How to Find a Great Plumber

Plumbing is one of those modern amenities that most of us take for granted. The fact that we enjoy hot and cold running water is, in the scheme of things, pretty miraculous. Indoor flushing toilets, washing machines, showers, and tubs are conveniences of modern life we usually don’t think much about. That is, until they break down. When the plumbing in your house goes wrong, you need to find a great plumber and you need one fast.

The Family Plumber

There are certain basic plumbing problems that can be fixed by the family plumber, i.e. you! With a little bit of education form a book or the internet, there are certain things you can fix yourself. Knowing when not to call a plumber can save you time and money.

So what kind of plumbing jobs can you take on yourself?

Toilet Tank - It pays to learn a little bit about how your toilet works. Lift the top off of the tank and take a look around. Watch what happens when you flush. (We promise, the tank water is clean water that never touches the nasty stuff in the toilet bowl.) Lots of problems can be solved right there in the tank, and many of those require very little plumbing knowledge.
Clogged Toilets - Depending on how bad the clog is, you may be able to handle it yourself. A vigorous bit of plunging with a quality plunger is often all it takes. (Yes, there is a difference with plungers. Spend a few extra bucks to get a sturdy one and you’ll be glad you did.) If plunging won’t do it, it may be time to back away and call in the pros.
Clogged/slow drains - This has a lot to do with how handy you want to get. The simplest thing to do is try a little drain clearing liquid. But be careful. These are harsh chemicals, so don’t get them on your skin or anywhere near your eyes. Also, these chemicals can damage your pipes if used too often. If you feel like opening up the pipe under your clogged sink you can take a shot, but unless you’re confident in your skills, this might be a good place to let the pros step in.
Garbage Disposals - Before you do anything with a garbage disposal, make sure it is unplugged or the circuit is turned off from the circuit breaker. There are various how-to’s online for simple garbage disposal fixes. Sometimes all you need to do is reset the disposal, or give it a few manual turns with an allen wrench. If the problem is more serious than that, you can feel good calling a plumber.
Leaky Faucets - You can try tightening things here and there, but if the problem persists, a qualified plumber can usually fix a leaky faucet pretty quickly.

A Plumber When You Need One

If there’s a problem with your plumbing that you can’t fix yourself, you’ll need to call in a professional plumber.

Why hire a qualified professional plumber?

A qualified professional plumber will have the tools, knowledge, and experience to fix your plumbing problems.

The experience to feel just how much to tighten a PVC pipe fitting can be the difference between a quick fix and a huge mess.

Often, a problem with plumbing can be a pretty urgent situation. If your sink isn’t draining, that can really slow things down. It can make cooking or doing dishes impossible. If a dirty sink is stuck for more than just a little while, you may be dealing with a disgusting mix of dirty water, old grease, and food particles stinking up your kitchen.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a leaking sink can make a huge mess and has the potential to damage the area under your sink and any adjacent carpeting or flooring. When the contents of your sink seem to be flowing right out the bottom of your sink and onto the floor below, you don’t have time to wait around for a solution. A bucket might be in order to contain the problem, but you need a good plumber and you need one fast.

How to Identify a Good Plumber

A good plumber should have a few things going for them.

License. In Georgia, plumbers are required to carry a license. If you plumber isn’t licensed they probably shouldn’t be your plumber.
Bonded and insured. The insurance will cover problems for which the plumber is at fault. The bond will cover other expenses like fixing shoddy workmanship, should it take place. A good plumber should not need use them, but they should always have them.
References. Any worthwhile plumber should be able to provide references from real customers who were satisfied with their work.
Demeanor. A plumber should be professional, courteous, and considerate. This is someone you are allowing into your home, so if you get a bad feeling you shouldn’t be hiring them.
Track record. While longevity isn’t necessarily proof of quality, it is always better to work with a plumber who has at least several years of experience. A plumbing company that has been in business for a while is more likely to have a proven track record of success.
Pricing. A plumber should be able to quote a price for your job, or at least an estimate, up front. Surprises may always come up, but beware of open ended hourly charges.
Warranty. Any plumber should be able to guarantee their labor and parts, often for up to a year. A plumber who refuses to guarantee their work should raise suspicion.

Superior Plumbing

Since 1998 Superior Plumbing has been serving the plumbing needs of the Metro Atlanta Area. What started with a single blue van has grown into a full service plumbing company. Superior Plumbing believes in delivering value to each customer. Besides offering high quality professional services at competitive rates, this means approaching each job with integrity and professionalism.

Superior Plumbing offers a full suite of emergency and non-emergency plumbing services. If you are installing a water heater in a residential or commercial property, Superior Plumbing has the skills and experience to do it right.

Have a plumbing emergency?

Superior Plumbing uses the latest in plumbing technology to fix your plumbing problems. They use sewer cameras that allow them to do a fell visual inspection of your sewers. If they run into a root or clog, the camera emits an electronic signal that allows the plumbers to pinpoint the location of the problem. They will not only fix your leak or clog, they will guarantee their work. If they fail to do the job right, they will come back and make it right quickly and with an apology, and at no cost to you.

R.S. Andrews

R.S. Andrews has been in business in Atlanta for 50 years. You don’t last for that long without doing something right. R.S. Andrews had built its reputation on fast, dependable service. If you have a plumbing emergency, they are available 24/7. They are also committed to customer service. All of their technicians are professional plumbers who are regularly drug tested to ensure you receive the highest quality service.

If you’re not 100% satisfied with your work, R.S. Andrews will provide a complete refund.

R.S. Andrews provides fair pricing with no surprises. They will always give you flat rate up front, before any work has begun. And once the work has begun, they are not content just to fix what it broken. R.S. Andrews technicians work to make your plumbing system more functional and reliable than when they got there. That way you won’t need to worry about your plumbing in the future.

If you need a plumber, don’t just call anyone. Dale trusts Superior Plumbing and R.S. Andrews and so can you!