Author: scot-admin
In-Pipe Video Cameras for Homes Around Chicago
If you are having issues with your sewer and drain line and traditional means of unclogging it don’t seem to be working, then chances are that there’s something wrong with it that requires an up-close-and-personal look.
At Scottish Plumber we utilize in-pipe video cameras, which we feed into your home drain pipes so that we can actually see what the problem is, whether it’s a cracked pipe, debris, a tree root, etc. You don’t have to take our word for it either – you can take a look at the monitor for yourself and watch as we navigate through your sewer or drain line to find the root of the problem. This process takes the guesswork out of sewer repairs and allows us to recommend the best solution in terms of plumbing repairs.
When your sewer backs up, in-pipe video inspection is generally the most economical method of finding the cause. If you’re having backed up sewer problems of your own, don’t hesitate to give us a call – we’ll come out and help you take a look. We service all of Chicagoland, including Chicago and Villa Park, Il.
https://www.scottishplumber.com/drain-cleaning-services/video-camera-inspection
Chicago Plumber Tip #1: if it smells bad, it is bad
That foul odor you’ve begun to notice throughout your Chicago area home may mean something is happening that could really make you sick. The odor could be caused by a clog or a leak in your sewer vent pipe. This pipe exits your home through your roof and allows the sewer system to suck fresh air in from outside to keep fluid moving through the pipes. If the vent pipe in your Chicago area home is clogged or leaking, it could suck in the air it needs from your fixture drains, drying out the drains and allowing the odor of sewer gas to escape.
The clog or leak could also be causing your heating or air conditioning system to broadcast the odor throughout your home via the duct system. Sewer gas is toxic, so more than being unpleasant, it could really cause illness. Don’t try to ferret out the funk yourself; if you try to open your sewer and drain system, you could actually release sewage into your home. The Scottish Plumber has special equipment that can allow us to pinpoint the source of the sewer gas odor quickly and without making a mess.
To schedule an appointment for a free assessment, please call 888-451-6137 or click here.
Preventing Home Flooding Around Chicago
Springtime will soon be upon Chicago, IL, and that means one thing: rain, and lots of it. And as Chicago homeowners you are aware that that leads to basement flooding problems. Basement flooding is a major problem, ruining property, causing sanitation problems, and putting people at risk of electric shock. Rainwater can enter the home through cracks in foundation walls, backed up floor drains, and flooded street drainage pipes that connect to your home.
The best solution prevent home flooding is a reliable sump pump, which will drain flooding water into the home’s drainage pipe, or outdoors. When a sump pump is installed, it begins with a professional, licensed plumber choosing a location in your basement to dig a sump pit, which collects floodwater, the size of the pit depends on the amount of water that enters during storm conditions. The sump pump(s), sits in the base of the pit, pumps the rainwater away. Sump pumps are one of the most popular, most efficient solutions to basement flooding caused by excess ground water.
At Scottish Plumber, we install sump pumps for all kinds of homes all over Chicago and Villa Park, IL. Give us a call today for more information.
https://www.scottishplumber.com/drain-cleaning-services/sump-pumps
Trenchless Sewer Repair – Arlington Heights
Trenchless Sewer Repair is a process Arlington Heights homeowners should become familiar with. With many homes older than a century and lots of old pipes, most residents will at some point experience a problem with their sewer.
Trenchless Sewer Repair Saves Your Lawn
Sewer repair done using conventional methods can be quite messy. It often involves excavation which means either digging in the yard or breaking up the floor. Sometimes the sewer is buried under a deck or stoop, driveway, flower bed or bush – and all of these things have to be removed in order for the repair to proceed.
This is especially painful in a town like Arlington Heights where homeowners take a lot of pride in their outdoor landscapes. What’s worse, after the sewer has been repaired, the homeowner then has to deal with restoration. That’s where the Trenchless method comes in and saves the day.
Conventional sewer repair often requires excavation as you can see in the photo above. Restoring the lawn after the repair can be quite costly and time-consuming.
How Does Trenchless Sewer Repair Work?
There are two types of Trenchless Sewer Repair Arlington Heights customers can take advantage of:
- Sewer Liner (also known as Trenchless Sewer Relining or Sewer Lining) – typically used to repair longer sections of pipe – usually 20 feet or longer. It can also be used in place of conventional sewer replacement.
- Pipe Stent Trenchless Sewer Repair – typically used to repair shorter sections of pipe and for spot repairs.
With the Trenchless method, we’re able to install a new pipe inside of the damaged pipe using woven fiberglass, resins, and hardeners. This new pipe is not only stronger than any existing pipe (see video at bottom of page), but it is smooth and seamless to ensure proper flow.
Clay pipe, which is very common in old Arlington Heights sewer construction, is notorious for allowing roots to penetrate through the pipe connections, called joints. Trenchless Sewer Repair completely seals off any joints over which it’s installed and it is completely resistant to roots.
Watch the Pipe Stent Trenchless Repair process in this short video:
Trenchless Sewer Repair Saves You Money
Trenchless Sewer Repair is less expensive than conventional repair and that’s before you even take the costs of landscape restoration, stoop replacement, or deck repair into account. It also comes with a 50-year warranty, which is significantly longer than the typical warranty on conventional sewer repair or replacement.
The Scottish Plumber has some of the most experienced staff in the industry when it comes to Trenchless. We have done hundreds of such installations all over Chicagoland, many of them in Arlington Heights, so homeowners can rest easy that the job will be done quickly and properly by a trained and experienced professional.
In this short video, we test the strength of the Pipe Stent using a sledgehammer and some elbow grease.
For more information or to schedule a free estimate, use the red appointment form at the top of this page, give us a call, or contact us here.
Re-lining a Sewer in Chicago’s frigid temps
Sewer relining is a bit more challenging in the winter months but it can be done with the proper equipment, some pre-planning and experienced technicians. Even though we were ready for the weather we ran into a few problems we did not foresee. The pipes in the traveling boiler froze so we had to thaw them with a blow torch. The project was definitely a success but we did double our labor costs due to the cold. The problem at this house was a root clogging the sewer line causing a back-up into the house. After cleaning the roots outwe saw that the the pipe was broken allowing sewage to leak into the yard attracting more roots into the sewer line. This job was an emergency situation and we moved very quickly from diagnosing the problem to making the repair.
This Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP) is also known as Trenchless Sewer Repair because there is no digging involved. Compared to the old fashioned excavation method this CIPP cost 1/2 as much and takes about a day and half to complete. This is considered a specialty among plumbers since this equipment is expensive and most won’t invest in it. It also takes special technicians with the technical training and a extensive background in the history of sewers since this CIPP is almost always performed on old complicated sewer systems. Chicago has miles of aging sewers as do other cities and this technology is being used across the country by municipalities who now dont have to dig up roads to fix them. The federal goverment has mandated that cities have to repair broken & craked municapall sewers because of the environmental impact it is having on local lakes, rivers and streams.
Clogged or Slow Drains
The Scottish Plumber is an expert at slow or clogged sewers and drains. Drain Cleaning is necessary to unclog pipes and drains to get them working properly. Scottish Plumbers are licensed professionals who install, maintain and repair pipes and plumbing for a variety of systems.
By delivering emergency service and making emergency repairs with their fleet of drain cleaning technicians and their special European technology for making fast sewer repairs – they are wowing their clients. The Scottish Plumber won 2 Super Service Awards in 2010 form Angie’s List and are also Complaint Free with BBB for 2010.
Using state of the art equipment to make repairs fast without digging the Scottish Plumber is leading the sewer relining & repair industry in the Chicago Metro area.
The Scottish Plumbers specialty is Sewers and Drains. We clean, repair, maintain and re-line sewer and drain pipes. If it has to do with supply pipes, drain pipes, sewer pipes or building drainage it’s our specialty.
The Scottish Plumber saves their customers, TIME, ENERGY & MONEY by using no- dig European technology to repair old cracked and broken drain lines. Call today for a free estimate and professional advice.
Bio Clean
Bio Clean- It is safe as a septic cleaner and can be used in all drain types even plastic drains. It is not poisonous, and creates no heat or fumes.
One of the best and most environmentally friendly products on the market today for clearing blocked drains is Bio Clean. It is a biological drain cleaner which uses a blend of bacteria and enzymes that are natural to clear out drains. It is safe as a septic cleaner and can be used in plastic drains. It is not poisonous, and creates no heat or fumes. It eliminates bad smells in drains and garbage disposals, as well as costly backups and build ups in tanks and pipes. It does not harm live tissue or inorganic materials such as your gloves or hands, but will get rid of organic waste such as grease, hair, food, paper, etc.
If you want a safe, environmentally friendly way to unclog your drain without chemicals, give Scottish Plumber a call – we utilize bio clean when cleaning out drains. We service the whole Chicagoland area, including Villa Park, Joliet, Aurora, and of course, Chicago.
https://www.scottishplumber.com/drain-cleaning-services/bio-clean
Flood Prevention Chicago
The Scottish Plumber has been working Chicago’s neighborhoods for generations and knows the ins and outs of old plumbing, the permits required and areas of the city and suburbs with specific flooding concerns.
Chicago has aging sewer systems causing more and more local flooding problems to occur. Systems are being overtaxed by snow melt and rainwater mixed with sewage. When this happens this filthy and unhealthy mixture backs up in to residences and commercial buildings which do not have working flood control systems in place.
We will continue to get more and moisture here in Chicago according to Scientists (article below). For this reason it is advisable for business’ and residents who have encountered basement flooding in the past to install or update their flood control systems. Yearly visual and/or professional inspections should be done to confirm these systems are working properly. These are mechanical systems which need yearly maintenance so they will be ready to provide the protection needed when called upon. Sump Pumps and Ejector Pumps jobs are to keep ground water out and to pump sewage into city sewers. These pumps are not intended for flood control and cannot be expected to hold back a sewage backup caused by storm water.. Professional advice is suggested so a complete system (correctly sized and engineered for your specific needs), which will keep your belongings and building from safe from water damage.
The Scottish Plumber’s specialty is flood control systems, no-dig trenchless sewer repair and drainage issues. We install, repair and design flood control systems for clients with hard to solve drainage issues. We are so confident in our flood control system that it comes with a 10 year guarantee against this type of flooding. Call today for a free estimate.
BEST PRACTICES ON FLOOD PREVENTION, PROTECTION AND MITIGATION
The major part of population and goods are located in big urban areas so efforts for avoiding flood problems should be focused on these urban areas. Rivers overflowing do not always cause urban floods; they can also be caused by high rain intensities over the city combined with aging sewers systems. Special attention should be taken to the present drainage of rainwater, for instance the capacity of the sewer systems of our cities.
The probability of flooding is expected to increase: the earth’s climate is changing rapidly. Since the warm period in the Middle Ages and after the Minor Boulder, the earth is undeniably growing warmer again. Scientists reached agreement on this point at a conference in Shanghai in early 2001. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assumes that we will see an average of temperature rise in the 21st century (1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius). Based on this assumption, the sea is expected to rise (9 cm to 88 cm by the year 2100). The precipitation pattern will also change. Humid areas will generally become more humid and arid areas more arid. The amount of precipitation will also fluctuate more sharply (Interreg Rhine Meuse Activities best practices – IRMA -2003). In general, this means a greater probability of flooding and extremely low rivers during dry periods. The rising sea level will make it more difficult for the rivers in the delta to drain into the sea. The impact of flooding increases: the impact of floods in terms of human health and economic losses has risen, and the planning of protection against floods can no longer be limited to protecting some isolated assets from certain types of danger.
Reference: Executive Summary dated Sept 25th, 2003
http://www.floods.org/PDF/Intl_BestPractices_EU_2004.pdf
Yummy Scottish Sgoon
Sgoon is the Gaelic word for scones
Scones (from Gaelic word “sgoon”) are a favorite in Scotland and around the world
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dried currants of your choice
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter until it is in pea sized lumps. Stir in the currants. Mix together 1/2 cup milk and sour cream in a measuring cup. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients, and stir gently until well blended. DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH
- With floured hands, pat scone dough into balls 2 to 3 inches across, depending on what size you want. Place onto a greased baking sheet, and flatten lightly. Let the scones barely touch each other. Whisk together egg and 1 T of milk. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Let them rest for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the tops are golden brown, not deep brown. Break each scone apart, or slice in half. Serve with butter or clotted cream and a selection of jams – or even plain.
Yields aporoximately 8 scones
