Oftentimes, it seems as though plumbing emergencies just happen out of nowhere, causing so much panic that the first reaction is to call a 24 hr plumber. However, what most people fail to do is that not all plumbing problems need to be fixed by a 24 hr plumber, who’ll probably charge you an arm and a leg just for calling them out at night.
Nevertheless, here are a few tips to consider if you ever find yourself ankle deep in a plumbing-induced flood in your kitchen or toilet in the middle of the night:
Turn Off the Water
The first action to take should be to turn off the water completely, so as to avoid any additional damage. For example, if your problem is with a faucet or any other fixture that seems to constantly leak out water, then your recourse is to turn off its supply of water straight from the source. If you fail to discover the source then turn your entire water supply from the water meter itself.
Determine the Situation’s Urgency
Contrary to what you might think while you’re in the situation, not all plumbing emergencies are so urgent as to need the immediate attention of a 24 hr plumber. An overflowing toilet, for example, can be temporarily remedied by turning off its water supply and then refraining from flushing until the following day when it can be repaired at a more reasonable rate by the local plumber.
If it’s your bathroom sink that’s a problem, you can use the kitchen sink in the meantime as an alternative to calling a 24 hr plumber. Basically, any situation that can be remedied by switching off the water supply or using alternative fixtures can wait until the following morning, or Monday if it’s a weekend.
Check with the Water Company
Some plumbing emergencies are covered by your water company and should not be paid for by you. Problems like a blocked sewer, a break in the service line, or any glitch that involves the mainline break, should be covered by the water company, and most of these companies provide their customers with a 24-hour line that’s designed to respond to crisis situations. So call them first before you spend a lot of money on a 24 hr plumber.
Calling a 24 hr Plumber
If you’ve gone through the checklist above and found that your plumbing issue simply cannot wait, then you should consider the following tips to prepare for a call to the 24 hr plumber:
Try to be as clear as possible about the problem and put what you see in writing so that you’re able to report it all to the 24 hr plumber when he arrives. This includes taking note of both functioning and non-functioning features. For example, examine other fixtures around the house to see if the problem has affected them as well.
Call more than one plumber. Compare different quotes from a number of plumbers before you make the call. You might get a reasonably priced professional that you wouldn’t have considered otherwise.
Be specific about your plumbing problem. Make your description of the problem is as detailed as possible so that the 24 hr plumber can give you an accurate estimation.
Find out the cost of the service call. Ask the plumber how much they will charge you for coming out, as this cost precedes the actual cost of repairing the problem.