Unfortunately, the stress and panic of a plumbing emergency leads many homeowners to make quick, decisions about whom they call to fix their problem resulting in less than favourable outcomes. While you may get lucky just hiring the first person in the phone yellow pages or the first result that appears on an Internet search engine, you could also end up entrusting your plumbing to someone who will cause more bad destruction than good or leave you with additional hassles and pain resulting in more expenses to your wallet .Even though you need your plumbing emergency handled quickly, it is important to still be choosy and fussy about your plumber. By following these tips, you can ensure that the plumber you select is a professional and that you will receive the best service possible to the home owner.

Who answers takes the  phone call? If you call an emergency plumber and receive an answering machine, be sceptical. A true professional emergency plumbing service should greet you with a real person no matter what time of day it is. Having a live person answer shows that the company cares about service and that they want to help you as promptly and professionally as possible. Additionally, while some plumbers may check their answering machine messages frequently, you always run the risk of your call not being returned until the next business day.

Does the company have the proper insurance?

Although you would like to think that every emergency plumber who advertises their services online and in print is reputable, some unscrupulous individuals take advantage of twenty four plumbing services. Knowing that home owners are likely to make fast and uneducated decisions to receive timely service, companies that are unlicensed and uninsured often advertise overnight, weekend and holiday services. Make sure you ask the plumbing service if they are a licensed plumbing company and fully insured before you let them come to your home or office. Without a license, there’s no guarantee that the company has the correct skills to handle your problem. With no insurance, you could find yourself footing the bill if the plumber’s work inadvertently damages your home or business.

How fast will the plumber arrive? An emergency service that will not visit your home until the following day is not really offering twenty four seven service; they simply answer their phone all day, every day. Look for a company that will handle your needs as soon as possible, no matter when you phone them for service.

Are timely follow-up services available? Some twenty four seven plumbing business is limited service providers who perform only emergency repairs. Look for a company that can return to the scene if necessary in the future to complete full repairs. Often, there is an underlying cause for a plumbing issue that may need additional work to remedy. For example, a toilet may have a sudden clog in the pipes that needs removed but also have a weak flush due to the tree roots in the blocked pipes that will need to be removed.

A Friendly Reminder: just because you’re facing an emergency, you shouldn’t be any less careful about whom you choose to make your plumbing repairs in your home or office. The extra minutes that you spend in a crisis situtation choosing the right plumber can save you hours of hassle down the road and a lot of money.

• Natural gas – can be used in storage water heaters and continuous flow heaters.  Natural gas systems are rated according to their energy efficiency and come in both internal and external versions.  Gas storage heaters have a smaller capacity than off-peak electric as they are able to heat the water up at any time of the day or night as opposed to within a certain time period. For more information see gas hot water systems.
• Off peak electriic – has similar running costs to a natural gas system but is only available where the hot water system has a storage capacity 170 liters plus.  The hot water is generally heated overnight for use throughout the day.  It cannot be used by continuous flow systems and is available for both internal and external use sytems.
• Solar energy – can provide up to seventy percent of your hot water free of charge, making it a very environmentally friendly option.  They are the cheapest systems to operate but do have a high initial purchase price.  All solar hot water systems come with a “booster” source of power (such as gas or electric) to provide hot water during times when there is little sun.  Mains pressure and constant pressure is available. For more information please see solar hot water systems.
• Peak electricity – is used for electric continuous flow units and storage water heaters that are smaller than 170 liters in capacity.  They can be expensive to run but are the most popular in areas where space is limited such as in units and apartments. For more information please see electric hot water systems.
• LPG – is used in areas where natural gas is not available.  It is suitable for both continuous flow and storage hot water.
• Solid fuels – this includes wood, coal, briquettes etc, so the cost of the fuels can vary widely.  Solid fuels can be used on their own  with off peak electricity or solar in constant pressure systems.  They cannot be used with mains pressure systems unless a heat exchanger is used and cannot be used in continuous flow systems.
• Heat pumps – is high efficiency and uses around sixty percent less electricity than other electric hot water systems.  They work by extracting heat from the atmosphere using a refrigerant gas and a compressor and using that heat water stored in a tank at ground level.

Hiring a Hot Water Systems Specialist

Hot water system suppliers can assist with:

• Advising on a suitable hot water system
• Installation
• Service and repairs
• Supply of the hot water unit
• Minor plumbing

Make Sure that they are able to help you to choose the correct system for the number of people in your household.  They should also allow for possible changes in the use of the hot water system in the future brought about by such things as an expanding family, the introduction of new appliances such as dishwashers and so forth. An expert plumber can install or replace al types of hot water systems, including electric, gas and or solar.

Ensure that the system comes with a warranty, and that the supplier is willing to provide installation in a reasonable time.  It is also useful if your supplier can provide emergency repairs or be able to direct you to someone that does.

Type of Systems

There are two types of hot water systems; systems that store hot water for use and instantaneous water heaters that heat water as it is required. In the past, there has been debate as to which is the most cost effective with one argument against using fuel to heat and store water that it may not be needed and the other argument stating that using fuel during off-peak times was better value. With the increase in fuel options and the decrease of savings for off-peak usage the old arguments have been turned upside down and consumers now have a tough choice to make.

Store or Heat

Hot water systems that heat and store hot water can be great for families who have a consistent amount of hot water that they use on each given day. As this option stores hot water by the litre, they can run out of hot water. If you are looking to install a hot water storage system make sure you know how much hot water your home uses before choosing your new system.

Types of fuel available for hot water systems

• Electricity – traditional and in many homes, most electrical systems heat water overnight to take advantage of off-peak cheaper rates. They come in various sizes by the litre.
• Gas – gas hot water systems are made in instantaneous or storage systems. These are common in areas that have access to natural gas as running them off bottled LPG can be very expensive.
• Solar – becoming more and more popular with the increase in fuel costs. Solar is certainly cheap to run because the sun is free. Many run in conjunction with other systems to ensure hot water is readily available.
• Slow combustion wood – these systems heat hot water using a wood fire that you may use to keep your house warm. By using this method, you are receiving double use of one resource.
• Geothermal and Oil – these systems are used widely overseas but aren’t common in here in Australia. In colder climates these options also provide heating for the home.

Solar versus Traditional

There are many excellent advantages to solar hot water, both environmental and economic. The government has spent millions of dollars on encouraging Australian homes to install solar hot water systems, partially to take some of the load off our power usage but also because it makes good environmental sense. Many people believe that if they install solar hot water they won’t have hot water if the sun is not shining, this doesn’t need to be the case. Many solar hot water systems are installed alongside a back-up system, such as instantaneous gas hot water heating, to pick up any shortage that they may be. If your solar panel is on your roof facing a northerly aspect then you should benefit from at least some free hot water every day all year round. Many households use simple solar heating systems to heat their swimming pools as well for cost reasons. You will often see black tubing on the roofs of houses, these are usually holding water that is being heated naturally by then sun before being put in swimming pools.

Although solar power may be the cheapest option to run day to day it is also one of the more expensive systems to purchase in comparison. If you are looking to stay in your house for more than five years you may find that a solar system will return the investment that you put into it.

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