Frozen & Burst Pipe Reroute
PRINCIPLE PLUMBING, INC.
1004 Wheaton Pl. | Wheaton, IL 60187
CASE STUDY
Frozen & Burst Pipe Reroute, Permanent Fix
Wheaton, IL | January 2026
Burst Pipe Reroute
Wheaton, IL
Ben & Aiden
Next Morning
Permanent Reroute
THE COLD SNAP THAT STARTED IT ALL
❄️ Wheaton, IL, January 26–28, 2026
Sunday Jan 26 Monday Jan 27 Tuesday Jan 28
High 9°F / Low -3°F High 14°F / Low 2°F High 17°F / Low -2°F
Three consecutive days with temperatures hovering near or below zero. At those extremes, water lines running through uninsulated exterior walls don’t stand much of a chance, especially in a split-level home where the laundry room sits directly against an outside wall.
CUSTOMER REVIEW
“Amazing work! We had a pipe burst and Ben came out the next day, rerouted our pipes and hopefully we’ll never have to worry about a burst pipe again! Very thorough, quick, and honest!”
Alyssa, Wheaton, IL | ★★★★★ (5/5 Google Review)
THE SITUATION
It wasn’t the first time it had happened. The laundry room in Alyssa’s split-level home sits on an exterior wall, the kind of spot where hot and cold supply lines, if they run through the wall cavity without adequate protection from the elements, are vulnerable every time the temperature really drops. And in late January 2026, the temperature didn’t just drop, it plummeted and stayed there.
After days of single-digit and sub-zero lows, the pipes froze and split inside the wall. Fortunately, Alyssa and her household were home when things let go. They got the water shut off fast, before the thawing pipe had a chance to flood anything. Then they called Principle Plumbing.
Ben and Aiden were on-site the next morning.
SCOPE OF SERVICE
- Assessed burst pipe location in exterior wall of laundry room, hot and cold supply lines to sink and washing machine
- Intercepted existing supply lines in basement ceiling above affected area
- Rerouted hot and cold water lines as exposed surface-mount copper through heated interior space
- Installed (2) Watts 1/4-turn isolation ball valves in basement ceiling access panel, allowing homeowner water restoration while work was completed
- Reconnected supply lines to laundry sink and washing machine
- Abandoned split piping in wall in place, no wall opening required
- Tested all connections and verified full operation of sink and washing machine
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT USED
- Type L copper pipe and fittings
- (2) Watts 1/4-turn brass ball valves, isolation valves (basement ceiling)
- Copper pipe hangers and mounting hardware
- Soldering torch, solder, and flux
- Pipe cutters and tubing tools
- Standard plumbing hand tools
TECHNICIANS
BEN
Lead Plumber, Principle Plumbing, Inc.
Licensed Plumber, IL Dept. of Public Health
(since 2006)
20+ years residential & light commercial experience
AIDEN
Plumbers Helper, Principle Plumbing, Inc.
Plumbing professional with hands-on field experience across residential service work
Specialties: pipe work, repairs, residential service
KEY STEPS & DETAILS
1. Why This Keeps Happening, And Why the Reroute Fixes It
The root cause wasn’t bad luck, it was location. The supply lines to the laundry room ran through an exterior wall cavity that doesn’t stay warm enough when temperatures drop hard. This had happened before. Patching the split pipe in the wall and calling it done would have meant another frozen pipe the next time January got serious. That wasn’t the fix.
The fix was taking the pipes out of the cold wall entirely.
2. Intercept in the Basement Ceiling
Rather than opening the laundry room wall to access the damaged section, Ben and Aiden intercepted the hot and cold supply lines in the basement ceiling, just below where the pipes entered the wall. From there, they rerouted both lines as exposed surface-mounted copper, running through the heated interior of the home instead of the vulnerable exterior wall cavity.
3. Isolation Valves, Water Back On While Work Continued
Before the reroute was complete, Ben and Aiden installed two Watts 1/4-turn ball valves in the basement ceiling at the interception point. This let the homeowner restore water to the rest of the house immediately, without waiting for the full job to be finished. The laundry room lines stayed isolated until the new routing was ready.
4. Surface-Mount Copper, Clean, Durable, Accessible
The new lines run exposed along the wall in heated space, properly supported with pipe hangers, cleanly routed, and completely accessible if anything ever needs attention. More importantly, they’ll never freeze. There’s no exterior wall cavity, no cold air infiltration, and no repeat of what had already happened twice.
5. Abandoned in Place, No Wall Opening Required
The split piping in the original wall cavity was abandoned in place and capped off. Cutting into the laundry room wall wasn’t necessary, the new route bypassed it entirely. That kept the job cleaner, faster, and less disruptive to the home.
6. Reconnection & Testing
Both the laundry sink and the washing machine were reconnected to the new supply lines and fully tested before Ben and Aiden left. Everything worked. The job was done in a single visit.
RESULTS & OUTCOME
This one had happened before. The right response wasn’t to fix the pipe and wait for the next cold snap, it was to eliminate the problem permanently. That’s what a reroute through heated space does. Alyssa’s laundry room now has supply lines that will never be at the mercy of a January cold snap again, regardless of how low the temps drop.
The homeowner had water back on quickly, no walls were opened, and the whole job wrapped in a single morning visit. That’s a permanent solution delivered the right way.
PROGRESS & COMPLETION PHOTOS
New copper supply lines, surface-mounted in heated space with isolation valves, washing machine connections, and laundry sink faucet reconnected.
Rerouted lines running vertically through heated interior space, properly supported with pipe hangers, passing cleanly through the drop ceiling into the basement.
Basement ceiling access panel showing the two Watts isolation ball valves, the interception point where old lines were capped and new rerouted copper originates. Isolation valves allow homeowner to shut off laundry room supply independently.
Battery Backup System Installation
PRINCIPLE PLUMBING, INC.
1004 Wheaton Pl. | Wheaton, IL 60187
CASE STUDY
Sunday Night Emergency & Battery Backup System Installation
Wheaton, IL | March 2026
Emergency + Install
Wheaton, IL
Ben
On-site in 10 min
2-Visit Resolution
CUSTOMER REVIEW
“Principle Plumbing and specifically Ben did an amazing job with a recent flooding issue we had in our basement. Upon calling, Ben was knowledgeable and helped quickly identify our sump pump was going to start backing up and he quickly responded. Flooding started occurring and Ben quickly acted to help resolve what easily should have been a multi-thousand dollar flooding issue. Thank you for making what was a bad experience as good as it could be.”
Craig, Wheaton, IL | ★★★★★ (5/5 Google Review)
THE SITUATION
Sunday night, 8:00 PM. The same heavy storm that had been battering the area all evening was still going strong.
Craig’s sump backup alarm started beeping, that sinking-stomach sound no homeowner wants to hear on a rainy night. He stepped outside to check the discharge pipe and noticed something was off, barely any water coming out. He called Principle Plumbing. Ben picked up.
Right there on the phone, Ben walked Craig through pulling the inspection cover on the pit lid. The water level was inches from the top and still climbing. Ben was in the truck before the call ended.
NIGHT-OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Ben was on-site in under 10 minutes. He immediately set up a temporary pump to get ahead of the water, but the pit had other plans. While Ben was at the truck grabbing materials, the water crested the edge and began spilling onto the basement floor. Craig moved fast, threw towels down, and kept it from spreading. Within minutes, Ben had the temp pump running and the situation under control.
With the immediate crisis stabilized, Ben was able to step back and actually look at the equipment. The primary pump had failed entirely. The battery backup, old and undersized, was barely running and had no realistic chance of handling the volume of water the storm was pushing in. It was never going to hold.
THE SOLUTION
With water no longer rising, Ben laid out the options honestly and clearly. Given what had just happened and the condition of the existing equipment, Craig and his family decided the right call was a full battery backup system, not just a pump replacement, but a setup that could actually take over and carry the load if the primary ever failed again.
Ben returned the following morning with everything needed to do the job right.
SCOPE OF SERVICE
Night-of Emergency Visit:
- Over-the-phone triage, guided homeowner through pit inspection before arriving
- On-site in under 10 minutes
- Deployed temporary pump immediately upon arrival to halt rising water
- Assessed failed primary pump and aging, undersized battery backup system
- Stabilized basement and walked homeowner through replacement options calmly
Return Visit, Full System Installation:
- Removed failed primary pump and inadequate backup unit
- Furnished and installed Ion 35 ACI Deluxe combination sump pump and battery backup system
- Installed dedicated battery and power inverter
- Installed (2) PVC silent check valves on dual discharge lines
- Installed 2-hole pit lid to accommodate dual-pump configuration
- Sealed pit lid for radon reduction compliance
- Thoroughly tested primary pump and backup system independently before leaving
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT USED
- Ion 35 ACI Deluxe sump pump / battery backup combination system
- Dedicated battery and power inverter for backup operation
- (2) PVC silent check valves (“The Quiet Check Valve”)
- 2-hole radon-compliant pit lid
- PVC discharge pipe and fittings
- Radon-compliant pit lid sealant
- Temporary submersible pump (emergency water control)
- Standard plumbing hand tools (pipe cutters, wrenches, PVC primer & cement)
TECHNICIAN
BEN
Lead Plumber, Principle Plumbing, Inc.
Licensed Plumber, Illinois Department of Public Health (licensed since 2006)
20+ years of hands-on residential and light commercial plumbing experience
Specialties: emergency service, sump systems, water service, drain & waste
KEY STEPS & DETAILS
1. Over-the-Phone Triage
Ben didn’t just say he’d be there soon. He immediately had Craig pull the inspection cover and tell him what he was looking at. That 60-second assessment told Ben exactly what he was walking into and let him prepare before he left. It’s the kind of experience that turns a phone call into a head start.
2. Temporary Pump, Stop the Bleeding First
The first priority on arrival wasn’t the permanent fix, it was stopping the water. Ben deployed a temporary pump immediately. Even so, the pit overflowed in the brief window it took to grab materials from the truck. Craig’s quick reaction with towels kept it contained. Ben had the temp pump running within minutes and the situation was stabilized.
3. Honest Assessment, No Pressure
With water under control, Ben took the time to properly evaluate both pumps rather than rushing to a solution. Confirming that the backup system was undersized and depleted mattered, it changed the conversation from “which pump do you want” to “here’s what actually protects your home.”
4. Ion 35 ACI Deluxe System Installation
The Ion 35 ACI Deluxe is a combination unit, a primary submersible pump paired with an integrated battery backup that kicks in automatically if the main pump fails or the power goes out. Ben installed the full system the next morning, pump, battery, inverter, dual discharge lines, and a proper 2-hole pit lid to house both cleanly.
5. Dual Silent Check Valves
Both discharge lines got their own PVC silent check valve. Standard check valves produce a loud bang at the end of every pump cycle as water falls back. The quiet valves eliminate it entirely. With two pumps potentially cycling during heavy rain, that’s a detail the homeowner will notice every storm season.
6. Radon Compliance & Full System Test
The 2-hole pit lid was fully sealed before Ben left, keeping the home’s radon mitigation system intact. He then tested both the primary pump and the battery backup independently, not just a quick cycle, but a thorough verification that each system performed exactly as it should under load.
RESULTS & OUTCOME
A Sunday night emergency that could have easily turned into thousands of dollars in water damage was resolved in two visits. Night one, water stopped, basement protected, homeowner informed and at ease. Morning two, a fully installed, tested, and radon-compliant dual sump system with battery backup, the kind of setup that means the next bad storm is just a storm, not a crisis.
Craig’s review says it better than any summary could: Ben turned a genuinely bad experience into one that was as good as it possibly could have been. That’s the standard Principle Plumbing holds itself to, every call.
AFTER PHOTO
Completed installation, Ion 35 ACI Deluxe system with dual discharge lines, two PVC silent check valves, sealed 2-hole pit lid, and battery backup unit.
Emergency Sump Pump Replacement
PRINCIPLE PLUMBING, INC.
1004 Wheaton Pl. | Wheaton, IL 60187
CASE STUDY
Emergency Sump Pump Replacement
Naperville, IL | March 2026
Sump Pump Replacement
Naperville, IL
Ben
Next Morning
CUSTOMER REVIEW
“Had a great experience with this plumber. Very responsive. Clearly explained what was needed, no jargon, no surprises. Replaced our sump pump, excellent work and fair price. We will use him again for sure.”
Guy, Naperville, IL | ★★★★★ (5/5 Google Review)
THE SITUATION
Sunday night, the Naperville area was hit with heavy rainfall, the kind that reminds you real fast whether your basement protection is up to the job. For one homeowner, it wasn’t. Their sump pump had quietly given out at some point, and by the time the rain really started coming down, water was already accumulating in the basement.
The call came in, and Ben was on-site first thing Monday morning.
SCOPE OF SERVICE
- Diagnosed failed sump pump and assessed existing pit and discharge configuration
- Presented the homeowner with multiple replacement options suited to their home and groundwater conditions
- Furnished and installed a Champion 1/3 HP submersible groundwater sump pump
- Sealed the existing pit lid to maintain radon compliance
- Installed a new PVC silent check valve on the discharge line
- Pumped down accumulated basement water and confirmed full system operation before leaving
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT USED
- Champion 1/3 HP submersible groundwater sump pump
- PVC silent check valve (“The Quiet Check Valve”)
- PVC discharge pipe and fittings
- Pit lid sealant (radon-compliant)
- Submersible pump
- Standard plumbing hand tools (pipe cutters, wrenches, PVC primer & cement)
TECHNICIAN
BEN
Lead Plumber, Principle Plumbing, Inc.
Licensed Plumber, Illinois Department of Public Health (licensed since 2006)
20+ years of hands-on plumbing experience across residential and light commercial work
Specialties: emergency service, sump systems, water service, drain & waste
KEY STEPS & DETAILS
1. Diagnosis & Options
Ben assessed the failed unit, the existing pit configuration, and the home’s discharge routing before laying out a clear set of replacement options for the homeowner, no pressure, just the facts on what would work best for their setup.
2. Pump Installation
The Champion 1/3 HP pump was set in the pit and connected to the existing discharge line. The pit lid was then re-sealed properly to maintain the home’s radon mitigation system compliance, a detail that’s easy to overlook but matters.
3. Silent Check Valve
A new PVC silent check valve was installed on the discharge line. Standard check valves make a loud clunk every cycle as water falls back down the pipe. The quiet check valve eliminates that entirely, something homeowners notice and appreciate immediately.
4. Radon Compliance
Sealing the pit lid isn’t just good practice, in homes with radon mitigation systems, an improperly sealed lid can compromise the system’s effectiveness. Ben made sure the lid was fully sealed before wrapping up.
5. Water Removal & Verification
With the new pump running, Ben pumped down the accumulated water in the basement and confirmed the system was cycling correctly before leaving. The homeowner didn’t just get a new pump installed, they got their basement back to normal.
RESULTS & OUTCOME
The job was completed in a single visit. The homeowner went from a wet basement and a dead pump to a fully operational system, a quiet discharge line, and a properly sealed pit, all before the week even got started. Ben kept communication clear throughout, explained everything without over complicating it, and made sure the customer understood what was done and why. That’s exactly the kind of service that turns a stressful Monday morning into a resolved one.
AFTER PHOTO
Completed installation, new Champion sump pump, sealed pit lid, and PVC silent check valve.