The Process of Modern Repiping.

The process of dipping steel pipes into molten zinc to galvanize them has been around since the early 19th century, and galvanized pipes are still around.  Today, there are better alternatives such as copper pipes.  Copper piping has a natural ability to kill pathogens.  If your older Northwest suburban Chicago house has galvanized pipes, replacing them is a good idea.

If your house is old enough to have galvanized water pipes, they could be contaminating your water.  Until 1986, manufacturers used naturally occuring zinc that contained impurities such as lead in the galvanizing process.  That is a powerful enough reason for replacing the pipes.  Also,  galvanized steel pipes tend to corrode from the inside.

Enough already!  It is time to call the repiping experts of the Elgin area.  That’s Tom’s Plumbing.  There are older homes throughout the Northwest Suburbs.  For your own peace of mind and good health call Tom’s Plumbing for a complete home repiping.  That phone number is one to keep handy for plumbing emergencies as well (847) 697-6444.

Have You Been Thinking About Your Home’s Drain Pipes Lately?

Of course, you haven’t.  Not unless there has been an obvious problem lately.  Over the course of several years, the average homeowner or apartment tenant is bound to need some form of drain pipe maintenance.  Naturally, the frequency of such occurrences can be minimized with some basic, timely drain upkeep.

The types of home drain pipes that are most typically seen today are either made of copper or plastic polyvinyl chloride (commonly referred to as PVC).  Another type of drain pipes are sometimes encountered in pre-1960 homes, such as drain/waste/vent (again, commonly referred to as DWV) piping made of iron or steel.

Having this knowledge is nice, to be sure.  Knowing whom to call for piping and repair is far more important.  That company in and around Elgin, Il, is Tom’s Plumbing.  By now, if you own a home in the Northwest Suburbs you know Tom’s for their reliability and longevity in serving our communities.  For any drain pipe problems just call Ton’s Plumbing at (847) 697-6444.

Updating Plumbing in an Old House.

There are many big, old houses around the Elgin area.  You think (and rightfully so) that yours is the coolest ever!  If it looks like something out of a movie, with these great old awnings, balconies upstairs, and tons of little stairways, then it probably needs a plumbing expert to look at the old pipes below it.

Those great, old Victorian homes might look great on the outside, keeping things on the inside, like the pipes you don’t see, up to date can be a bit of a challenge.  Questions abound such as how extensive the plumbing and pipe system is, how long it’s been since it last had an overhaul, and how the plumbing was built way back when.

Tom’s Plumbing Inc. checks all the boxes.  For decades Tom’s Plumbing has re-installed the plumbing and piping system in so many old homes in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicagoland.  Call the office of Tom’s Plumbing and have someone come out to estimate the job.  That phone number is (847) 697-6444.

Don’t Let your Faucets Freeze.

It may seem weird to talk about it now, but the time will come soon enough when winter weather hits and outdoor faucets freeze.  As water freezes, it expands and as it expands it can produce thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch. This pressure is what causes a water pipe to rupture.  It is just a scientific fact!

The surest way to prevent your outside faucet from freezing is to disconnect all of your outside hoses.  Now that is the smart move when the temperature drops drastically. Those of us who have lived in Chicagoland’s Northwest Suburbs will remember how quickly late summer turns into early winter in the blink of an eye.

If you have any plumbing emergency in our area a professional plumber is the safest and surest way to guarantee that the job is done right the first time.  Those pros are the teammates of Tom’s Plumbing Inc.  Mike and his staff have taken pride for many years in solving plumbing problems throughout Elgin, Dundee, Bartlett, Streamwood, St. Charles, etc.  Give them a call anytime at (847) 697-6444.

When to Replace Galvanized Pipes.

Galvanizing is a metallurgical process used over the past 150 years to coat steel or iron with zinc to inhibit corrosion. The life span of galvanized pipe used for water delivery is about 40 years. You can probably imagine that it was “the way to go” many years ago. Galvanized pipes have seen their day.

This is the era of copper. Copper Plumbing pipes are very durable. They will last for dozens of years. They are also weather resistant so you can use them outside of the house as well as the inside. Maybe best of all, they are corrosion resistant, and will not burn in case of fire.

To learn more about if, when, and how much it will take to modernize your castle with copper piping call Elgin’s repipe professionals Tom’s Plumbing Inc. Tom’s serves most of the Northwest Suburbs of Chicagoland with plumbing repair, replacement, and emergencies in general. This time call Tom’s Plumbing Inc. at (847) 697-6444.

Plumbing Scams are Prevalent.

Especially among our senior citizen population in Chicagoland, people will try to take advantage of an opportunity to prey on the uninformed.  It comes in many fashions…get rich schemes, retirement investments, IRS prank calls (have you gotten one of those?), etc.  Even plumbing scams are rampant…especially in the winter.

We want you to be aware of –

1.      Leading questions to determine if you live alone

2.      Telling you that your plumbing problems are worse than they really are

3.      Attempting to sell unnecessary sewer repairs

Please read the page entitled “Avoid Scams” on the website www.tomsplumbingservice.com.  It is a real eye-opener!  We at Tom’s Plumbing want you to be knowledgeable about problems that may occur with your plumbing.  We hope that these tidbits of information will help.  When you truly need an honest and reliable plumber in the Elgin area call us at (847) 697-6444.

The Importance of Being Winterized.

Any homeowner will tell you the importance of keeping your plumbing working through the winter, but sometimes the elements have a mind of their own. Burst pipes, wet floors, and damaged walls are all possible in the winter months and are much more common during the cold winter freeze in Chicagoland.

Please remember to keep your faucets running with a slight drip.  Temperatures are usually at their coldest in the last half of January.  Make sure that your drains and gutters are free of ice and debris.  Do not allow an outdoor faucet or hose to remain unattended which may cause it to crack under the pressure of freezing water.

Most importantly, have a professional plumbing company double check your piping and plumbing system to be absolutely sure that it is ready for what is to come.  Your repiping professionals at Tom’s Plumbing Inc. is always the right answer.  Don’t wait for an emergency.  Schedule a check-up from Mike and his crew at Tom’s Plumbing Inc. serving the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago by calling (847) 697-6444.

It’s Not Always about the Why but the When.

This axiom may apply to many things, but one of them is when to call a plumber.  So many of us try a DIY solution or “wait out the problem” hoping it will heal itself.  Many times, both decisions are not prudent.  If you try to fix a plumbing problem yourself you are likely to make it worse and, believe me, it is not going away on its own!

How about a few tips on WHEN to call a plumber –

1.  One or more of your faucets continues to drip, drip, drip.

2.  All of a sudden, the hot water isn’t so hot.

3.  The water pressure decreases.

4.  Drains become clogged and backed-up

It is probably time to contact a professional to troubleshoot these and other problems.  Tom’s Plumbing Service is your professional plumbing choice in the Northwest Suburbs.  Mike and his team at Tom’s Plumbing have been serving the Elgin area for decades.  Don’t hesitate, give Tammy a call to schedule an appointment at (847) 697-6444.

What is Re-Piping?

It is NOT filling up grandpa’s Meerschaum!  It has everything to do with the continued safety and efficiency of your home’s plumbing system.  Re-piping means replacing the plumbing systems (water supply, drains or gas). This replacement process is referred to as a “repipe” or "repiping”.

As brutally cold weather descends on Chicagoland your pipes will be vulnerable to the extreme cold.  We are experienced on how to lay out the job, order parts, install, and inspect the re-piping process. We have expert patching crews in house.  The important message here is…DO NOT wait until it is too late!

Freezing pipes will bring your household to a standstill.  Before that happens call Tom’s Plumbing Inc. to inspect your home’s piping system.  This way you will have some certainty as to what you may be facing during the months ahead.  I know this is a busy time of year, but include a call to Tom’s in your holiday plans at (847) 697-6444.

Galvanized Pipes…Be Gone!

If you have lived in the Elgin area and are a homeowner you may be aware that those old galvanized pipes that have held your plumbing together are now old and outdated.  How old is your home?  In the Northwest Suburbs galvanized piping goes back to the 1950’s and was the only logical choice for decades.

These old pipes crack and corrode over time.  The result, of course, is leaking throughout your plumbing system.  At this point, you really only have two choices.  Either call a plumber for frequent emergency repairs…OR simply have your castle re-piped.  The latter will, in the long run, save you time and $$$$$!

Make the right decision now.  Have those old galvanized pipes replaced with new copper ones.  It will not only give you peace of mind, but add value to your home.  Choose the right plumber to do the job.  That is Tom’s Plumbing Inc.  We are the Elgin area’s residential copper repiping experts and have been for many years.  Call for an appointment today at (847) 697-6444.