3 Crucial Tips To Keep In Mind When Choosing A Plumbing Contractor For An Emergency Situation
When a pipe suddenly bursts or the faucet on your bathtub suddenly pops off, you're likely to see a lot of water and if the situation isn't controlled fast enough, you'll also see the damage from that water. In that instance, it's easy just to panic and start taking steps immediately to get the first plumber you can find to the house as soon as possible. However, before doing so, it's important to protect your home and your interests by applying the following advice.
#1-Turn Off The Water At The Street, The Faucet Or Wherever You Can Quickly
The fact of the matter is that turning off the water at the street is the advice everyone gives, but it's not always as easy as you might think to accomplish. For instance, it's often quite close to the street and if your emergency situation is occurring at night, getting your hand at the right angle in the dark might not be fun. In addition, bugs, spiders and in some areas, snakes could be a problem if you have limited visibility at the time.
Instead, it might be easier to look for the applicable turn-off valve within the home. It's frequently found near the toilet, under the bathroom or kitchen sinks, in a crawlspace or even the basement. That valve will turn off the water to the room, so if a pipe in the wall has ruptured and you're not positive where the water is coming from, you may need to turn off the water in two or more areas before it quits spraying. When the water has been stopped, then you can turn to finding a contractor.
#2-Ask About Their Current License, Insurance, Bond, Etc...And Verify It Before They Enter The Home
While it's logical to expect that most plumbers are professionals in good standing with the requirements of their trade, it's better to verify that information before inviting someone into your home...and your budget. Therefore, even if it is the middle of the night and only one person is even calling you back, you should take the time to be sure that he or she is a fully licensed plumber with valid insurance for their work.
In addition, when that person comes to your door, it's worth a minute or two of your time to ask for ID and proof of insurance, licensing, etc. Then, it's safe to permit them to solve your crisis.
#3-Determine The Expected Arrival Time And Expected Costs Of Each Person You Might Hire
If you are fortunate enough to live in an area with more than one emergency plumber and you need to choose which of the equally qualified persons to hire, cost and the time perimeters for that person to arrive are essential. Therefore, it's best to determine that information up-front as part of your screening and in some instances, you can even get it from the website. If a website isn't available, you might want to ask for it in writing before permitting the work to be implemented in order to prevent any unexpected changes later.
Finally, when you have contained the water, then found and screened a plumber, you can relax. You might not want to do so for long, though, because now it's time to clean up as much of the water as you can before damage can occur.
In conclusion, plumbing emergencies happen every day and the choices you make in the minutes following that situation can have a significant impact on you, your family and your home for quite a while. Therefore, instead of immediately turning from the spraying water or other issue and blindly calling every plumber in the area, it's a good idea to consider the advice shared in the above sections.
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