First thing Saturday morning I decided to fix the washing machine. This decision had not been reached lightly. The cold water pressure was weak so I had checked with two experts at work (i.e., they had both owned washing machines at one time or another) and determined that it was a sticky solenoid. I grabbed my toolbox and told my wife what I was planning.

That Sunday, after giving up on Mr. Godot, I called a few other Trustworthy plumber and eventually called the Sears Service Center. They had a local sub-contractor call me back that very afternoon. He assured me that my house was not going to float away, helped me determine the severity of the problem and pick out a replacement heater. He was here the next day, friendly, courteous, competent, and about $300 less expensive than the other plumbers I talked to. For the record, his name is Len Lamothe and he operates his plumbing business, Spearpoint Plumbing and Heating, out of Canterbury, New Hampshire. I am happy to recommend him.

Look at the plumber's reputation online. Do they look like an experienced plumbing company with a good reputation? See if their website is up to date with relatively new content. How a plumber on Long Island treats all aspects of their business and the level of care put forth could be an indication of how they will work with you too. First impressions do count!

Check with the local market staff - this is where the whole town goes and they would definitely keep all such information. Talk to them and find out what is the best option when you need a plumber. You can take all the coordinates such as the phone number, address and email id from them and contact the person directly before anything happens in your home. In this way, you are introduced before you really need him and thereby you can get to know the person and judge from your discussion whether you would like this person into your home doing plumbing work or not.

Here's an example. Let's say you are a plumber. Will people put "plumber" into Google to try to find you? How about "plumbers"? How about "water conditioner"? All of these are valid search terms, but they each reflect a different "conversation" in the mind of the searcher.

But for more complicated issues and damages on your water system, hiring a Local plumber or contractor is the only way to go. Although, not all home insurance cover such repairs, getting the job done through the assistance of a Local plumber can greatly save you the trouble. Besides, most of these local plumbing contractors offer warranty on their work so if the issue persists, you can easily call them back to recheck the situation.

PRICE: There are various factors that will come into play where price is concerned. When your plumber determines what the problem is, be sure to ask him or her if the charges are hourly or if there is a standard fee for each job. Also remember to ask the price of parts as well as labor. Also make it a point to ask if the plumber charges for any overtime and what his rate is if he does charge that. It may be to your advantage to look for a plumber who has Upfront Pricing that is, a plumber who charges by the job, instead of by the hour. It is actually better to charge this way in order to make it easier for the customer to stay within their budget.

Identify the source of the clog. You can find the source by running water in other sinks in the house. If all drains back up, then the source of the clog is in the soil pipe itself. Call for service to root it out. If it's the toilet, plunge it. If it's only one sink drain, check underneath for a clean out trap. You can unscrew the plug at the bottom and pull out the clog.