Questions to Ask When Calling Emergency Plumbing Services



Plumbing emergencies can occur at any time. Whether it's a clogged shower drain or a flooded basement, you can't delay the proper action in these conditions. 


So as soon as you notice any faulty plumbing system disrupting your routine, you need to call emergency plumbing services.

To help you out, here are certain questions that you should ask when calling emergency plumbing services.

Questions to Ask When Calling Emergency Plumbing Services

How Soon Can You Arrive?

This is the first and foremost question that you should ask when there is a plumbing emergency at your place. If you choose a professional and reputed plumbing company, they can approximately send someone within a time frame of three hours. This can even be faster if the plumbing company offers emergency plumbing services.

Are You Licensed?

This is the next most important question to ask the potential plumbing company. When a plumbing company is licensed, they can complete any task of plumbing you throw at them.

The working plumbers with sufficient experience are called to perform government testing, certifying them as regional, county, or state plumbing contractors.

The licensed plumbers with the additional annual recertification test can remain updated with the building codes. This makes sure that you are hiring a service provider where the team knows the contemporary building practice. Without a proper license, a plumbing job does not just become illegal but is also inconsistent with the state, local, and national building codes in most cases. In addition, the unlicensed plumbers do not pull the permits needed to perform plumbing jobs, making the plumbing project against the law susceptible to being shut down or to fines.

What Is To Be Done As You Wait?

Ask your plumber what is to be done if you have a flood or leak and you are waiting for them to arrive. If you describe the issue to the plumbing company, the experts can tell you the steps to be taken and guide you through the procedure, which you can adopt until the technician emerges.

They can also tell you if you need to turn off the breakers for turning off the water supply to your house. This will provide a buffer time for you until the technician arrives and handles the situation.

Do You Offer Warranties and Guarantees For The Services Performed?

Every professional emergency plumbing service must provide coverage on the materials and quality. It is a standard in any industry now. If they do not offer a warranty or coverage, it is recommended that you do not opt for the company's services and instead go for another one.

Another option for this is to purchase a home warranty that offers plumbing coverage.

Almost all the professional and efficient plumbing companies offer warranties as they stand behind their work and vow to deliver top-quality results to the homeowners.

How Do Payments and Fees Work?

When hiring an emergency plumber, you must ask any potential candidates questions about the cost. Appointing an emergency plumbing service can be a bit tricky.

After hearing the customers' problem description, most emergency plumbers offer an hourly rate or estimation over the phone. But please keep in mind that estimates provide a vague idea of the impending cost and are not fixed.

There are circumstances when the plumber arrives, and the work seems to be more complex than the one explained over the phone. For example, will they charge more money for fixing damage in an odd hour or return during regular working hours once the emergency is attended to? You must clear out these issues upfront before beginning the work. You can also ask the plumber for an estimate for the worst-case scenarios. Remember that an estimate will always remain an estimate.

Also, the plumbing service providers can operate on an hourly rate or a flat rate. If you are expected to opt for a flat rate, you will know the charges per hour.

Most emergency plumbers usually charge up call-out fees above the hourly rate. So you need to have a clear understanding of it and ask questions before starting. However, if the plumbing service provider charges by the hour, you should know that some tasks may run longer, and you may be stuck to paying a slightly higher bill.

Finally, you also need to enquire from the plumbing service how they want the payment to be made.

An emergency plumbing service may not have worked for you before. So if you're calling at odd hours, it is highly likely that you have to pay a minimum fee before they attend to the situation.

Remember that trust is a 2-way thing, and so you have to cooperate with the emergency plumbing services at every step for acquiring the best results at the earliest. Just ask the questions and once you are satisfied, cooperate with the plumbing company to end your emergency plumbing situation fast.