To protect your biggest investment, your home, you will need the best residential plumber available in your area. The time to find the best plumber is before one is urgently needed. If you wait until an emergency, you may have difficulty finding any plumber at all. Or you may have no option but to use an unknown plumber and hope for the best.
Plumbing is a difficult profession. A plumber must undergo vigorous training, must have good math skills, must have good problem solving skills, must be good with tools, must be able to work in tight places and crawl under houses, and must be able to work with a variety of people. When choosing the best plumber, the number one criterion is that your plumber must be licensed and insured in your state. This is for your protection. The best plumber should also be able to provide references, give estimates, and guarantee their work. In order to qualify for a plumbing license, the applicant must have completed an accredited technical program in plumbing, or have a minimum of 4-5 years working under the direction of a licensed plumber in an apprenticeship program. Then the applicant must pay to apply to take and pass a rigorous written examination. A professional plumber will advertise that he is licensed and insured in the yellow pages or an online web site. This allows you to feel confident that your plumbing needs will be professionally and properly repaired. If the job is poorly performed, the homeowner has a legal recourse.
In addition to looking for professional credentials, a well established company will proudly advertise that they have been in business for many years. They will advertise that their company has been providing plumbing services for so many years. An example would include: Narwhal Plumbing, licensed and insured plumber with 15 years of experience in the community. References are available on request. Free estimates and work is guaranteed.
If searching for the best plumber online, use your zip code in your search. Distance to a job factors into the initial cost of having the plumber just make a house call. The best plumbers can handle any plumbing jobs, but some will advertise they specialize in installing and maintaining new energy efficient water heaters, for example. They will be knowledgeable on the size water heater needed for your home based on square footage, number of bathrooms and number of occupants in your home. They will be able to educate you on the newest and best water heaters available in terms of cost and energy efficiency ratings, recovery times, pros and cons regarding timers, and warranties.
If worried about false advertising, it is easy for a home owner to call their state’s licensing bureau to find out if a particular plumber is really licensed. A call to the Better Business Bureau, will inform you if there are any pending cases against that particular plumber or plumbing company, and the outcome of past cases.
Word of mouth is another way to find the best plumber. A friend or neighbor who has had good experiences with a particular plumber will recommend that plumber. Questions to ask include did the plumber arrive in a timely manner? Did he explain the problem satisfactorily? Did he give an estimate for the cost of the repair? Was the problem resolved correctly in a timely manner? If the problem involved removing part of a wall or floor, could he make the correct repairs or was he able to provide a licensed and insured contractor to make those repairs in a timely manner?
Another source is to call your home insurance agent. Most plumbing problems are not covered by home insurance, but your agent can give you the names of plumbers they use for covered plumbing problems emergencies. Insurance companies are going to use reputable, licensed plumbers.
By being proactive, a homeowner can find the best plumber and establish a professional relationship. While the best plumber may not be cheap, in the long run he will save you money by correcting the problem properly or installing the best and most cost efficient plumbing appliance, such as a water heater, in a professional and timely manner with a written guarantee.
OUR CHICAGO PLUMBING SERVICE AREA:
Chicago 60601 – Loop
Chicago 60603 – Loop
Chicago 60606 – Loop
Chicago 60613 – Lakeview
Chicago 60613 – Buena Park
Chicago 60613 – North Center
Chicago 60613 – St. Ben’s
Chicago 60614 – Lincoln Park
Chicago 60614 – Park West
Chicago 60614 – Mid-North District
Chicago 60618 – Avondale
Chicago 60618 – Roscoe Village
Chicago 60618 – Horner Park
Chicago 60618 – Irving Park
Chicago 60618 – Belmont Gardens
Chicago 60618 – Lathrop Homes
Chicago 60618 – North Center
Chicago 60618 – St. Ben’s
Chicago 60622 – West Town
Chicago 60622 – Ukrainian Village
Chicago 60622 – Wicker Park
Chicago 60622 – Noble Square
Chicago 60622 – Humboldt Park
Chicago 60622 – Smith Park
Chicago 60625 – Lincoln Square
Chicago 60625 – Ravenswood
Chicago 60625 – Ravenswood Manor
Chicago 60625 – Kimball
Chicago 60625 – Albany Park
Chicago 60625 – Peterson Park
Chicago 60625 – North Park
Chicago 60626 – Rogers Park
Chicago 60639 – Hermosa
Chicago 60639 – Belmont Cragin
Chicago 60639 – Belmont Central
Chicago 60639 – North Austin
Chicago 60640 – Andersonville
Chicago 60640 – West Edgewater
Chicago 60640 – Uptown
Chicago 60640 – Sheridan Park
Chicago 60640 – Ravenswood
Chicago 60641 – Old Irving Park
Chicago 60641 – Portage Park
Chicago 60641 – Belmont Gardens
Chicago 60642 – Noble Square
Chicago 60642 – River West
Chicago 60645 – West Ridge
Chicago 60646 – Lincolnwood
Chicago 60646 – North Park
Chicago 60646 – Hollywood Park
Chicago 60646 – Sauganash
Chicago 60646 – Edgebrook
Chicago 60646 – South Edgebrook
Chicago 60646 – Forest Glen
Chicago 60647 – Bucktown
Chicago 60647 – Wicker Park
Chicago 60647 – Logan Square
Chicago 60647 – Palmer Square
Chicago 60647 – Hermosa
Chicago 60647 – Belmont Gardens
Chicago 60647 – Humboldt Park
Chicago 60647 – Lathrop Homes
Chicago 60654 – River North
Chicago 60657 – Lake View
Chicago 60657 – Roscoe Village
Chicago 60657 – Park West
Chicago 60659 – Peterson Park
Chicago 60659 – West Ridge
Chicago 60659 – Hollywood Park
Chicago 60659 – North Park
Chicago 60660 – Edgewater
Chicago 60660 – West Edgewater
Chicago 60661 – Downtown
Chicago 60712 – Lincolnwood
Chicago 60712 – Edgebrook
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Drake Welsh
December 13, 2019
I appreciated the tip that you gave to consider choosing a plumber who has the proper credentials. My wife and I have been talking about finding a plumber to help us make our pipes be less noisy, and it would be important for us to know that we could find one that will be good for us. I will be sure to check their credentials when I am looking for one to hire.