Chicagoland Plumbing Tip#32 Trenchless Sewer Relining Really Works

According to a recent article in Angie’s List Magazine, 78% of homeowners surveyed did not know their broken or cracked sewers could be repaired or replaced without digging up their properties.  73% said they would be willing to pay more for such a repair if it meant that their decks, patios, gardens, or walkways could be saved.


The great news is that they can have their cake and eat it, too.  The Scottish Plumber’s Trenchless Sewer Relining process can save both your yard and your money.  Most procedures are less expensive than traditional excavation, and there’s no need for expensive landscape and hardscape restorations.


For more information on Trenchless Sewer Repair, visit the trenchless section of the Scottish Plumber website or read this article from Angie’s List Magazine.

Chicago Plumber Tip#31 – Top Five Reasons for Low Water Pressure

1. Faucet aerators are blocked
A faucet aerator is the little strainer at the tip of most household faucets. Without an aerator, water flows out of the faucet as one large stream. An aerator spreads this stream into tiny droplets, helping to both save water and minimize splashing.

Aerators should be removed annually and checked for mineral deposits built up inside of the openings. You should be able to get these deposits off with just water and a brush, but if you can’t, soaking in vinegar should do the trick.

Another common symptom of a clogged aerator is an irregular spray pattern or a stray stream of water going off at an odd direction. If you see this happening, it’s time for a cleaning.

2. Valves not open all the way
Occasionally, one of the valves controlling the water supply to your home gets stuck in a slightly closed position and restricts the flow. This usually happens either at the meter valve or at the main valve. The meter valve is found in the meter box, while the main valve is located near the outside hose faucet. Make sure both are in the open position by turning in a counterclockwise direction.

Be careful when dealing with older valves. They may be brittle and have the potential to break. Old gate valves, which tend to get stuck or break at the most inopportune times, should be replaced with ball valves, which are much more reliable over time, and much easier to use.

3. Your old pipes are made of galvanized steel
Calcium and other mineral deposits love galvanized steel. So much, in fact, that they often stay behind, making a home inside of your pipes. Over time, the inside diameter of the pipe is reduced to a point where the water flow becomes restricted.

There is no easy solution. Once a pipe becomes blocked with sediment, the only way to repair the problem is to replace the pipe.

4. There is a hidden leak
A leak at any point in your water supply system can result in low pressure. If the leak is not visible, there is a way to check.

First, shut off all the faucets inside and outside of your home. Check the meter reading and write it down. Wait several hours, and check the meter again. If there is an increase in water usage, you probably have a leak.

At this point, you should call a plumber. An unattended leak can not only increase your water bill, it can also wreak havoc on your walls, ceilings, and floors.

5. Municipal water pressure is inadequate.
The water supply for many towns in the Chicagoland area is dependent on century-old infrastructure. So, while the ideal water pressure for the average home is between 40 and 60 psi, many municipalities deliver substantially less than that.

If the municipal pressure coming into your home is inadequate, the problem can be resolved by installing a booster pump. But first, you must make sure that this is what’s causing the problem. The Scottish Plumber can test the water pressure coming into your home using a special pressure gauge and tell you whether a booster pump is a good solution for your specific problem.

If you need help with any water pressure issue, call The Scottish Plumber at 888-622-2564, or visit our website at www.scottishplumber.com.

Lombard Plumber Tip #30: An In-Depth Pipe Inspection

Have you invested in Lombard plumbing services, had a plumber come to your home, and then experienced the same exact plumbing issue after the plumber left? Well, let’s not rush to blame the plumber, because complex plumbing issues sometimes require complex plumbing equipment that not all plumbing companies have on hand. However, it is equally important to hold your plumber accountable for the quality of his or her work. At The Scottish Plumber, our Lombard plumbers are professionally trained to provide the most thorough residential plumbing and commercial plumbing services on the market.

All of the Lombard plumbers at The Scottish Plumber are professionally trained to use the latest plumbing technology available, such as a sewer video camera or non-invasive (no-dig or trenchless) pipe repair.

Video camera pipe inspection is a plumbing service that can reveal what we cannot see with the naked eye. The video camera pipe inspection machine can snake down into those hard to reach pipes and give us an up close and personal look at their condition. This allows us to more precisely locate pipe issues such as cracks, holes, and corroded areas. An in-depth plumbing inspection should include video camera pipe inspection, so if this is what you are looking for, please contact the Lombard plumbers at The Scottish Plumber today.

Elmhurst Plumber Tip #28: Attic Pipe Repair

At this time of year, Elmhurst plumbers and Elmhurst plumbing contractors have their work cut out for them. In this part of the country as temperatures continue to drop, the likelihood of your residential plumbing and commercial plumbing systems experiencing freezing and potential bursting increases.  When pipes are exposed to cold air and then to moisture, the result can be frozen pipes which can eventually lead to bursting. The pipes that may run through your attic are typically more susceptible to freezing, and therefore, a thorough plumbing maintenance visit at this time of year should include attic pipe maintenance and inspection.

Attic pipe repair is a plumbing service that can really make winter easier to bear this year. Attic pipes are usually more exposed than pipes that run underground or near the foundation of your home, meaning cold air can reach them more easily that submersed piping. Cold air coupled with moisture is a recipe for attic pipe freezing, so rather than incur the expense of repairing those hard-to-reach attic pipes, we encourage you to contact an Elmhurst plumber or Elmhurst plumbing contractor for an attic pipe inspection visit.

The Scottish Plumber is proud to offer many residential plumbing and commercial plumbing services such as video camera pipe inspection, pipe relining, trenchless sewer replacement, plumbing fixture installation, sewer cleaning, drain cleaning, and sewer and drain maintenance, bathroom renovation assistance, toilet repairs, sink repairs, kitchen fixture repairs, bathroom fixture repairs, and much more. Call an Elmhurst plumber or Elmhurst plumbing contractor from The Scottish Plumber to learn more.

Des Plaines Plumber Tip #26: Residential Pipe Relining Services

The Des Plaines plumbers and Des Plaines plumbing contractors are professionally trained and thoroughly experienced in a vast array of commercial plumbing and residential plumbing services, including Des Plaines sewer cleaning, Des Plaines sewer line repair, Des Plaines sewer line replacement, Des Plaines video camera pipe inspection, and Des Plaines residential pipe relining services. Even if you live in a relatively new home, you should have your sewer line visually inspected.  Newer homes are often built atop older plumbing systems, and not every home buyer has the time to conduct thorough pipe inspections prior to the move-in date. That is why if you have not recently had your residential piping systems inspected, it is never too late to make that call.

The Des Plaines plumbers and Des Plaines plumbing contractors at The Scottish Plumber are experts at several different pipe relining techniques, and when you schedule a residential plumbing maintenance visit with us, we will be sure to discuss our various methods for successful pipe relining with you.

Pipe relining is preferred to traditional forms of repair for several reasons.  For one, it’s non-invasive.  This means that we can reline the pipe without digging up your entire yard, or breaking up your basement floor.  And secondly, it’s less expensive than conventional repair or replacement.

Pipe relining is a service that the Des Plaines plumbers and Des Plaines plumbing contractors at The Scottish Plumber are proud to offer. To learn more about these and other residential plumbing and commercial plumbing services, please call The Scottish Plumber today.