We all rely on our boilers in winter for heat and hot water and waking up to a cold shower is not the best start to the day. Well-maintained systems are less likely to have problems in extreme temperatures, as any potential defects will be picked up before they become too serious. So one of the most important steps to take in ensuring the safe and continued operation of any heating appliance is to make sure that you’re following manufacturer requirements relating to regular servicing.
However, if you do need to call on the services of an organisation that you’ve not used before in a breakdown situation then you’ll want to avoid the day getting worse by using a rogue trader. We’re reminding homeowners to have plans in place in the event of needing to call out a plumber in the coming months whether that be for a defect in a heating system or a burst water pipe.
Plumbers are in high demand during the winter season, especially if the weather turns colder and finding a reputable plumber at short notice can be challenging. To avoid frantic calling around and trusting unreliable website searches take some time to prepare emergency contact numbers; it’s easy to sigh with relief when the first plumber called is available but if you choose an unqualified tradesman it could leave to more problems and unexpected costs.
If homeowners don’t have a trusted plumber to call upon, this is our advice on how to find reputable and qualified traders:
- Look for a member of a trade association, such as APHC, who will check that a trader’s qualifications and past work is checked and verified to a high standard.
- Check credentials – such as Gas Safe Registration. Take the time to quickly check if the plumber’s membership is current and up-to-date by looking online or calling the organisation.
- Before confirming a call-out check how much you will be charged. In an emergency a reputable trader will provide a cost for the call-out and rates for on-going time spent on the job. Customers should never feel pressurised into accepting work without a full explanation.
Employing a member of a trade organisation also has the additional security of codes of conduct to protect both the customer and tradespeople and often have schemes, which can help to resolve problems.
As well as offering high levels of customer service and workmanship as standard, APHC members are fully vetted with their work checked annually to uphold high standards of workmanship.
Use APHC’s Find a Quality Plumber search facility at www.FindAQualityPlumber.co.uk to find a qualified and reliable plumbing and heating engineer local to you.
