What each season does to a Darien house
The nearest published weather station, Chicago O'Hare, shows about 38 inches of precipitation and about 38 inches of snow in a year, with an average January low near 19 degrees F. These are 1991 to 2020 normals from the National Weather Service, not Darien readings, but they describe the climate you share.
| Season | What goes wrong | Where we usually look |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Frozen hose bibs, garage and attic lines | Exposed pipes and shutoffs |
| Spring thaw and storms | Sump pump overload, basement seepage | Pit, float, discharge line |
| Summer downpours | Sewer backup, floor drain bubbling | Lateral, cleanout, sump tie-ins |
| Fall | Water heaters working hardest, clogs from leaves | Tank and gutter drainage |
Freezing weather and exposed pipes
Freezing hits exposed hose bibs and attic or garage lines first. Basements are protected only if they are heated. If a pipe has burst, shut off the main, open a faucet below the break and call us at any hour.
Do not use a flame to thaw a line. A hair dryer on low is safer, and only if no water is pouring from the pipe. If you cannot find the break, a leak detection visit finds it without opening every wall.
A flooded basement is an emergency
Do not walk into standing water if it reaches outlets, the panel or the furnace. Keep children and pets out. Shut off the main if a pipe is the source, and call our 24/7 line.
If you smell gas, leave first and call Nicor Gas on 888-642-6748 or 911.
Sump pumps and the storms that test them
The city says illegal sump pump connections to the sanitary sewer add water during heavy rain. That means a pump that discharges into a floor drain can overload the sewer and push water into your basement or a neighbor's.
A proper sump pump install sends water outside. We also test the float and check valve before the wet months begin.
Drain clogs and who owns the pipe
The homeowner owns the sewer from the curb to the home, per the city's sewer page. Three districts handle the public side. DuPage County is at 630-964-7503, the Downers Grove Sanitary District at 630-969-0664 and Hinsdale at 630-323-3299.
For county-served addresses, the backup line is 630-985-7400, staffed 24/7. If the public line is clear, our drain cleaning clears your side.
Before our plumber arrives in Darien
Take these steps whatever the season.
Shut the main in the basement
Turn it clockwise. In winter, also open the lowest faucet so water can drain.
Hold off on drains
If the sewer is backing up, every flush and load of laundry adds to it. Wait until we have cleared the line.
Clear the floor and power
Lift boxes, unplug devices only if the cord is dry, and stay out of water near the panel.
Call the 24/7 line
Tell us your street, the season's trouble and which sanitary district you are in if you know it.
Homes built in the 1970s and 1980s
Darien's median home was built in 1978. About 51.7 percent date from 1970 to 1989, 22.9 percent from 1940 to 1969, and 22.6 percent from 1990 to 2009. Original shutoff valves, supply lines and drain stacks in those houses are often tired.
Neighborhoods such as Marion Hills, Hinsbrook, Brookhaven and Clarefield are part of that mix. A routine camera look at a lateral is a sensible precaution before spring.
Permits, landmarks and neighboring towns
Community Development at 1702 Plainfield Road, (630) 353-8115, says permits are required anytime you are changing anything structural, plumbing or electrical, per the Darien permits page. Call them before a water heater swap or a repipe.
Darien and Woodridge share a 1992 boundary line agreement. Near the I-55 interchanges at Cass Avenue and Lemont Road or Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve, dispatch is the same. We also work in Downers Grove and Bolingbrook, and in neighboring Willowbrook and Burr Ridge.
Cold snap or storm in Darien
Call the emergency line any hour. You get a clear price before work starts.
Questions we hear
Darien has one ZIP code, 60561, and we cover all of it. That includes Marion Hills, Hinsbrook and Brookhaven, the Darien Sportsplex on Plainfield Road and the area around Carriage Greens Golf Course.
Yes. The line is open 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays.
Call the district that serves your address and us. County-served addresses can use 630-985-7400, staffed 24/7.
The city says the homeowner owns the sewer from the curb to the home.
No. Illegal connections add water to the sanitary sewer in heavy rain. Discharge outside.
Community Development says permits are required for plumbing changes. Call (630) 353-8115.
Shut off the main, open a faucet and call. Never thaw with a flame.
If the backup returns each storm, a sewer inspection shows what is wrong in the line.
Darien on the map
Darien lies east of Woodridge, and the two cities share a 1992 boundary line agreement.