Knowing who to call in a plumbing emergency can save homeowners time, and most importantly, money.
Coming home from a hard day’s work to find toilets backed up and all the drains clogged cause owners to act quickly, sometimes without regard to cost or the reputation of the first available plumbing contractor. Often, this scenario costs much more money than it should, and it can also make a project last longer than what it would take for a reputable company to do it right the first time.
What are some of the signs that a sewer line may be the problem? Besides the obvious problems of blocked drains and toilets, inexplicable ponds of water found in the lawn may be a sign that a sewer line has been broken. The same may be true of a sink hole. If a sink hole suddenly appears, especially on well-established residential lots, there has to be a reason for it. Often, it turns out to be a plumbing problem.
When this unfortunate discovery is made, a homeowner should try first to see if he can clear the line with a plunger. Normally, it will take more than a plunger if it is a sewer problem.
If little progress is made with the plunger, the homeowner should call a plumber who can run an underwater camera down the line to see what is blocking the sewer. If it is determined that there is a break in the line requiring digging and repairing, homeowners should ask the plumber to verify that the video he recorded is coming his property.
When the plumber finds the reason for the sewer problem, homeowners should ask for a full explanation of the repair process. Many times, only a small section of the line needs to be replaced, though some plumbers may insist that once a line is bad, it is bad all the way up to the house. Homeowners should be suspicious when this is the explanation they receive.
It is always safe to get more than one written estimate. Three is a good number, but homeowners need to make sure they compare the plumbers’ quotes verbatim so that no misunderstandings will come around later.
Owners should deal only with licensed plumbers, and they should check with their insurance companies to see if any reimbursement or payment can be expected. Insurance companies may want to evaluate the quotes themselves.