Even your home’s pipes require maintenance

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the adage goes, and that is certainly the philosophy of Duane Blanton Plumbing, Sewer and Drainage Inc. of Round Lake.

Our spring of heavy rains has kept Duane, his wife, Madeline, and their crews busy with emergency calls. This has underscored in everyone’s minds the importance of simple preventive measures, Madeline Blanton said.

Theses measures include maintenance rodding of plumbing and sewer drains, and the installation of battery backup sump pumps and backwater valves, all of which can prevent damage to your home and the loss of your valuables.

In the long-run, the Blantons say, it is much less expensive to prevent sewer and plumbing problems than to deal with the mess and heartbreak they can cause. Even if you have extensive insurance coverage, the stress and inconvenience involved in a major flooding or sewage problem is daunting and can result in the loss of family heirlooms and other irreplaceable items.

Maintenance rodding of the plumbing and sewer lines, especially mainlines, is one of the first lines of defense against future problems, Madeline Blanton said. By scheduling rodding of your mainline, you reduce the risk of having sewage back up into your home from a blockage caused by tree roots and other debris.

The second line of defense the company suggests is the installation of a battery backup sump pump system. It is a second sump pump that will work when there is a power failure and your primary sump pump fails. Having this backup system installed can bring a sense of peace during storms when a power outage is likely, Blanton said.

“One other line of defense that greatly reduces the risk of flooding and which we highly recommend is the installation of a backwater valve,” she said. “This is a more extensive process that stops the city sanitary sewers from backing up into your home. During heavy rainfall there is the possibility that the city sewer will not have the capacity to keep up with the amount of rain that comes down during a short period of time. If your home has a backwater valve, this will stop the city’s sewage from coming into your home.”

In business since 1988, Duane Blanton Plumbing serves the entire Chicago area, handling both residential and commercial plumbing and sewer repair and replacement jobs. It installs and repairs everything from toilets and water heaters (including the new tankless ones) to sump pumps, ejector pumps and sewer lines, she said.

“We pride ourselves on providing reliable and trustworthy plumbing and sewer service to our clientele,” Blanton said. “We are aware that emergencies can happen at any given time so we offer 24-hour emergency service year-round — even during holidays.”

While the company is always available to the community when emergencies inevitably occur, the staff highly encourages homeowners and business owners to take proactive measures to protect their homes, buildings and valuables before disaster strikes.

“There is no joy in watching others suffer loss and deal with the stress of situations that could have been prevented,” Blanton said.

For more information about Duane Blanton Plumbing, call (800) 252-6866 or visit www.duaneblantonplumbing.com.