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Elgin, Il Plumbing Advice

There is no time like the present to gain a better understanding of plumbing. Perhaps, you had thought about it before, but were unsure about your abilities. Read the great advice in this article from Elgin, Il plumbing, and you will be happy that you finally took the time to do so if you ever have any plumbing issues.

Loud Pipes

Obnoxiously loud pipes that like to squeal and hammer are easy situations to correct. You must anchor any type of exposed pipe. You may need to hire a professional to help with any projects involving pipes that are hidden in the floors, ceiling, or walls.

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Frozen Water Pipes In Elgin, Illinois Or Surrounding Area

To prevent frozen pipes, always keep the living spaces in your house above freezing, even if you aren’t home. Any exposed pipes need to be insulated against outdoor temperatures. Pipes can freeze when the ambient temperature in the area of the pipes dips below freezing. Even in the best-case scenario, it will take hours for thawing to happen before you have running water again. However, your pipes can explode, as well – making a huge plumbing bill.

If your water pipe has frozen, start water running in the faucet closest to the frozen pipe. This will give excess water somewhere to drain as the ice in the pipe thaws. This helps decrease any pressure in order to prevent burst pipes. A burst pipe can create damage that is expensive to repair.

Wait until a job is done before you pay for it. A plumber might ask you for part of the money before starting the job but you should never pay more than half. It is good to know that the plumber did everything as promised before he gets his money.

In conclusion, it’s really important that you know the necessary things about your plumbing system. Your relatives and close acquaintances are sure to find you a handy resource in their lives, and you personally can save some of your hard-earned dollars. Hopefully the information from Elgin, Il plumbing advice has offered you interesting information that you can use.

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You Don’t Always Need To Call A Plumber

Use These Tips From Fox Valley Plumbers in Elgin, Illinois – Lets face it plumbing skills are a great addition to anyone’s skill set. It reflects a level of care in the maintenance of your home and the ability to address concerns in your own way. That is a very admirable quality. Like any other skill, you can always build and improve. These tips will help you do that.

Odor Removers

Odor removers such as bleach toilets are not good for your plumbing system. These products will reduce the smell, but they will also cause problems with the rubber gaskets. Over time, the damage will accumulate and could eventually stop the toilet from functioning at all.

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Look For Damage

Inspect around the toilets for softness in the floors to see if any damage has occurred. Straddle the toilet, so you can rock from one leg to another to determine whether there’s weakness in the floor. Picking up on any problems now will definitely work to save you money later. It’s the difference in a little maintenance and total floor replacement.

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Invest In A Strainer

A strainer should be placed over all the drains in order to gather particles that would just get in the drain and potentially cause stoppage. Whenever large particles become trapped in the strainer, remove them. Clean bathtub drain screens as often as needed.

Use This Tip For Your Bathtub

A great maintenance routine for bathtub drains is to pour baking soda and vinegar into the drain opening once a month. Cover the drain with an old rag, because there will be a chemical reaction taking place inside the pipes. Flush it with boiling water after a few minutes. This procedure should be able to clear pipes of hair and soap scum.

Overflow Holes

Ensure your overflow holes aren’t clogged up. Overflow holes are used in case the sink starts to overfill, which may not seem like a big problem–until it is. Clear overflow holes when doing periodic checks for problems and plumbing issues that should be addressed.

The Use Of Cold Water

Always use cold water when your garbage disposal is running. Cold water keeps blades sharp and allows for smoother disposal. When you use hot water, any grease that is in the garbage will melt and be more prone to stopping up your drain.

Now you have the necessary tools, the knowledge and skill set needed to apply to your own plumbing system. This is wonderful! These tips and other online resources are available to help you fix almost any plumbing problem. When you never stop learning new skills, you never stop improving. You may even find a plumbing job or idea you like.

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Get Those Pipes Working Again With These Tips

Now is the right time to learn about plumbing. If you can fix small problems by yourself, you won’t have to hire a plumber and you can prevent large plumbing problems. Take a few minutes to read the incredible tips in the below article. If you do so, you’ll be pleased you took this time to learn more knowledge about plumbing in case any issues arise.

If you have pipes that make hammering and squeaking noises, you have one easy repair. Anchor exposed pipes to get rid of noises. Call a plumber to help with pipes that require you to cut a hole in a wall, ceiling or floor.

Think about what plumbing work you need, then schedule them all at once. This allows you to save up for necessary parts and equipment while saving money on hiring a professional. It also saves you money because a lot of plumbers charge by the hour–they cannot charge for multiple hours every trip if they only make one trip out.

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(847) 624-3872

The Power Of Using Baking Soda & White Vinegar

Putting a cup of any kind of baking soda followed with a cup of white vinegar each month will keep your drain running smoothly. Cover the drain with a plug or rag as you wait for the chemical reaction between the vinegar and baking soda to happen in your pipes. Wait for a little while and then allow boiling water to go down the drain. This method should clear your pipes of accumulated hair and soap scum.

Use Plenty Of Cold Water

To keep your garbage disposal working at its best, use plenty of cold water when you turn it on. The cold water will help keep the blades nice and sharp and will allow for a much smoother disposal. When you use hot water, any grease that is in the garbage will melt and be more prone to stopping up your drain.

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An Improperly Installed Water Hose

Having water leaking into the dishwasher, however annoying, is luckily an easy fix. The hose that runs from the kitchen sink to the dishwasher is not installed properly, and can be corrected quickly. The hose going from the dishwasher to the sink must go downhill, and then uphill, to prevent water mixing from the two devices.

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It’s essential to know some basics about general plumbing and the specific plumbing in your home. You will be able to save yourself a bunch of money, plus many of your friends and family members will come to you for advice. You hopefully understand some plumbing basics now and had fun learning them.

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The Plumbing in your home or business is bound to have issues, even if we safeguard with thorough plumbing preventative maintenance plans in place. You may think its only happened to you, but trust us when we tell you that is not the case. Everyone has plumbing issues and there are a few well known plumbing problems that happen to most, if not all, homeowners & business owners. The key is to not panic and know who to call for help. Make sure they are available 24/7 and are a fast response company.   Drain Problems It happens ever-day. In restrooms the problem is generally caused by hair or soap scum clogging up the drain. In the kitchens it could be greasy food or oils that may get into the sink. Your Solution Most of the time these are not emergencies and you don’t need to call your plumber at 4 am, depending on how bad the blockage is, you may want to call your technician as soon as the regular business hours resume. TIP: Use a hair strainer in your drain and avoid dumping leftover oils in your sinks. A Running Toilet That annoying noise. The continuous sound of water running that for some reason sounds like money running downing the drain. While your toilet may not be giving away cash, you are. The facts are your water is constantly filling the bowl, which will increase your water bill. TIP: Fix it as soon as possible. Your Solution This can be an easily resolvable problem or it can be something that needs to be seen to at once. It all depends on the severity of the ‘run’ and calling your local plumber in, will be at your discretion. Visually assess the problem and make a decision if it needs to be seen to immediately or if it can wait until the A.M. We’d advised that you do have it fixed asap in order to save cash for other things besides costly utility bills.

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Drippy Faucets & Fixtures Ahh yes, the pleasing sound of dripping water that can completely drive a person insane (you hear it)…  If you believe that losing a drip or three of h20 is no big deal remember that every drop counts. Bottom line: It will have an impact on your utility bill. Your Solution Now of course this is not an emergency, unless the sound is driving you crazy. Get it looked at as soon as possible. It’s not a complicated problem to resolve. Leaking fixtures and running toilets are not a good combination when it comes to saving money. Unmaintained leaky fixtures could also have side effects on your plumbing system as a whole. This could possibly cause your fixtures to rust or act as a catalyst for mold growth. Low Water Pressure Low water pressure can equate to a frustrating shower or long wait time for a bath to fill up. There are several reasons this could be happening.  It could be the age of your plumbing system, your plumbing system setup or issues with the local water supply. Your solution If the problem lies with the local municipal water supply this could be difficult to repair. If the problem is the age of your system, we can fix that. If you. Have a leak and you cannot determine it’s origins, call a skilled professional to resolve this as quickly as possible. Busted Water Pipe This-one thing can ruin a whole property. If your pipes are too old or damaged in any way due to severe weather conditions such as the aftermath of a hurricane or roots growing through and around your piping, you might be cleaning up gallons and gallons of water sooner or later.. Your home will be waterlogged and you will lose precious memories and valuables in the process. Your Solution Call an emergency plumber immediately before the damage to your property becomes completely irreparable. Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow Stand behind our Exceptional Service Guarantee. We offer a variety of plumbing services and should you live in or around Elgin, Il and are in need of an emergency plumbing service, don’t hesitate to contact us immediately. Remember we are here to serve you…

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Call Us At (847) 624-3872

At Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow, we provide professional sewer drain cleaning services at a competitive price. Our representatives are always available anytime you need us to schedule your drain service emergency.

Why You Should Choose Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow:


Drain cleaning, sewer cleaning or our full service plumbing check-up, call our team of professional and well trained plumbers.

Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow plumbers in Elgin, Illinois take pride in our work. Whether we’re a fixing a clogged bathroom drain in your home or business or taking care of a clogged sewer drain outside, we have you covered.

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Call on Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow for all of your drain cleaning solutions:

      • Clogged Kitchen Drains: When soaps, fats, grease, and food go down your kitchen drain, the inner walls of your kitchen pipes can easily be clogged with buildup, causing an unwanted blockage.

     

      • Clogged Bathroom Drains: Hair, soap buildup, toothpaste, grime, toilet paper, and other bathroom products can all do serious damage to your drains over time and cause major plumbing issues.

     

      • Clogged Utility Room Drains: Dirt, debris, and other messes can clog floor drains in basements or utility rooms, leading to poor drainage and the potential for flooding.

     

      •   Clogged Sewer Drains: The sewer drain transports your home’s gray and black water to the sewer. Any blockages can cause significant problems.

     

    If your drain is running slow or is simply clogged up, you know who to call.

    At Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow, we have the latest technology to assure an effective sewer & drain cleaning service that will get your plumbing system back up and running
    like new.

    Our goal is to bring you the comfort and convenience in your home you deserve.

    Call Us At (847) 624-3872

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Do you have basic plumbing skills? Can you tell if the plumbing in your home needs work? Would you like to learn ways to make plumbing improvements yourself?

If you have decided to learn more about how to better maintain your home’s plumbing, read on for some ideas. The advice in this article will show you how to streamline your own plumbing.

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Because pipes have a tendency to freeze in the winter months, it’s a good idea to insulate pipes that are in colder spaces. Think about crawl spaces, basement bathrooms, outside water sources, etc.

Insulation can be wrapped around pipes, and is available at any hardware store. Proper insulation will save your pipes from any damage, and as an added bonus, your hot water will stay a lot hotter as it travels from the water heater.

When attempting to tighten a pipe, you should know that over-tightening the pipe is bad news. Only tighten until leaks are stopped, because going further can damage threads, and maybe cause pipe cracks.

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Pump your septic tank every five years to keep it working well. Doing this prevents any sediment from getting built up within the tank, which causes a backup in your home or causes your entire septic system to fail.

Although it could cost a good deal of money to pump out your septic tank, it will cost a lot more having to clean sewage backup or having to fix or replace a septic tank.

Property owners have the option of installing flood alarms to alert them of flooding danger. Flood alarms work on the same principle as smoke alarms.

They run on batteries and will have an alarm go off when they touch water. Flood alarms can alert you to leaks or potential floods.

Now that you have the advice in hand, you can get going on taking care of your own plumbing needs. These new ideas may help yield positive results in your work. If they do not work, keep trying until you get pleasant results!

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The New Year is here again.

Some of us are we are thinking about our New Year’s resolutions. The usual promises to eat better and shed some pounds. Well how about saving some money this year with some plumbing resolutions as well?

All home owners know maintaining good care of your investment will pay off in a multitude of ways specifically in regards to your home or business’s plumbing.

It’s sometimes easy to forget that the plumbing works all day. This makes it susceptible to problems. Don’t call the plumber if you don’t have to in the New Year!

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Add a few plumbing resolutions to your list and don’t worry about your plumbing in 2019.

Your garbage disposal is not a garbage can – Though it does say the word garbage, trust us, all garbage is not for your garbage disposal. Promise yourself to properly dispose of food waste in the New Year. It will save you a few hundred dollars in the end. 

Take Charge – A lot of times a minor leak or clogged pipe or drain can turn into a real pain. Pay very close attention to all things that don’t seem right, loud sounds, water that doesn’t get hot or stays too hot, water squirting or a change in the color of your faucet water.

These small hazards will not stay small. They often end up being expensive emergency calls.

Get new appliances if possible – Are some of your appliances 7, 10 or even 15 years old? 

Appliances at the end of their shelf lives can cause more problems then they are worth.  Invest now and save later.  A busted water heater can turn into a flood real fast in a hurry. 

Having a good functioning water system means fewer chances of issues that will cause emergency hazards in the future.

TIP: Consider ENERGY STAR labelled products as they will be more energy efficient, saving you some cash on your total energy bill. 

Talk To A Professional Like Us– If you have any questions or concerns about your home or business’s plumbing system, having an expert like Fox Valley Plumbing & Backflow in Elgin Illinois to come for an inspection to make sure everything is running properly and efficiently will give you a peace of mind.

In 2019 and for years to come whenever you have a plumbing problem you cannot or don’t want to solve yourself,  Call 847-624-3872 and we’ll take if from there. 

Happy New Year… 

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What Causes a Pipe to Leak?
When pipes corrode, they leak and cause many unwanted problems to your home.

High Water Pressure:
High water pressure can cause wear and tear on your pipes. Water running through your pipes at high speeds can cause your pipes to burst or leak.

Tree Roots:
Roots of trees, bushes and big shrubs growing in through the connection points of the pipes can cause obstructions that are tough to deal with as a homeowner.

The long thin roots form masses that can grow into tight balls and then grow until they fill the pipes in every direction causing them to leak.

Keeping your home drains free of roots and obstructions is a worthwhile endeavor. Tree roots can apply a lot of pressure to the system as they grow. They can even crush pipes rendering them useless.

Power rodding can save you the hassle and expense of such repairs. To date, power rodding remains one of the best ways to deal with this invasive and irritating problem.

Broken Water Line or Leaking Pipe in Elgin IllinoisTemperature Changes:
Winter in Elgin and most of Illinois, brings 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.

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.

Foundation Shifts:
Small shifts in your home’s foundation as it settles over time can create your water lines to move, causing them to disconnect or rupture.

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