You wake up in the morning, and find that there is no hot water.
You take a bath, and discover that you have flooded the floor below.
You discover a nasty leak from your drains that can’t be stopped.
For all of these circumstances, and more, you need to call in a plumber. Everyone likes to think that they are handy around the house, and can save money by fixing problems themselves, but when it comes to major crises, you need to call in the professionals.
So if you are facing the inevitable, what can you expect to happen when the plumber visits your home, and what can be done for your bad day? Knowing more about what to expect when you call a plumber can help to put your mind at ease while you wait for your technician to turn up.
The basics
When you call a plumbing service, there are a few things that you can expect as standard. Firstly, the plumber should be a professional, which means respecting your call, communicating clearly, and being polite.
You might also expect to receive follow-up calls or help with the new equipment that has been installed. If you have tried to fix the problem yourself, don’t worry – the plumber might laugh at you, but they won’t walk off of the job in protest.
The visit
When you call the plumbing company, you will arrange a time for the plumber to visit you. This might be within a few hours of the call, or it could be a matter of weeks, depending upon how urgent your problem is.
When the plumber arrives, there are a few standards that you can expect. You can be certain that they will arrive on time, and will have a card or ID that you can check, to be certain they are the right person.
They will also lay down covers, and wear protective clothing, in order to avoid carrying dirt and bacteria into the house.
The work
Most plumbers will ask you to turn off your water before they arrive, and if you have leaks or flooding, then you may have already done this. If you can’t find the stop-cock, then the first thing that the plumber will do on arrival is turn off your water supply.
They will then examine the problem. This might take a while, depending upon where the problem is coming from.
The plumber might need to lift up boards in order to find the cause of your problem, or will have to go into the attic or crawl space, looking at all of the plumbing.
They may be able to tell you what the matter is immediately, or they may want to get some more advice concerning the problem. Once you know what the matter is, then they can offer you some solutions.
The plumber should be able to tell you what parts are needed to correct the problem, and approximately how long it will take. None of this is written in stone, of course, but it will give you an idea of what to expect.
Both during and following the work, the plumber will consult you on what is happening. If any changes need to be made, they will tell you, and will not consider the job complete until you have signed off on the work.
Do you need a plumber? Use our handy scheduling form to schedule your plumbing service online.