Drain Cleaning in Glenview, IL

Glenview's Drains, Sewers and Housing

Glenview's oldest streets date to the early 1900s, while a significant portion of the town's newer housing sits on land redeveloped from the former Glenview Naval Air Station starting in the late 1990s. That range means genuinely different pipe realities across town - older sections carry more cast-iron and clay infrastructure, while the redeveloped areas are on modern piping throughout. Glenview's two ZIP codes (60025, 60026) border Northbrook and Morton Grove.

Older Streets vs. Newer Development

A home on one of Glenview's original early-1900s streets is more likely to see root intrusion and cast-iron scaling; a home in the redeveloped former base area is more likely dealing with ordinary fixture-level clogs on newer PVC lines. Knowing roughly when your specific block was built is a useful starting point for what to expect.

Basement Bathrooms and Ejector Pumps

Finished basements with a bathroom or laundry room below main-line level rely on an ejector pump to move that wastewater out - see ejector pump service if that fixture isn't draining properly.

From Naval Air Station to The Glen

Glenview grew from several nineteenth-century farming settlements, including South Northfield, along the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River. The village incorporated in 1899, reportedly choosing its name from a contest. In the twentieth century, Glenview became home to the Curtiss-Reynolds airfield, which became Naval Air Station Glenview, a major training base during the Second World War where thousands of naval aviators learned to land on aircraft carriers operating on Lake Michigan. After the base closed in 1995, its land was redeveloped as The Glen, a large mixed-use community with homes, shops and parks. Meanwhile, postwar subdivisions had already transformed Glenview into a large, prosperous suburb.

Glenview's housing ranges from older homes near the historic downtown to postwar ranches and split-levels, 1970s and 1980s homes, and newer construction at The Glen and on teardown lots. Plumbing ranges from older cast iron and clay to modern PVC.

The West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River and clay soils affect drainage across the village.

Postwar Ranches and Split-Levels

Much of Glenview was built between the 1950s and 1970s. These homes typically have cast iron drains and clay laterals now fifty to seventy years old, and split-levels often have lower levels close to sewer elevation, sometimes with ejector pumps.

Trees planted when these neighborhoods were built are now large, and root intrusion is a leading cause of recurring backups.

Rodding clears roots, and lining seals the lateral permanently.

The Glen and Newer Construction

Homes at The Glen, built from the late 1990s onward, use PVC drains and typically have full basements with sump pits and often ejector pumps. These resist roots and corrosion but still clog from grease, wipes and debris.

In clay soils, lines can settle after construction, forming sags.

Test sump and ejector pumps annually.

The West Fork and Flooding

The West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River runs through Glenview, and neighborhoods along it and its tributaries have experienced flooding during major storms, including those in 2008 and 2013. When the river rises, groundwater climbs, basements can take on water through foundation cracks and sanitary sewers can be overloaded by infiltration. Glenview has invested in stormwater projects to reduce flooding, but homes in low areas remain at risk during extreme rain.

Owners in flood-prone areas benefit from backwater valves, sump pumps with battery backups, flood-resistant basement finishes and good grading around foundations. Understanding the difference between overland flooding and sewer backup helps you choose the right protection, since each enters the house differently.

Clay Soils and Settling

Much of Glenview sits on dense glacial clay that swells when wet, shrinks when dry and heaves with frost. That movement stresses buried pipe year after year, and older clay laterals can crack or separate at joints while newer PVC lines can settle into sags. A clog that returns at the same distance from the cleanout often signals a sag, and a camera inspection confirms it. Clay also drains slowly around foundations, so sump pumps work hard in wet seasons.

Sanitary Sewers and Backups

Glenview's sanitary sewers are separate from storm sewers, but heavy rain can overload them through infiltration and improperly connected sump pumps or downspouts. A backwater valve protects your basement, and routing sump discharge to the yard helps prevent overloads. If several homes on your street back up at once, contact village public works.

Teardowns and Rebuilds

Many older Glenview homes have been replaced with larger new houses. New construction includes modern drains and basement protection, but service lines still connect to older public mains. When buying a newer home, ask whether the lateral was replaced all the way to the main.

Sump and Ejector Pumps

Test sump and ejector pumps at least once a year by pouring water into the pit and watching the float trigger the motor. Replace pumps older than about ten years before they fail, add a battery backup to the sump pump and make sure discharge lines extend away from the foundation.

Downtown Glenview Businesses

Restaurants and shops in downtown Glenview along Glenview Road, and at The Glen Town Center, should maintain grease interceptors and schedule regular hydro jetting. Older downtown buildings may have service connections worth inspecting before renovation.

Winter and Spring Considerations

Frost heave and spring saturation stress buried pipe. Before spring, test your sump pump, clear gutters and extend downspouts, and have the main line checked if drains slow after a hard winter.

Service in Glenview

Crews serving the North Shore cover Glenview along with Northbrook, Northfield, Golf, Morton Grove and Wilmette. When you call, share your address, the type of home and which fixtures are affected, and mention if you have a sump pump, ejector pump or backwater valve.

For main line clogs, the crew will rod from the most accessible cleanout. For recurring problems, a camera inspection is recommended. Pricing is confirmed on site before work begins.

Buying in Glenview

For postwar homes, schedule a sewer camera inspection before closing. Near the river, ask about flooding history and basement protection. For newer homes at The Glen and elsewhere, ask about pump age and backwater valves.

Coverage Area

Local crews in our network serve the Village of Glenview, including the historic downtown, the neighborhoods along the West Fork, The Glen and the subdivisions along Willow Road, Lake Avenue, Shermer Road and Waukegan Road. Share your address and nearest cross streets when you call.

Life After the Naval Air Station

When Naval Air Station Glenview closed in 1995, the village took on one of the largest base redevelopments in the region. Runways and hangars gave way to homes, a town center, parks and a lake, and some historic structures, such as the original hangar, were preserved. The new infrastructure at The Glen was built to modern standards, but it connects to the broader village system and to older mains beyond the former base. In the surrounding neighborhoods built in the 1950s and 1960s to house families near the base and the growing suburb, laterals are now reaching the age when clay joints fail and roots take hold.

For owners in those older neighborhoods, a camera inspection is the best way to know where things stand. It shows whether roots are present, whether joints have separated and whether the line has settled. With that information, you can choose between regular rodding and lining on your own schedule.

When to Call

Call when several drains slow at once, when a floor drain gurgles or when water rises in the tub as the toilet flushes. Early calls prevent basement backups.

Frequently Asked Questions