Think about the last time you purchased a car. Chances are you didn’t go to the yellow pages, choose a dealership at random, and buy your car from the first lot you visited. Many times, though, this scenario describes the way homeowners find a plumber — they look in the phone book and call the plumber with the largest ad or the first one listed. But much like purchasing a car, finding a qualified plumber requires research and comparison shopping.
There are a number of qualifications which can set a professional plumber apart.
• State License or Certification — Many states require a license or state certification for plumbers working in that state. Call to verify that the license is current and check if there are any active complaints against the license.
• Insurance — Be sure that the prospective plumber you are considering is fully insured, having both workers’ compensation and liability insurance. Your selected plumber should be able to provide you with a copy of his or her insurance policy.
• Better Business Bureau – Contact your local Better Business Bureau to ascertain if any complaints have been filed against your potential candidate
Many homeowners who are calling in a plumber to replace a leaking copper pipe don’t know there are alternative materials on the market. Why would you let a plumber make a repair with the same material that has already failed? Ask your potential plumbing candidates whether they use any of the proven superior alternatives to copper such as FlowGuard Gold CPVC pipe and fittings.
Made of durable chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, these pipe and fittings offer a number of benefits over copper pipe. Mainly they will never scale, corrode or pit which will help eliminate the risk of future failures and costly re-piping. As compared to metallic systems, FlowGuard Gold CPVC systems also virtually eliminate condensation, significantly reducing the risk of costly drip damage to walls, structure and contents. From a health standpoint, the CPVC alternative offers the added benefit of maintaining water quality since there is no metal to leach into the tap water.
Compare prices, but remember the cheapest quote isn’t necessarily the best plumber for the job. An experienced, qualified plumber may charge more for the work, but could save you money in the end by doing the job right and using the best materials.
