TIPS FOR HIRING A PLUMBER

Plumbers have to deal with one of the most damaging elements in your home – WATER. It is extremely important, when hiring a plumber, to make sure you have hired someone with the experience & knowledge to make a proper repair and avoid costly problems down the road.

1. Who answers the phone when you call? Is it an answering machine or voice mail? Is it a customer service representative or a plumber? Be wary of answering machine and voice mails, you never know if the plumber will actually call you back. At Terry Vereen Plumbing, we have knowledgeable customer service representatives available to answer your phone calls and e-mail.
2. How long has the company been in business? Is this a local company or a franchise? This is important because a solid reliable company is going to be around in a year or two should you need more work done or if you have a warranty issue. We have been servicing Jacksonville and the surrounding areas since 1983. We are locally owned and, yes, there is a Terry Vereen. He is a “hands-on” owner, a licensed plumber, a state licensed Plumbing contractor, and focused on customer satisfaction.
3. Questions about repiping or remodeling? How can a plumber quote you, the consumer, a fair price over the phone before ever seeing the job? There are many reputable companies that do not quote prices over the phone. It is always a good idea to have your job assessed by a professional before a realistic price can be agreed upon. Don’t be discouraged by a company that won’t quote a price over the phone, they may save you money in the long run. We never charge for one of our Estimators to visit your home or business to give you a price on a kitchen or bath remodel or a partial/whole house repipe.
4. Be sure to ask about pricing on repairs. An honest company will give you up front pricing and answer any questions you may have. Be sure to find out what types of payment are accepted. At Terry Vereen Plumbing, we happily accept all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover) as well as checks and cash.
5. What kind of person are you comfortable having in your home or business? Trustworthy companies will have tidy, uniformed plumbers in marked vehicles. Watch out for a plumber in street clothes and/or driving an unmarked truck. Make sure the name on the vehicle is the same as the name of the company you called. Our technicians drive vehicles labeled with our familiar company logo, telephone number and State license number. All plumbers and helpers wear uniform shirts with the same logo on it.

BASIC INFORMATION EVERY HOME OWNER SHOULD KNOW

Knowing the basics of your home plumbing system can minimize any potential damage and/or unnecessary cleanup if an emergency occurs.

1. Make sure everyone in your home knows where the main shut off valve is located. If you should experience a leak, your first action should be to shut off the main water.
2. Know the location of the sewer cleanout. When the sewer starts to back up into your home, opening the main sewer cleanout will stop the sewage from continuing to flow into the home.
3. If steam or boiling water ever comes out of the relief valve at the top of your water heater or one of your faucets – safely turn off the power to the heater immediately. Let some faucets run on the hot side until cold water runs through them. This will let you know that the water in the heater tank is no longer over heated.
4. Garbage disposals are designed for scraps of food only & should not be used in place of a garbage can. To clean or deodorize your garbage disposal, periodically run it with ice cubes and a small amount of lemon peels. This should clear any debris from the blades and remove any foul odors from the unit.
5. Even though some items say they are “flushable”, they should not be flushed down the toilet. Baby wipes, paper towels, packaging for feminine hygiene products and kitty litter are just examples so called flushable items. Disposing of these items in a waste basket can save you money by avoiding unnecessary repairs.

At Terry Vereen Plumbing, we have plumbers available 24 hours a day for life’s unexpected emergencies. The next time our plumber visits your home for a plumbing repair, he will be glad to assist you in locating your shut off valves or cleanouts if you are unable to find them.