When you’re dealing with a plumbing crisis in your home — whether that’s a clogged drain or some type of leak — it’s essential to hire a licensed plumber to perform the repair. You might feel tempted to hire a handyman or ask for help from a friend or family member who “does a little plumbing on the side.” Although they might be willing to help, we’re talking about a major component of your home and the wrong equipment or lack of experience could end up escalating the problems and costing you more money. Our licensed plumbers have the right experience, equipment, tools and plumbing technology to complete any plumbing project in Greater Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and surrounding communities. We’re not trying to downgrade your local plumbing repair person or plumbing handyman. We’re merely pointing out the necessity for an expert to handle any sort of work that’s as serious as the plumbing system in your home. Below are a list of five reasons why you should go with a licensed plumber instead of a plumbing handyman:
1. Knowledge & Qualification
Being a plumber requires getting a license or certification through the state and/or local plumbing construction authorities. Although the training requirements vary from state to state, a homeowner can be certain of one thing — a certified plumber is more qualified than a plumber that’s not licensed. Additionally, expert plumbers spend many hours working as apprentices to learn the best practices.
Ohio has three different plumbing certifications. There are plumbing apprentices, journeyman plumbers and master plumbers. Earning a journeyman certification requires two years of being an apprentice working under a journeyman plumber or master plumber. Master plumbers must be a journeyman plumber for at least a year to be able to take the test.
Additionally, licensed plumbers undergo training to stay up to date with the latest products and technologies, unlike your friend, family member or local handyman. They are also aware of all the latest building codes, and they can make sure all plumbing work carried out on your property is done in accordance with state and county regulations. Because of this, it’s clear to see that a licensed plumber is properly tested, trained, and prepared for any sort of plumbing-related problems.
2. Legal Permission
A license to work as a plumber certifies that the person performing the work is properly trained and educated. Additionally, it also certifies that they are legally allowed to provide plumbing services. Here in Ohio, you need to be licensed to perform any sort of plumbing work. If you hire a handyman, repair person or your uncle’s friend who “does a little plumbing work on the side for cheap,” it’s not necessarily illegal. However, it could be. If you come across a plumbing company that’s not licensed, you need to ask yourself if it’s worth the risk to hire them. You should be wondering if they have the knowledge needed to pass the requirements to get their license.
3. Insurance
This one is very essential — an unlicensed plumber, unlicensed contractor, or friend or family member who does plumbing on the side will probably be uninsured. Essentially, “uninsured” means “liability” — you become liable to pay any related medical bills or lost wages if they end up getting injured while working on your home or property. In the same way, if something goes wrong and something happens to your plumbing equipment or your home because of the uninsured party, you get stuck with the cost. If this happens, you had better hope you have good coverage.
However, on the other hand, licensed plumbers are fully insured, and they carry liability coverage so you won’t have to worry about anything should something go wrong or something bad happen to your property or to the contractor. Typically, state licensure requires a minimum amount of general liability insurance coverage for plumbing contractors to work. Because of this, it should never be a problem to ask the plumber for proof of insurance before starting.
Trust Our Licensed Team for Plumbing Services in Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, and Surrounding areas
Since whoever you’ve hired for plumbing work will take care of the important parts of your home — toilets, pipes, water heaters, and drains — a homeowner can’t ignore the importance of hiring a good, licensed plumbing company with complete insurance coverage. The benefits of hiring a licensed plumbing expert instead of an unlicensed plumber are obvious. When you go to make the important decision on who you should hire, always consider licensure and insurance first and foremost! You’ll be glad you did it in the long run! If you’re online looking for a “local plumber near me” or a “cheap plumber near me” you’re in the right place.
Call Five Star Home Services today at for any residential or commercial plumbing-related needs. Calling an expert like Five Star is a huge benefit. You already know you can trust our licensed and insured team at Five Star Home Services.