Plumbing in Illinois gets hit by frozen hose bibs, heaving clay, and basements that take storm water. A galvanized line crusts shut, then springs a pinhole when a stuck valve is forced. Rural houses add wells, pressure tanks, and septics that alarm on a holiday weekend. None of that is a fixture fashion problem. Say whether you have water where you do not want it, or no water where you do.
A frost-proof sill cock still freezes if the hose stayed on and the interior valve never closed. Know which wall that bib is on before you call. A sump that quits during a hard rain is not the same emergency as a dripping trap. If the pit is full and the float is up, say so. Sewage at a floor drain is not a clogged sink.
Clay laterals heave and belly, then hold paper and roots until a downstairs tub burps when the washer drains. That symptom is the lateral, not the faucet. A short-cycling well often points at the pressure tank and shows up as sputtering taps. Septic odors at the yard cleanout after a week of guests are a volume problem. Say whether waste goes to a municipal main or a tank in the yard.
Water heaters in cold basements leak at the tank or go lukewarm on a busy morning. Know if it is gas or electric, and whether a pan and a drain even exist. A gas flue that looks disturbed is part of the call. Shut the supply if the tank is actively flooding the floor, then say that you already did. Illinois winters are a bad time to discover there is no isolation valve.
Lead with flood, freeze, no hot water, or a drain that returns. Give the town and whether the basement is involved. If a hose bib split, say whether the interior valve is closed. Standing water does not wait on a convenient day. Call the number on this page.