When water starts backing up, pooling up at your feet in the shower, and filling up the bathroom sink while you’re brushing your teeth, it’s most likely time for a drain cleaning. Fortunately, you don’t have to do this dirty job yourself. In fact, it’s probably best to leave it to the professionals. People who work in plumbing, rooter service, and/or clogged drain service have the tools and know-how to get your water flowing back to normal and better than ever. But before hiring someone to fix your clogged toilets and sinks, there are a few things you should know to make sure your time and money are well spent.
Here are three things to do and look for before hiring someone to unclog your drains.
1) Do Your Research
If you’re looking for someone to help you with drain cleaning and similar services, chances are you don’t know much about what these jobs entail, nor do you care all that much to know. Still, it’s good to educate yourself even a little bit on what goes into this work, and what exactly rooter service men and women do. This way you can get a better idea of how legitimate and fair priced the person you might hire really is before hiring them. You’ll also be more aware of how big or small the job is, and be able to convey it to whoever estimates the job later on.
The quickest and best way to learn about this stuff is via Internet search. There are hundreds of websites and resources out there for layman and professional alike when it comes to drain cleaning, unclogging toilets, sewer line repair, and more. There are even instructional and informational videos of professionals performing these tasks to give you an up close and personal look into how these jobs get done, how long they take, what they cost, etc.
By doing enough good research, you can get a cursory education on things like the type of stoppage, the types of cables needed for snaking pipes, methods for testing the drainage after the work is done, and more! Knowledge is power, and the phrase certainly applies to this.
2) Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
After finding a good professional or two to estimate the job, don’t let your education stop there. Whenever this person says something you don’t understand, points out additional problems, or seems to misunderstand the problem, speak up, be thorough, and ask them as many questions and you need to to ensure the necessary job is done and that you’re not paying more than what you should.
As mentioned in the first point, doing proper research sets you up to ask better questions and catch potential tricks. Some professionals, even if they’re good at their job, all automatically assume you have no idea what the job entails, and will therefore find little ways to rack up your bill without you batting an eye. Don’t let this happen. Make sure every step taken is necessary, and don’t be afraid to call out someone who seems to be abusing your wallet.
3) Review Those Reviews
When you’re thinking of new places to dine out on the weekend, or hotels to stay in during vacation, chances are you begin by looking up reviews of the place. By seeing what other people have said about these establishments before going yourself, you’re potentially saving yourself money, time, and the stress of dealing with bad food, a bad stay, or an all around bad situation. Hiring someone for a plumbing job or any other job is no different. It’s important to read up any reviews or references you can find on the person or company before hiring them to make sure your time and money are not wasted.
After hiring a drain cleaning service man or woman, be sure to review them as well, as it helps others find the right person for their problem. Additionally, reviews incentivize workers to do a better job and charge more fairly, gradually improving the quality of service across the industry.
Dealing with drain clogs can be draining at first, but don’t ever let anyone drain your wallet or your time with shoddy work or unfair prices.
