Home owners and businesses in all likelihood, will need a plumber at some stage. It might be a simple dripping tap or something more serious like blocked drains. Whatever the plumbing problem, you will want to be sure that any plumber you hire will be competent, well-trained, and guarantee to do a good job. There are hundreds of plumbers so how do you choose the best plumber?
How to avoid hiring plumbers
If you’ve ever had to hire a plumber for something, you know how expensive the experience can be. It can also be tiresome firstly, enduring whatever the problem is, and then being available for the plumber to come and fix the job. So, to avoid having to hire a plumber in the first place, it can pay dividends to do some preventative maintenance to your plumbing.
To avoid drain blockages, pay attention to what you flush down the toilet. Sanitary napkins, thick toilet paper and baby wipes should never be put down the pan. They expand in water which can result in a clogging of the toilet outlet, or get trapped in a drainage pipe. Instead, dispose of them in a sanitary way without flushing them down the toilet.
A wastedisposal can get blocked too so to keep it in optimal working condition, use it on a regular basis. Simply running cold water through it every day for a minute can make all the difference. This not only flushes waste particles out but also can prevent water from sitting within the disposal unit which can ultimately lead to corrosion that will eventually make it inoperable.
Sometimes you might find some dampness in the cupboard under your sink. This might be a leak in the tap but it could also be the waste disposal, see above, or another connection, such as dishwasher. Often it is not difficult to find out where the leak is coming from so take a few minutes to dry off all the pipes and joints, then flush some water down each component to see which is dripping. You may be able to fix it but if not, then you will have saved some time and cost for when the plumber does come.
Is your toilet leaking? A simple way to find out is by putting some food colouring in the cistern and then check the toilet bowl a little later. If you see any coloured water in the bowl, the toilet has an internal leak. This is quite easy to fix as you can simply replace the ball-cock in the cistern.
An easy way to cause a dripping tap is to over-tightening tap handles. You should only use sufficient pressure to halt the flow of water from the tap. Any additional tightening is unnecessary and will compress the internal washer over time which will lead to a drip from the tap.
More Serious Plumbing Problems
As we have seen, many of the common plumbing issues people face are relatively simple to fix, especially if you have any DIY skills. For a high success rate, you need to be methodical by testing the various potential leakage points. If you take your time and have some patience and you will be fine.
However, if you cannot fix these plumbing problems, don’t waste time as they can quickly escalate into much more serious problems. A stitch in time, is appropriate where plumbing is concerned. So be sure to call a qualified plumber, preferably a member of the Master Plumbers Association.
When searching for a good plumber you should always check references. It is easy to just go with the lowest price, but you must do your research and make sure the plumber has a good reputation with the people they have done work for in the past so you do not get a bad plumber.