When a pipe bursts or some other piece of plumbing malfunctions, our first instinct is to get the problem under control as soon as possible. The longer such an issue goes on, the harder it will be to repair. Not only will the issue be harder to fix, if left unaddressed, the problem could result in hundreds to thousands of dollars in property damage and water usage fees. Because time is of the essence during a plumbing emergency, we feel pressured to make a repair decision as soon as possible, without giving ourselves time to weigh our options completely.
Do independent research using the Yellow pages, search engines and local business listings. Beforehand, make a list of what you are seeking in a plumber on Long Island. For example, years of experience, what services they provide, whether or not they have emergency service, areas of expertise, types of jobs they perform (residential, commercial, industrial) etc. Look for local plumbing service companies that are a match.
Some toilet valves do not take washers and therefore you cannot repair them. If you have a washerless shut-off valve that leaks it will need to be replaced. You will need: a propane torch, solder, flux, sandcloth, a wire fitting brush, a small section of copper pipe (most likely 3/4" I.D.), a slip coupling (again probably 3/4") and a shut-off valve. I would highly recommend installing a ball valve with a drain on it as opposed to a washer style valve. If you purchase a decent quality ball valve it will last a very long time.
Check on the plumber's licensing and insurance. You can ask about this over the phone before you even make an appointment. If the Trustworthy plumber, or his representative on the phone, cannot provide the master plumbing license number quickly and easily, that's your cue to move on.
Preventative care is what is needed here such as using commercial products for unclogging a drain and wrapping your pipes and having them insulated. You may also want to invest in drain covers for your drains to catch hair and grease before it becomes a problem that warrants the call to your Local plumber. If you have pipes outdoors that have hoses, before fall sets in, disconnect these hoses and bring them indoors. This is just some of the preventative maintenance that can be used.
If you have patience and time, you can look for a plumber in yellow pages. Look over the pages to find a plumber. You will need good eyesight to spot it as the print they use is very fine. You can locate a few of plumbers with some effort. You should list down minimum three of them to finally select the one. Check about their charges and the services they offer. Before finalizing, verify about their reputation by getting help from different agencies run by the government.
In short, the emergency plumber you hire should be from a reputable company. If you think that you can rely on him then you should look for another one. An emergency plumber should be skilled and should be able to deliver quality services to everyone.