3 Things Clients Do That Plumbers Hate

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Being a plumber, as you can probably imagine, is rarely all roses. Becoming a plumber is hard work, and maintaining a license as a plumber isn't easy, either. Many plumbers work nights and weekends, and some plumbing clients make a plumber's job even crappier, no pun intended. If you don't want to be one of your plumber's least favorite clients, you can start by avoiding the following annoying habits, which are many plumber's least favorite client complications.

Calling During Non-Business Hours with Non-Emergencies

The desire to have something done immediately doesn't make it an emergency. A leaky faucet that has been dripping for months and isn't flooding can wait until after the weekend, holiday or vacation. That may seem like common sense, but you might be surprised at how many clients call up with emergencies that turn out to be nothing more than poor planning. If you're wondering whether your plumbing situation is an emergency, ask yourself these questions.

• If you wait to call the plumber until business hours, how much property damage could occur?
• How much water will be wasted if you wait?
• Does the problem put other appliances or household systems at risk?
• Can you think of any way to prevent the problem from causing damage or wasting tons of water without calling a professional?

Taking just a few moments to think it over can help prevent a plumber being ripped away from his or her family during a child's birthday party, Christmas dinner or in the middle of a REM cycle.

Calling during Non-Business Hours with Preventable Emergencies

Perhaps even more annoying that a non-emergent situation the homeowner thought was an emergency is a genuine emergency that was easily prevented. Examples of such situations include:

• A house's only toilet clogged by children. The simple addition of a toilet lock or even just keeping the door closed can prevent this problem.
• A sink plugged up by potato skins after Thanksgiving dinner. Homeowners who read their garbage disposal's manual will see that potato skins can never be put in the disposal, and they should peel their vegetables into the garbage or compost.
• Frozen or burst pipes after the homeowner didn't leave the faucet dripping.

Negligence may indeed cause a genuine emergency, and your plumber may be a true professional and never say a word about being annoyed or inconvenienced, but you can bet there was some grumbling as he or she got ready to come for a service call.

Calling for Service, but being Unprepared

Some clients schedule a service call and the plumber arrives to a big mess. If your plumber won't be able to get to the area to be serviced, you have some prep work to do. 

• For upgrades, inspections and new additions, make sure to have the entire area cleared out so the team has enough room to complete their tasks and bring in all their tools.
• If you have a backed up drain, remove as much water from the drain as possible using a bucket, cup, or shop vac. 
• If you called for sewer clean-out service, locate your sewer vent and clear the area of any debris, yard toys, or brush. 

In general, you should consider your plumber's job to be the actual plumbing, and take care of anything else on your own. When your plumber can come in and get right to work it will prevent frustration, and it could also save you money on your plumber's hourly rate.

No matter how annoying a client is, most plumbers are professionals who are happy to get paid for a job, but taking just a little extra time and thought when calling your plumber, makes you a considerate person, and it can help keep your plumber happy to see you. Get in contact with a local plumbing service by clicking here.

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14 January 2015