial sump pump repair service in Elgin Illinois?
The following things are generally searched in a sump pump repair service provider on most occasions.
Professional Installer
Expert and Experience sump pump installer knows about different kinds of devices. Therefore, they can easily choose a sump pump for a location effectively. Sump pumps can be found in either ¼ or ½ hp size.
By installing one of them, you can only wish for the best possible results. However, right size of the pump can be decided only by the professional. Some other consideration related to the flow rate of dewatering and requirement of the pump lift can be decided at the time by the professional also.
Some homeowners have tried to attach the sump pump with a foundation drain. In case of damage or clogging, operation from the sump pump cannot be expected. Several areas of the house can be flooded as a result.
By connecting with the sewer drainage, remedy cannot be obtained always as it is not allowed in every location. In some occasion, it has been considered illegal also.
Due to lack of security in the discharge line, water can be sprayed unnecessarily in the area. As a result of these problems, clogging or damage may be noticed in the drainage line. Connection with the electrical outlet must be maintained in the process too.
Destination of water must be away from the foundation always to avoid damage in the area. A sump pump is always placed in a protected area. Living areas must be in a distance always.
Looking For A Quality Plumber In Elgin, Illinois? Call (847) 624-3872
Types of Sump Pumps Available
Professionals from the commercial sump pump repair service in Elgin, Illinois must know the different size of the sump pumps adequately.
One of the common areas of flooding is basement. Therefore, it is checked at the very beginning by the professionals always. Later, the professional may look at the crawl space, boiler pit and well pit also.
The Sump Pump is unique equipment. Therefore, it must not be confused with others. Four types of sump pumps are available on the market. They are known as submersible pump, pedestal pumps, battery sump pumps and sump pumps powered by water. All these pumps can be installed and repaired by the commercial sump pump repair service in Elgin, Illinois in a mere few hours.
Cost
Cost effective services must be provided by sump pump professionals. In this way, lots of money can be saved by the customers.
Certification
Credibility of the service provider can be checked with certification of both the company and professional.
Looking For A Quality Plumber In Elgin, Illinois? Call (847) 624-3872
