VWB Blog You can’t afford to let leaks go on for too long. Every day you have a water leak, you spend more money than necessary on your water bill. And when small leaks can waste 10,000 gallons of water per year, that bill can get big.
If you think you have a water leak, you need to hire a plumber as soon as possible to fix the problem.
However, finding the right local plumbing service is easier said than done. Use the tips below to find local plumbing services to take care of your water leak.
Look At Plumber Licensing
It isn’t legal for people to work as plumbers without licensing in most locations. You have to prove to the government that you know how to handle plumbing repairs right. Without a license, you can’t do that.
The licensing you need will vary based on where you live. Look at your local government rules to see what licenses a plumber needs to work legally.
Once you have this information, ask your local plumbing companies for proof that their workers have the proper licenses. You should get license numbers when this happens. Verify those numbers with your government to see if the licenses are valid and up to date.
See Who Will Handle the Work
Many plumbing companies will hire professional plumbers and pay them as employees. But that doesn’t mean every local plumber works this way. Some companies will hire contractors to handle the work and only work on getting plumbing leads.
This isn’t a big deal in many cases, but it’s something you need to know. Ask your local plumbers if they hire employees to work on jobs or if they hire contractors.
You must also do due diligence on the people a plumbing company hires. You don’t want unknown people walking into your home to handle the job, even if they can do it right.
Ask About Service Warranties
Experienced plumbers don’t always do the job right. There will always be times when mistakes are made, and products fail. In cases like this, you need to know that your plumbing provider will have your back.
Reputable contractors offer warranties that guarantee service quality. If a plumber makes a mistake, they should stand by their work and come back out to fix the problem.
The same is true for the products your plumber uses. You shouldn’t need to pay anything extra if a product fails and you need a replacement.
Learn How Much You’ll Pay
The last thing you want when hiring a local emergency plumber is to get surprised by a bill with unexpected expenses. Unfortunately, some contractors add on extra services after the fact and don’t tell customers about their work.
You need written estimates that detail everything that goes into a plumbing job. Ideally, get quotes from at least three companies so you can compare prices.
Don’t allow extra work to be done unless you know about it beforehand and approve it. This will ensure you don’t have additional costs and pay for more plumbing services than you need.
Get Evidence of Insurance
Accidents don’t always happen in plumbing, but they do still occur. You can get injured when dealing with difficult situations and suffer flooding damage if a plumber makes things worse.
It should be on your plumbing company to deal with any damages that occur. Unfortunately, some companies will cut corners with insurance to try and save a few dollars.
Get insurance verification before allowing a plumbing company to send workers to your home. You need to know that your plumber has enough coverage for injuries, and you’ll get reimbursed for any damage to your home.
Otherwise, you may be on the hook for damages yourself.
Examine Service Expertise
Not all plumbers can handle every job. Some plumbers stick to regular maintenance on toilets, sinks, and other standard plumbing issues. However, some plumbing emergencies require more skill.
Take a water leak inside the wall, for instance. Not all plumbing companies have the expertise to plug leaks inside walls. You need to know how to get to the leaking pipe before fixing it.
If you’re in a situation like that, you need to verify that a plumbing service can handle your needs. Check a company’s website to see what plumbing services they advertise. You can quickly narrow down your options and find a company that can meet your requirements.
Check Online Plumber Reviews
One step you can’t miss when looking for a local plumbing service is looking at what other customers have to say. It’s easy to get tricked by sales tactics that make it appear like a company offers excellent service. Unfortunately, not all sales pitches live up to the service provided by plumbing companies.
Reading online reviews will help you avoid falling into that trap. You can hear the good and bad about plumbing services from people who have been there before.
A little issue here and there may not be a big deal, but you can spot larger trends by reading several reviews. This will help you spot red flags that make a company not worth working with.
Don’t Stop Until You Find the Best Local Plumber Service You Can
You can’t afford for leaks to continue in your home if you want to save money and prevent mold growth. However, not every local plumbing service has the skill to find and repair your leak. Use the guide above to look at local plumber services and find the best one to handle your leak.
Are you facing more issues in your home and need help learning how to get things fixed? Check out the blog to learn more about handling other home issues.