Is it safe to call a plumber during the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak?

Inviting a complete stranger into your home during a pandemic isn’t an ideal situation. But then again neither is a burst pipe or backed up sewer line. If you’re wondering whether you should or shouldn’t call a plumber right now or attempt a DIY repair, you are not alone. The truth of the matter is, the longer we all try and work from home and self-quarantine in our houses, the likelier we are to experience a plumbing issue as being home more puts additional stress on our plumbing systems and drains.

In most states, including where we are in Minnesota, plumbers are exempt from the stay-at-home orders as we are considered essential workers. Now, we’re not talking about any unnecessary upgrades or home remodels, but we, and many other plumbers, are open for essential plumbing and emergency services. So, if you need or if you even think you may need a plumber right now, don’t hesitate to call a professional plumber. We’re here and ready to serve you however you need during this difficult and confusing time.

Calling a Plumber During Covid-19

Before you invite anyone into your home consider the following safeguards to make sure the company you hire is doing everything they can to keep you and their employees safe during this time.

Ask companies to detail their safeguards

A good plumber is always serious about cleanliness, but especially during this time they should be able to tell you the additional precautions they are taking to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. From bumping up hygiene protocols to modifying their sick policy for employees to offering contactless pay options, find out how they’ve modified their policies to protect its customers and employees.

Communicate before hand

Talk with the plumber to discuss how the visit will go so you are both on the same page. Discuss the issue in as much detail as possible beforehand, so there’s less need for face-to-face interaction. When we are in your home, be sure to keep back at least the recommended 6 feet. If there is a certain door you want us to enter through, be sure to let us know. Any work that we can do outside the home, such as assembling a pipe, we will. Our goal is to be in your home as little as possible.

Create a safe work environment

Clear a path to the workspace before your plumber arrives to limit the number of surfaces in your home they could end up touching. Open all the doors and turn on all the light switches along the path to where the work needs to be done. Put away loose objects around where we’ll be working. Deep clean the area before and after. If we need to go up and down the stairs, you could even cover the bannister with gift wrap and remove once we’re gone. We want to be respectful of your home and that’s easiest when you give us a safe place to work.

Make sure they’re a licensed plumber

It may be tempting to save a little money, especially right now, and hire an unlicensed plumber or a handy friend or even attempt to fix it yourself, but that could lead to costly mistakes that might not only run up a bigger bill in the end, but one that could also end up putting your biggest investment – your home – at risk. The only way to have the peace of mind that your plumbing issue will be fix right the first time is to hire a licensed plumber.

When to call a plumber

If water is spraying out of burst pipe or flooding your basement, it’s pretty obvious you should call a plumber. Other issues such as a slow drainage, standing water, foul smells coming from your pipes, drains that clog frequently or pipes that have started making strange noises, are also indicators that it’s time to call a plumber. The longer you wait the worse and more costly things can get. Call One Hour Rooter Plumbers at 612-354-8984. We hope you don’t ever find yourself in a plumbing emergency, but if you do, we’re here to help with fast, professional, superior quality plumbing service 24/7.