Emergency Plumber For Basement Flooding: What Makes A Good Plumber

 

There are many reasons why your basement is flooding. It might have happened because of your home’s unsuitable location, poor floor and wall sealing, blocked gutter system or improperly installed drainage system. Basement flooding can happen any time of the year, not just during harsh snows or rains, as what most homeowners would believe. But regardless of the reason, one thing is certain – seeing your basement flooded can cause distress and if left untreated, can damage your furniture and can adversely affect the value of your property. Fortunately, there are emergency plumbers who can provide solutions to problems like these. They are professionals who have undergone training in order to fix your flooding basement and other plumbing

problems. They can also ensure that such scenario will never happen again in the future.

There are many emergency plumbers for basement flooding. No matter where you’re living right now, you’ll find a handful of professionals who can do the job for you. For example, if you’re experiencing basement flooding in Toronto, you can easily search for emergency plumbers through the internet. But just because an emergency plumber is convenient in your area, doesn’t mean that you should immediately hire them. A good plumber should possess the following:​

1. Level of professionalism: Most often than not, homeowners aren’t very keen on how service providers treat them. As long as they can get the job done, they’re okay in hiring them. You’re committing a mistake when you let this happen. As a homeowner, you should get value for your money – and that’s by making sure that the emergency plumber can provide you with excellent customer service. If your friends and family worked with an emergency plumber in the past, ask for their referrals. Doing this can save you a lot of time and effort from scouting every emergency plumber in your area. Plus, their referrals can help you properly set your expectations.

2. Experience: If you’re hiring an emergency plumber for the first time, determining who the best choice is can become a struggle. Aside from the options to choose from, the creativity of their marketing mediums makes the decision-making more challenging. To narrow down your search, pay attention to their experience. The number of years an emergency plumber has been working can become proof of the quality of service they give to their customers. After all, an emergency plumber can’t operate for decades if they can’t produce satisfied customers through their services.

3. Availability: The role of an emergency plumber will be defeated if he’s not available when an “emergency” happens. If your basement was flooded during the weekend, will they be there to provide professional services? If it happened during holidays or in the middle of the night, can they immediately work on the problem? The availability of the emergency plumber is crucial. As much as possible, hire an emergency plumber who can provide you with round-the-clock services.

4. Insurance and license: You’re planning to hire an emergency plumber because you want the situation to be managed right away, not make it worse. However, if you end up hiring an emergency plumber who doesn’t have insurance and license, you might experience the latter. When you’re meeting up with an emergency plumber you’re eyeing to hire, ask for their insurance and license. Insurance is necessary because it gives you the assurance that your interest is protected once something goes wrong with the repair job. On the other hand, a license serves as proof that the emergency plumber received adequate training for the job and the state allowed him to work as a plumber.

5. Services offered: Hiring an emergency plumber who is available 24/7 can be enticing but if he can’t provide you the services you need the moment you need it, his presence in your home can become useless. Always inquire about the services offered by the emergency plumber. You should hire someone who is adept in providing solutions to different plumbing problems, and not just someone who knows how to repair leaks in your sink. The more services an emergency plumber can offer, the better.

6. Cost of the emergency plumbing services: The last thing you want to worry about when your basement is flooding is paying for an overpriced emergency plumber. When this emergency happens, you desperately need professional help that’s why you end up paying more than what you expected. You can steer away from this situation by asking a quotation (which includes equipment and labor costs) from several plumbing services prior to an emergency. While you’re at it, inquire why some plumbers charged lesser or more than their competitors. Their responses will help you determine which emergency plumber can give you quality service at a reasonable price.

When discussing the cost, ask about the emergency plumber’s preferred payment method. Do they accept credit cards when you call for help in the middle of the night? Or do they only accept cash for all their services? Seeing your basement flooded is already a very stressful situation; you don’t want to heighten the stress by looking for an ATM because you didn’t know the emergency plumber only accepts cash.

7. Location: The location is also important when you’re hiring an emergency plumber. Sure, you might finally find an emergency plumber who provides different services at a reasonable price, but if he’s located three states away from your home, you might end up paying for additional fees and service charges. Exhaust all of your efforts to look for an emergency plumber who is located near your area first. Most often than not, an emergency plumber who is near your home is cheaper. Additionally, an emergency plumber who is locally-based will have an idea of the common plumbing problems in the area, making it easier for him to provide solutions.

8. Response time: This is also one of the reasons why location is important. If you hire an emergency plumber who is far from your home, it might take hours before they can reach your house. By then, the plumbing emergency might have already caused severe damage to your properties, or the emergency might have been fixed already. The response time of the emergency plumber is important because it can save you from unwanted stress and from paying more plumbing expenses.

9. Materials and equipment used: An emergency plumber will use several materials and equipment for a repair job. However, you should be aware that there are emergency plumbers who would use substandard materials and equipment in order to get more money from their customers. Aside from hiring an emergency plumber for your needs, you should also make sure that they’re only using high-quality materials and equipment whenever they perform repairs in your home. You don’t want to end up calling them for recurring plumbing problems, right?

Act Now

Seeing a basement flooded is probably a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Your house is your greatest investment and seeing a part of it getting drenched is heartbreaking. And while it can be tempting to fix everything on your own, it can only result in more damages, costs and even put your safety on the line. Scout for emergency plumbers as soon as possible, and not when an emergency is already happening. Doing the former can make you better prepared on how to handle plumbing emergencies at home, without too much stress. List down your options, narrow down your search and use the information from this article as your guide. All of these precautions can go a long way in hiring the best plumber for your emergency plumbing needs.