Plumbing Company in Glendale Heights

1. Schedule an inspection and maintenance at least once a year to reduce plumbing issues
2. Strictly flush human waste and toilet paper—never plastic, cotton swabs, or hair
3. Avoid using chemical drain cleaners to fix a drain clog - this only leads to expensive plumbing repairs
4. Are your pipes insulated? If not, get pipe insulation sleeves to protect your pipes from freezing when temperatures drop
5. Make sure you know where your shut off valve is located and how to shut it off - an overflowing or running toilet is equivalent to wasting 200 gallons of water per day
6. Clean your showerheads with vinegar once a month
7. Test your home's water pressure regularly - the standard should be 40 to 50 psi
8. Use a homemade mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and hot water to clean sluggish drains

One of the earliest signs of a clogged or blocked sewer is slow-running drains. If you have toilets that don't flush well or have a low water level, these can be signs of a clogged sewer line.

Other signs include:

1. Soap scum in a bathtub
2. White deposits around your basement floor drain
3. Increased incidence of rats due to overflowing water

If your sewer line is broken, the most common sign you'll notice is water leaking into the soil in your yard.

Since water escapes when a sewer pipe is broken, a sinkhole in the surrounding soil may develop. You will also notice standing water in the yard or basement floor and it won't be hard to tell there's a problem because the water will have a sewer odor.

If your sewer pipe is under a paved pathway or driveway, there may be deterioration of asphalt.

Whether your pipes or sewer line is clogged or blocked, it's not something you can fix yourself and requires a professional plumbing job immediately to prevent future plumbing problems.

There are three sounds to watch out for:

1. Banging in the Walls
2. Knocking Inside Your Water Heater Tank
3. Gurgling Sounds Under the Sink

If you hear a knocking or banging sound on your walls, it comes from the pipes. This sound happens when water flow stops abruptly, creating a shock wave that causes them to bang against their surroundings.

Knocking inside your water heater tank occurs when your tank collects a layer of mineral buildup at the bottom. Air bubbles get trapped underneath this layer and pop when the heating elements heat up this area—creating the sound you hear.

When your sink makes a gurgling sound, you may have a clog forming in the drain or a blocked vent pipe in the drain-waste-vent system.

All these issues can be resolved by contacting a professional plumber. This may require full service plumbing, depending on how severe the problem is.

However, if you catch these signs early, we highly recommend contacting plumbing services right away to prevent further water damage.