The Criteria for an Emergency Plumber

by Kevin Smith Author

Because we generally only call a plumber in an emergency, there really is no such thing as affordable plumbing service in Pittsburgh, PA, or anywhere else. That said, there are more affordable plumbing services than others. When trying to decide how to pick a plumber, here are some general thing to consider.

Reputation

Ask any plumber or plumbing service you talk to for some references. These should be pretty easy. If they are not or if the plumber balks at giving you references, consider that as a possible red flag. It might be no one has ever asked them for references before and if that is the case, you should give them some time to pick a few customers and refer them to you. It also might be that they have poor customer satisfaction and there is no reason to believe you will be any different. Ask for clarification, but if references are no forthcoming or even available, be prepared to walk away.

Availability

If you are calling a plumber, chances are you are not planning on having a problem, but dealing with one. That makes availability one of the most important components in your equation. Even if you have to get a plumber in there to stop an emergency, like a flooding basement, for example, and then get a more permanent plumbing solution in place, you should do it to stop the bleeding and then assess next best steps. Be prepared to pay quite a bit for emergency service, even if someone is not readily available.

Licensed, Insured, and Certified

Your plumber has to be legal or your risk paying for poor quality work. Make sure the plumber you pick (even if you pick a company, ask for specific proof) you pick is fully licensed, has valid insurance and is certified to work on your type of system. You can forego the last criteria if your plumbing issue is fairly common, but the first two are not negotiable. Ask to see a plumber’s license and proof of insurance before letting them touch a single pipe.

Skilled

You can tell pretty quickly if a craftsman is skilled. If the person you chose does not appear to be, check in with them but do not hover. Some tradesmen do not deal with pressure well, but are perfectly competent. Make sure by talking to them that they understand your situation and problem as well as have an idea of how to fix it.

As important as finding affordable plumbing service in Pittsburgh, PA, is, it is as important, if not more so, that your plumber have their bases covered and are good at what they do. Verifying these criteria is one way of making sure you do both.