Sydneysiders Take Note: Plumbing Is An Essential Service

William Demirdonder
Aug 12, 2021
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15-minute read

Sydneysiders Take Note: Plumbing Is An Essential Service.

The times we’re living are quite challenging for Sydneysiders. During these tough times, many businesses, important projects and personal celebrations have come to a halt. There seems to be a ‘second guess’ of every decision.
If you find yourself in a “watery” situation during the lockdown, please know: plumbing is an essential service. Proximity Plumbers is open and operating in our local area. We offer access to reliable, trained, expert Sydney plumbers to deliver emergency plumbing services to our community, 24/7.
It’s more important than ever to stay community-focused, be kind and be aware. Take care of yourself and your family. We’re here to help should you have any plumbing related questions or issues.

This article aims to answer some questions we routinely receive about plumbing emergencies:

Why is Plumbing considered an essential service?
What Should I do in the case of a plumbing emergency?
What is a plumbing emergency?
What should a Sydney Plumber know what to do?
Some common conditions in which an emergency plumber Sydney can help
Questions to Ask Any Plumber Before You Hire Them
How is Proximity Plumbing protecting you right now?

Why Is Plumbing Considered An Essential Service?

Plumbing is an essential service as it’s “essential” to maintain your home or business’s plumbing system at all times. You need to resolve any plumbing issues as soon as they arise to prevent damage and potential health hazards. Plumbers are seen like electricians, essential to keep the community safe and functioning, especially when so many of us are spending a lot of time at home.

You can read more here.

As such our team at Proximity Plumbing is still able to attend your plumbing issue or plumbing emergency as long as we practice social distancing and continue to maintain the highest standards of safety and cleanliness possible to protect ourselves and our customers.

At present, there is no evidence that the virus survives in, or is likely to be transmitted via wastewater. The detection of the virus in wastewater reported to date has been of non-infective viral fragments. This means that the risk of infection to plumbers, drainers and waste water industry workers is very low.

What Should I do in case of a plumbing emergency?

In such a scenario, it is imperative to emphasise that time is of the essence! Here’s a little infographic to explain what to do in the case of a plumbing emergency.

plumbingemergencysteps

What is a Plumbing Emergency?

How do you know you are truly dealing with a plumbing emergency? A plumbing emergency in Sydney will constitute several scenarios with the plumbing system. These cases can include clogged drains, damaged pipes, gas leaks, and much more.

Commonly, a plumbing emergency will involve the risk of water damage or the inability to use the facilities at your home. A plumbing emergency can even compromise the safety of the occupants of the property, such as in the case of gas leaks. There can be situations in which utility bills are affected significantly due to heavy water loss.

Some of the most common plumbing emergencies that Sydney homeowners face include:

Blocked or running toilet
Blocked drain
Slow draining sink
Leaking pipes
Burst flexi hose
Clogged shower drain or bath drains
Dripping faucets
Blocked stormwater drain
Clogged garbage disposal
Faulty water heater
Sewer system backup
Low water pressure

If your home is currently experiencing any of these plumbing issues, please pick up the phone and call our team now!

What Should a Sydney Plumber Know What to Do?

Are you facing a plumbing emergency? A licensed plumber in Sydney can help. Proximity Plumbing has a team of highly professional Sydney plumbers who are capable of handling all types of plumbing emergencies on the go.

An emergency plumber can help with any major or minor plumbing emergency and help to prevent ongoing damage to your home. The extent of work an emergency plumber will need to do depends on the amount of water present and the time passed with water saturation. A professional plumber will be able to give you advice over the phone for you to carry out as they are on their way to help prevent unnecessary damage to your home and provide them with a safe working space, once they arrive.

Some common conditions in which an emergency plumber Sydney can help are:

Flooding

If you observe flooding of any kind in your kitchen, laundry, bathroom, patio or garden, odds are you have some plumbing emergency on your hands. Flooding can easily damage your appliances, possessions and the entire property structure. Not to mention contribute to unusually high utility bills. Therefore, you should sort it out as soon as possible.

Blocked Toilet

This situation can also be characterised as a plumbing emergency. This is because clogged toilets pose major health risks. Of course, if you have a single toilet in your home, calling a plumber the next day is simply not an option, you need your facilities working asap. Call your local emergency plumber without any delay.

Overflowing Toilet

An overflowing toilet or sink is a surefire plumbing emergency. In addition to health risks, it can also cause major property damage when not addressed instantly. An overflowing toilet could be a sign of a major blockage from a foreign item or a blockage down the line from tree roots or a fatberg. Go to your phone straight and call our emergency plumbers in Sydney.

A gas leak

Anytime you unexpectedly smell gas and suspect a gas leak please call an emergency plumber who is trained and equipped to deal with such a situation. Turn off your gas at mains as soon as you detect a gas smell, then open all the doors and windows to allow fresh air to circulate and call your emergency plumber – Proximity Plumbing for a gas fitter.

No Water

Turned on the tap and nothing happened? If water supply has stopped due to some unexplained reason, reaching out to an emergency plumber is your best resort. The lack of water, especially hot water could be due to many things – check the power supply to your hot water system, Is there electricity or gas available in the rest of the house? It is a good idea to check these before you call your Sydney emergency plumber.

Taps Not Turning Off

At an extreme end, if your taps do not turn off, it implies a flood risk. Try to switch off the main water supply. Then, call us and book an emergency plumbing appointment right away!

Burst Pipes

When the pipes have burst or are damaged, you will want to call over a plumber before anything serious occurs. Having a burst pipe can cause some serious damage to your walls, flooring, furniture etc. There are a few things that can cause a burst rupture, these are; low-quality, faulty plumbing fixtures, age, or an accidental impact. If you have discovered a burst pipe we suggest to immediately isolate the water off at the mains as soon as possible and call your local Sydney emergency plumber – Proximity Plumbing.

Serious roof leak

We’ve all been in a house when it rains and someone runs to grab all the pots and buckets to place around the house! Truthfully, the best way to deal with leaks in your home is to book a plumber who will carry out an inspection to find where and why your roof is leaking. A serious roof leak can quickly turn into a nightmare for your home with structural damage so it’s best to call an emergency plumber asap.

Unfortunately, not every plumbing problem occurs at a convenient time for you. Isn’t it frustrating to find your toilet is clogged just as you wake up or going to bed? This is where our reliable emergency plumbers in Sydney come to your aid as we’re on call 24/7 and as true, eastern suburbs locals we’re just around the corner.

Questions to Ask Any Plumber Before You Hire Them

Building a reliable relationship with the plumber is essential. You should know that a qualified professional is handling the plumbing system of your property. Here is a list of important questions you need to ask an emergency Sydney plumber BEFORE hiring them and getting them to attend to your property.

Do you have a license to practice in NSW?

A licensed plumber means a professionally trained plumber is working on your pipes and not an amateur. You can always do a quick search to see if your plumber is licensed or a google search to check if their website has any extra credentials (like whether they’re a member of any industry-based associations such as Master Plumbers). Protect yourself and your investment by making sure you hire the right, licensed plumber for the job. Follow This link to check your preferred contractor.

Service NSW offers this link which will tell you about current, expired, and cancelled licences under the name, licence number or ABN/ACN being searched. It is important to check the tradesperson engaged has a current licence to ensure they have the appropriate qualifications for the work you want to be done.

How Quickly Can You Arrive?

An emergency plumber should arrive as soon as possible or be very clear on exactly how long you will have to wait. Plumbing is unpredictable when a plumbing emergency arises and most plumbers know their day will never go exactly to plan, so many plumbing companies will have one of their teams on standby for emergencies.

The amount of time you’re waiting will largely depend on your ability to choose a truly local plumber. A plumber who is near you and will be able to get to you asap.

When looking for a Sydney emergency plumber on Google we suggest skipping the ads altogether and going directly to the results matched to your search based geographically. For more information, read our article here about How to Hack The Search Engines.

Do you have insurance?

Insurance is crucial; both for your and the plumber’s sake. Ideally, the plumber you will hire should possess the public liability insurance as the minimum.

How do you charge for work?

We all want to know we’re paying for quality services and not being ripped off! So, before saying “yes” to any plumber coming to your property and helping your plumbing emergency make sure you’re clear on their rates and how they charge you. For example, they may have a call-out fee plus an hourly fee. They may have an “emergency” surcharge. They may charge per job or per half hour. They may only take credit cards or only take cash. Look for professionalism at every step and make sure you are comfortable with the rates mentioned. Ask if there are no “extra” or “hidden” charges and whether the rate includes GST. At Proximity Plumbing, we have a free quote service and our prices are explained thoroughly before we start so there is no surprise at the end of the job. We don’t inflate prices for emergencies and for larger jobs we do offer a payment plan option.

Can you provide me with references?

A reliable plumber will never hesitate to share the name of clients. You can request references for a large or a new plumbing project. In case the professional refuses or fails to provide references, think twice before hiring him.

Is your work guaranteed?

Most plumbers offer the assurance of guaranteed work. Or a ‘workmanship guarantee’. When you select the right plumber, you can depend on him to reach back in case of any issue.

Can you provide a quote?

Always ask for a written quote or estimate. It is for your protection as mandated by many states in Australia. When you have access to a written estimate, a plumber cannot charge you more than the quoted price without your express content.

What’s the process when you arrive at my home?

Here’s where you can start to see the differences between amateurs and professionals so it’s a key question to ask!

If you were to ask us about our process at Proximity Plumbing, we’d say something like this:

Thanks to our service scheduling software, our plumbers know exactly where they’re going and will arrive at your home on time (in one of our snazzy Proximity Plumbing vans). They will be in uniform and introduce themselves to you; telling you who they are and where they’re from courteously.
They’ll always remove work boots or cover them to protect your home’s floors. Our plumbers will assess the plumbing issue, provide you with information, and a break down of the cost involved before they get started. You’ll have the chance to ask any questions.
The work will be completed with minimal impact to your home and with as much care as possible. The workspace will be clean and neat when we leave and you’ll even have a lovely home candle to say Thank You for choosing us and to help make the home smell lovely once we leave.

Now that’s a simple break down of our process and when you hire a professional plumber they should have a process very similar to ours. If they can’t articulate that over the phone maybe it’s best to keep searching until you find one who can (or call us)!

How Is Proximity Plumbing Protecting You Right Now?

The world is reeling under the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just like other essential services, plumbing services in Australia are also closely monitored for curbing the overall spread of the disease. Proximity Plumbing strives to deliver round-the-clock support during these challenging times.

The professional team of emergency plumbers at Proximity Plumbers takes all necessary steps related to cleanliness and safety as per the guidelines laid forth by the Department of Health and the NSW Government.

Proximity Plumbing we have taken Covid-19 Safety precautions to ensure our customers and team are kept safe and well at all times.

Our Covid safety plan includes the following:

– None of our plumbers have travelled overseas or interstate in the last 14 days.

– Each one of our team members has completed an infection control training course provided to us by the Australian government.

– Our plumbers have been trained to respect your personal space. This means standing well back (more than 2 metres) when discussing the job in person. Upon request we are also happy to conduct all discussions over the phone – even when on the premises.

– Each team member will be using hand sanitiser before and after all our jobs.

– If you require any plumbing work completed during this time rest assured, we will continue offering the highest quality of customer service, Emergency callouts, and continuing our services to local Sydney businesses and residence.

– In addition to washing their hands, our plumbers wear a new pair of disposable plastic gloves on every job that they are required to work indoors.

– Our vehicles are now sanitised at least twice a week using a hospital-grade disinfectant.

– Our plumbers have been trained to recognise any signs of illness and must report to management immediately.

– As a part of the essential services during the pandemic, licensed Sydney plumbers are able to operate normally. Due to the increasing number of emergency requests that we receive, we have come up with an emergency hotline number to handle all possible requests as soon as possible. Our Covid safe emergency plumbing hotline on 0480 024 320 should you have any questions or need an emergency plumber.

Our essential plumbers are available 24/7 to fix all plumbing issues for your property so don’t delay calling us if you need us.

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