You may, unknowingly, end up calling a plumber at two in the morning. It could be because you’ve experienced an emergency where your toilet is overflowing, and water was seeping into your living room, or maybe you have to take care of an urgent situation involving just the opposite – no running water in your home.
Emergency plumbing for repairs is an unavoidable part of modern life. As a homeowner, it’s essential to know what you should expect from a plumber and how to find the best possible help when your home is flooded with water or overflowing with sewage.
The following are some things to keep in mind while calling for emergency services:
What Kind Of Plumbing Work Do do You Need?
According to reports, the average hourly pay in Phoenix, Arizona is $20.25.
If it’s an emergency, you may not have time to ask about the nature of the work done. But, if you are calling after regular business hours, it’s best to find out what kind of plumbing work needs to be done before you can expect a plumber to come over.
Some Common Problems are:
Leaking Faucet – A leaking faucet can be a big problem, especially if it’s leaking next to where you keep your toothbrush. If you’re expecting to call a plumber over for this kind of job, you first need to know what type of faucet your plumbing system uses.
Clogged Toilet – The first step for a clogged toilet is to clear away the water from the bowl. Once it’s been emptied, you should take a plunger and try to unclog whatever might be stuck inside. If the idea doesn’t work, you may need to call a plumber over to take care of it.
Leaking Pipes – If you leak your pipes, this will be a more challenging problem to fix. Not only will it cost more, but a plumber may not be able to arrive at the scene in time before there’s too much damage done.
What is The Experience of The Plumber?
The best way to check emergency plumbing for repairs is by asking if the plumber you’re calling has been in business for at least a year. It may be a tricky question to answer, but you can learn a lot about how experienced they are based on how they answer your call when you ask this question.
Another way to look at experience is to make sure that you ask for references. If they offer to give you references, this may be a good sign. Although most customers are just looking for someone qualified and able to do the job, it’s best if you can call people up and ask them about their experience with the plumber over the phone.
How will The Plumber Arrive?
One of the more important things to expect is how the plumber plans on getting into your home. It isn’t something that you can live without, especially if it’s an emergency where sewage has backed up into your home or water has seeped through the floors of your property.
You need to know what kind of equipment the plumber plans on bringing over and how they plan to get it through your door.
A standard method is for a plumber to use flat shovels and squeegees to quickly clear away water and mud so that they can work with less worry about slipping or damaging something.
Sometimes, especially when they know it’s going to be a tough job, they’ll bring in mechanized vacuums or high-pressure blasters that can help clean up the mess faster.
What Is The Price for Your Services?
Knowing how much you pay in advance is crucial. Once you contact them by phone, ask what the average price is for that kind of work. If they offer a range, ask if the lower end of their price matches what you can find from other plumbers in your area.
Most emergency services will charge a minimum call fee and charge more based on how long it takes to complete the job and how much equipment and workforce is needed.
What is the Warranty and Insurance Policy?
A one-year warranty on the work should be standard, along with a list of insurance companies registered with. The reason for this is so you can have them insured in the chance that there’s an accident or someone gets injured while doing their job. Since most plumbers work on gas lines, it’s best to know if a business has a license to work with gas.
There are various resources you can check out before hiring someone, but the most important is word of mouth. If you know about a place that does similar work and is affordable, they might be able to connect you with someone that’s qualified as well.