When to Hire a Plumber

Do you know when its best to hire a professional plumber?

DIY’ers love getting their hands dirty and in many cases this is fine – but knowing when to hire a plumber can save you money in the long run. Its always a smart idea to hire a plumber when the problem is extensive and requires expertise to pin down, and when there’s a higher risk of potentially doing more damage to your home than good.

When the following situations arise, it’s best to call a licensed professional plumber. So get to know a good plumber in our staff at Heaton Plumbing, and keep our number handy for emergencies.

• Low water pressure throughout the house: This problem can be caused by a number of factors, such as obstructions (rust or debris) in the water lines; low water pressure from the city supply or a well; or even poor supply-line design. A good plumber will be able to analyze the problem and determine the cause.
• No hot water: Unless the hot water tank is leaking, it might be hard to determine the cause. Electric heaters problems include: heating elements, or blown fuses, faulty thermostats, or a bad overload switch. Gas heater problems include: thermocouple burners and igniters.
• Replacing a water heater: Think twice before attempting to replace a heater by yourself. Remember, your plumber can carry the new one to the basement, hook it up, make sure that it works properly, and dispose of the old one.  An improper instal can cost a lot of money down the line.
• Sewer line stoppage: If you can’t get the sewer line to stop backing up, you probably have a bad plug in the line that runs out to the main sewer. (Tree roots are often the cause.) You can rent a big rodding machine but they can damage the drain or sewer lines. Call us for your plumbing and drain-cleaning services. If we get in trouble, we’ll make the repairs.
• Frozen pipes: If a pipe freezes, check carefully to see if the pipe has already burst or cracked. If it’s burst or cracked, go ahead and call a plumber. You can try to thaw a pipe with a hair dryer, but even if the pipe isn’t cracked, you still may want to call a plumber so we can simply replace a section of frozen pipe rather than thaw it.
• Extensive water line damage: Repairing water line damage, which is usually caused by freezing, can take up a lot of valuable time. It’s better to hirea plumber so that you can earn money at your regular job.