Winter Pipe & Basement Risk Check for La Grange

The western suburbs have their own pattern. Deep-freeze nights split pipes in exterior walls and attics, old galvanized plumbing corrodes and lets go, finished basements take storm and groundwater, single sump pumps fail when the power blinks, combined sewers surcharge and back up floor drains, and winter ice dams push melt under the shingles. Aging water heaters add to it.

Insulate pipes in exterior walls, attics, and crawlspaces, seal drafts at the rim joist, let an exterior-wall faucet drip on the coldest nights, and keep the heat on with cabinet doors open. Know where your main shut-off is, and add a battery backup to the sump before storm season.

If your floor drain has ever backed up in a heavy rain, the combined sewer is surcharging into your home, and it will happen again in the next big storm. Keep valuables off that floor and ask about a backflow preventer or an overhead sewer as the permanent fix.

If it is safe, shut the water off at the main, stay off wet floors, keep clear of outlets and the electrical panel, and call us. If the water came up through the floor drain, do not touch it, it is Category 3 black water. We talk you through the rest while a crew is on the way.