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Flooding is a natural disaster that can cause significant damage to homes and properties, leading to costly repairs and emotional distress. As climate change continues to exacerbate weather patterns, the frequency and severity of floods are increasing.

Homeowners need to consider investing in flood control systems to protect their homes and assets.

But when is the right time to make this investment, and why is it crucial?

This article will explore the factors influencing this decision and the benefits of proactive flood management.

Assessing the Risk of Flooding

The first step in determining when to invest in a flood control system is to assess the risk of flooding in your area. Several factors can influence this risk:

1. Geographic Location: Homes located in floodplains, near rivers or lakes, are at higher risk. Understanding your location’s flood history and potential is critical.
2. Weather Patterns: Regions prone to heavy rainfall or snowmelt can experience frequent flooding. Monitoring weather patterns and changes in climate can provide insight into potential risks.
3. Topography: The landscape around your home, including elevation and drainage patterns, can affect flood susceptibility. Low-lying areas or properties with poor drainage are more vulnerable.
4. Urban Development: Increased urbanization can lead to reduced natural drainage, increasing flood risk. New construction and infrastructure changes can alter water flow, impacting your property.

Timing the Investment

Once the risk has been assessed, homeowners should consider the following scenarios for investing in a flood control system:

1. After a Flood Event: Experiencing a flood firsthand often prompts immediate action. While this is a reactive approach, it underscores the importance of protection. Investing in flood control systems after a flood can prevent future incidents.
2. Before Severe Weather Seasons: If your area is known for seasonal flooding, investing in a flood control system before the rainy or snowmelt season can provide peace of mind and physical protection.
3. During Home Renovations or Purchases: If you are renovating your home or purchasing a new property, it is an ideal time to install flood control systems. Integrating these systems during renovation is often more cost-effective and less disruptive.
4. Changes in Risk Assessment: Regularly updating your flood risk assessment based on new data or environmental changes can prompt timely investments. If new infrastructure or climate data indicates increased risk, it is prudent to act sooner rather than later.

Types of Flood Control Systems

Homeowners have a variety of flood control systems to choose from, depending on their specific needs and risks:

1. Sump Pumps: The most basic protection. Sump pumps are installed in basements or crawl spaces to remove accumulated water and prevent flooding.
2. French Drains: A trench filled with gravel or rock containing a perforated pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from your home.
3. Backflow Valves: These valves prevent sewage from backing up into your home during heavy rains.
4. Overhead Sewer Systems: The most effective flood control system of all:

overhead sewer conversion

An overhead sewer system prevents basement flooding by rerouting wastewater through pipes that are elevated above the basement level, thereby reducing the risk of backflow from the main sewer system. Here’s how it works:

1. Installation of Overhead Sewer Pipes: The existing basement drain pipes are disconnected from the main sewer line. Instead, they are connected to a new overhead sewer pipe, which runs above the basement floor level, usually at or above the height of the first floor.
2. Sump Pit and Pump: A sump pit is installed in the basement floor to collect wastewater from basement fixtures like sinks, toilets, and laundry machines. This pit contains a sump pump that lifts the wastewater up to the overhead sewer pipe.
3. Gravity Flow: Once the wastewater is pumped up to the overhead sewer pipe, it flows by gravity out to the main sewer line. Since the main sewer line connection is now above the basement level, any backflow from the sewer system would have to rise to the level of the overhead sewer pipe, which is typically higher than any potential flood level.
4. Check Valve: Some systems include a check valve in the overhead sewer line to provide an extra layer of protection against backflow.

By elevating the discharge point of the basement plumbing above the level of potential sewer backflow, an overhead sewer system effectively prevents basement flooding. This system is particularly useful in areas prone to heavy rainfall or where the municipal sewer system may become overwhelmed, causing backflow into lower-level drains and fixtures.

And as anyone who has been flooded by sewage water can attest, it’s not a situation any homeowner wants to find themselves in.

Benefits of Investing in Flood Control Systems

1. Protection of Property: The primary benefit is safeguarding your home and belongings from water damage, which can be costly to repair.
2. Insurance Savings: Many insurance companies offer lower premiums for homes equipped with flood control systems, reducing overall expenses.
3. Increased Property Value: Homes with flood mitigation measures in place are more attractive to buyers, potentially increasing resale value.
4. Peace of Mind: Knowing that your home is protected can reduce stress and anxiety during severe weather events.

Investing in a flood control system is a proactive measure that can save homeowners significant time, money, and stress.

Assessing your flood risk and timing your investment appropriately are crucial steps in protecting your property.

With the increasing unpredictability of weather patterns, being prepared is more important than ever. By understanding when and why to invest in flood control, homeowners can make informed decisions that safeguard their homes and enhance their quality of life.

Spring home flooding can occur due to heavy rainfall, snowmelt, or a combination of both. To prevent spring home flooding, here are some tips:

1. Maintain your gutters and downspouts: Ensure that your gutters and downspouts are clear of debris and are directing water away from your home’s foundation. Make sure that the downspouts are positioned at least five feet away from the foundation.
2. Install a sump pump: A sump pump can be installed in the basement or crawl space to pump water out of your home if it starts to flood. Make sure to test it regularly to ensure that it is working correctly.
3. Elevate important items: If you have items in your basement or lower level that are important or valuable, consider elevating them off the floor to prevent water damage.
4. Seal foundation cracks: Check your foundation for any cracks and seal them to prevent water from seeping in.
5. Install backflow prevention valves: Install backflow prevention valves (or another type of flood control system) on all pipes that lead into your home to prevent sewage backup.
6. Install flood sensors: Install flood sensors in areas of your home that are prone to flooding. These sensors can alert you when there is water present, giving you time to take action
7. If you’re not sure about any of the items above and would like someone to inspect your home and ensure it is ready for spring, feel free to give us a call or fill out this appointment form and one of The Scottish Plumber’s friendly staff will give you a call to schedule a visit.

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.

 

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.

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

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. 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
3. 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.
4. 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

 

 

These tender/crumbly, full-flavored scones feature cranberries and pecans. With oats in the dough, they’re a tasty throwback to their Scottish origins.

 

 

 

2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup (3 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking (not instant) oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (3 3/4 ounces) brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (4 ounces, 1 stick) butter
1 cup (4 ounces) dried cranberries
1 cup (4 ouces) diced pecans
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk, sour cream, or plain yogurt
coarse sparkling sugar for topping, optional

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and cut it into two pieces. (Keep sprinkling on flour if you need to.) Form each into a disk, and gently pat each disk into a round about 6″ in diameter. Sprinkle each disk with coarse sparkling sugar, if desired. With a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the round into 8 wedges. Do this by cutting straight down through the dough so you shear the edges. If you saw the dough, you tend to press the edges together, which keeps the scones from rising as they bake. Don’t separate the wedges.

Transfer the scones, still in their circular shape, the the prepared baking sheet. Separate the scones slightly; there should be about 1″ between them at the outside edge. Bake the scones for 20 minutes, or until they’re just beginning to brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve warm. Or reheat for 10 minutes, lightly tented with foil, in a preheated 350°F oven. Serve with traditional clotted cream or Devon cream, if desired. Yield: 16 tea scones.

 

This recipe reprinted from The Baking Sheet Newsletter, Vol. III, No. 2, December 1991 issue. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/christmas-scones-recipe

Serves/Makes:   16

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/2 cup butter (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup milk
1 cup dried cranberries are a nice addition to this recipe

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450degrees F. Grease and flour baking sheet.
Sift flour, sugar and salt in bowl. Stir in peel. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in eggs and just enough milk to form soft but not sticky dough. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Gently roll or pat dough to about 1/2-inch thickness, lightly flouring as necessary to prevent sticking.
Cut out rounds using 2-inch floured biscuit cutter. Set 1/2-inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Brush with cream or milk for a rich sheen. Bake until scones are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Lemon Glaze -After baking add glaze as desired
In small bowl: add 1 cup powdered sugar and lemon juice to desired consistency.  Drizzle over lightly cooled scones.

This small batch of savory scones are very biscuit-like and taste best warm with a generous dab of butter or margarine.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2/3 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and flour a baking sheet.  Sift together dry ingredients (flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda) in a large bowl.  Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut in the butter or margarine until it is evenly distributed in the flour mixture and resembles cornmeal.

Add the rosemary, honey, and milk; and mix to form a soft dough.  Add more milk one tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too dry and does not come together into a ball of dough.  Roll the dough out onto a lightly flour surface and pat it into 1/2  inch thickness.  Using a small cup or cookie cutter about 2 inches across, cut the dough into shapes and place them on the baking sheet.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.

This is a sweet and chocolatey scone, but not too sweet or filling; with a cake-like consistency and a hint of banana flavor.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 ripe mashed banana
1 large egg
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease the center of a baking sheet. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a pastry blender, cut the butter or margarine into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. In a separate small bowl, stir together the egg, mashed banana, buttermilk and vanilla extract until the consistency is relatively even.

Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and combine until a dough forms. The dough will be sticky. Spread the dough into the center of the cookie sheet and form it into a 9-inch circle. With a floured knife, cut the circle into 8 wedges, but do not separate them. Bake for 19-21 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the circle comes out clean.

Remove and place on a cooking rack- you may have to re-cut the wedges before transferring. Enjoy!

Most homeowners don’t start thinking about their water heater until it suddenly stops working; which means they don’t have much time to shop around for the best deal and the most energy efficient model on the market.  When there’s no hot water in your home and you’re aching for a nice hot shower, you’ll take any water heater you can get as long as it’s working, right?

Between 13% and 17% of residential energy consumption in the United States comes from water heaters- that’s a pretty big portion of our energy usage.  And like the “cash for clunkers” government program is urging motorists (with generous tax incentives) to upgrade their gas-guzzling vehicles for more efficient cars, the Federal Government is also about to unveil a “cash for clunkers appliances” program that provides tax rebates for upgrading energy-sucking appliances like water heaters, dishwashers, refrigerators and washer/dryers for units with better EnergyStar ratings.  Some retailers will even be able to give a discount up to 25% of the appliance cost right there at the cash register!

So does this mean homeowners should just hope that if their water heater is going to fail soon, it dies in 2010 so they can take advantage of the program?  No!  Upgrading your old water heater now can save you even more money.  Not only does it mean you get to take part in the limited time tax incentive program, but a more energy efficient water heater can save you $200-$300 a year in energy costs on your gas or electric bill.  That means that if you buy a water heater during this “cash for clunkers appliances” program, your investment could pay itself off in the first year or two; then just continue to save you more money than you are spending now to keep your old water heater going.

Here is an article in the Chicago Sun-Times covering the news of the program; and here is a detailed article with more information on water heaters and energy factors from the US Department of Energy.  Contact The Scottish Plumber if you’re thinking about taking part in this program to save some money on a new water heater, and we’re going to keep our ears to the tracks for when the program begins.  We can take a look at your current water heater and calculate about how much more efficient several options of newer models will be and how much money you could save.

It’s much less stressful to pick out a new water heater while your current water heater is still working, so you’re not worried where your next hot shower is going to come from!