Hear From Our Customers
Your pipes don’t freeze on schedule. Neither do the disasters they create when they burst.
A frozen pipe can rupture without warning, dumping hundreds of gallons into your Des Plaines, IL home every hour. By the time you notice water stains on your ceiling or puddles in your basement, you’re already looking at thousands in damage to flooring, drywall, and everything else that water touches.
That’s why smart homeowners call Go-Rooter the moment they turn a faucet and nothing comes out. We show up with professional thawing equipment and two decades of experience handling Chicago-area winter emergencies. You get immediate damage control plus repairs that actually solve the underlying problem.
We’ve been serving Des Plaines, IL and Cook County since 2001. We know exactly what those brutal lake-effect systems can do to your plumbing because we’ve been fixing the aftermath for over 20 years.
Des Plaines sits right in the crosshairs of Chicago’s worst winter weather. You deal with the same challenges as homeowners throughout the northwest suburbs: aging infrastructure, temperature swings that can drop 40 degrees overnight, and those freeze-thaw cycles that crack even new pipes.
We keep licensed, insured technicians on call 24/7 because frozen pipes don’t care about your schedule. When you call us at 3 AM during a blizzard, you’re talking to real plumbers who will actually show up—not an answering service that schedules you for next week.
First, we shut off your water supply. Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many DIY disasters start with someone trying to thaw pipes while water pressure is still building behind the ice blockage.
Then we locate the exact frozen section using professional diagnostic equipment. No guesswork, no tearing into walls hoping we find the right spot. We know where Des Plaines, IL homes typically freeze up, and we have the tools to pinpoint problems fast.
The actual thawing happens slowly and safely. We use controlled electric heating and specialized thawing equipment—never torches, never space heaters, never anything that can burst your pipes or burn down your house. Once water flow returns, we test your entire system to make sure nothing cracked during the freeze and that your pressure is back to normal.
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You get comprehensive winter plumbing protection, not just a quick fix. Our emergency response includes immediate thawing, burst pipe repair if needed, and a thorough inspection of your entire system to catch other problems before they freeze.
Des Plaines, IL properties face unique winter challenges. Many homes in established neighborhoods like Cumberland, Orchard Place, and areas near the Des Plaines River were built before modern insulation standards. You’ve got supply lines running through crawl spaces, along foundation walls, and in other spots that turn into deep freezers when temperatures drop.
We also handle the preventative side. Pipe insulation, weatherization, and plumbing maintenance that keeps your system running when your neighbors are dealing with frozen pipes. Because the best emergency repair is the one you never need.
We typically arrive within an hour, even during the worst weather Des Plaines, IL throws at us. Our emergency vehicles stay equipped with professional thawing equipment year-round, so we can start working immediately.
The actual thawing process usually takes 30 minutes to an hour once we begin, depending on how long your pipes have been frozen and where they’re located. Pipes in basements thaw faster than ones buried in exterior walls, but we’ve handled them all.
If we discover damage during the thawing process, we fix it on the spot. Our trucks carry the most common repair materials, so you don’t sit around with no water while waiting for a parts run. Most Des Plaines, IL homeowners have their water restored the same day they call.
Des Plaines, IL sits in one of the most challenging climate zones for residential plumbing. You get sustained sub-zero temperatures, lake-effect snow, and those brutal temperature swings that stress pipes beyond their design limits.
Most problems happen in predictable spots: pipes running along exterior walls, supply lines in unheated basements, and anywhere there’s a gap in your home’s insulation. Many Des Plaines, IL homes were built in the 1960s and 70s, before modern weatherization standards. Your pipes are basically exposed to outdoor temperatures in these vulnerable areas.
Power outages make everything worse. When your furnace goes down during a winter storm, even well-protected pipes can freeze within hours. We see this constantly in Des Plaines, IL after major storms when ComEd is working to restore power to thousands of homes.
No. What looks like a simple job turns dangerous fast. Using space heaters, hair dryers, or anything with an open flame near water and gas lines is asking for trouble. We’ve seen house fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and electrocutions from DIY thawing attempts.
Even “safe” methods like pouring hot water down drains can shock frozen pipes and cause them to crack. If your pipe already has hairline fractures from ice expansion—which happens more often than you’d think—any sudden temperature change can turn a small problem into a major flood.
Professional thawing equipment lets us control the process gradually and safely. We can also detect existing damage before we restore full water pressure. This prevents those surprise floods that happen when homeowners think they’ve fixed the problem, only to have pipes burst hours later.
Professional thawing for pipes that haven’t burst yet typically runs $100-200, depending on location and complexity. This includes our emergency response, diagnosis, safe thawing, and complete system testing.
If pipes have already burst, repair costs depend on the damage extent. Simple joint replacements run $150-300, while extensive repairs involving multiple sections or hard-to-reach areas can cost $500 or more. We always provide upfront pricing before starting work—no surprises on your bill.
Professional service costs less than water damage cleanup. A single burst pipe can dump hundreds of gallons into your Des Plaines, IL home, causing thousands in damage to floors, walls, and belongings. The investment in proper repair pays for itself by preventing these catastrophic failures.
Turn off your main water supply immediately. You’ll find the shutoff valve where the water line enters your home, usually in the basement or utility room. This prevents flooding if the pipe has already cracked.
Open faucets connected to the frozen pipes to relieve pressure and let unfrozen water drain out. This reduces stress on the frozen section and buys you time before a potential burst. Don’t touch any heating devices or try thawing pipes yourself.
Call Go-Rooter right away, even at 3 AM. Frozen pipes are true emergencies that get worse every hour you wait. The sooner we start professional thawing, the better your chances of avoiding a burst pipe and the water damage that follows. We’ll guide you through any other steps while we’re driving to your Des Plaines, IL property.
Start by identifying vulnerable pipes before winter hits. Check your basement, crawl spaces, and utility areas for supply lines running along exterior walls or through unheated spaces. These need insulation before temperatures drop.
During cold snaps, keep cabinet doors open under sinks so warm air reaches the pipes. Maintain your thermostat at 55 degrees minimum, even when you’re away. A higher heating bill beats dealing with burst pipes and water damage.
Let faucets drip slightly when temperatures drop below 20 degrees. Moving water resists freezing much better than static water sitting in pipes. Disconnect outdoor hoses, drain exterior spigots, and shut off water supply to outdoor faucets. Schedule a pre-winter plumbing maintenance inspection to catch potential problems while you can still fix them easily.
