Top Certified Plumbers in Howard County, MD

Reducing the Costs of Howard County Plumbing Repairs

Pricing for Howard County plumbing services may come as a surprise to you if you have never owned a home or been in charge of repairs. For starters, there is no set price for any one service, one plumber in Howard County may charge more than the next because they are better trained or more specialized. While one plumber may look at a leaky toilet and recommend that it be replaced (thus incurring the cost of an entire toilet), another will fix the existing toilet for less. The tradeoff here is that you are more likely to need future repairs. Also keep in mind that specialty plumbers in Columbia, Ellicott City and Woodstock that work nearly exclusively on large, more difficult projects will charge a premium even if they are simply changing out some gaskets or tightening some piping.

Their overhead and the materials that they use are just some of the reasons why prices vary from plumber to plumber.

The best way to reduce your average monthly costs for plumbing in Howard County is to prevent the issues altogether. While this is difficult on older properties, you can make great strides by having regular maintenance (every one to two years) done on major appliances that connect to the water main and check for minor leaks throughout the house that can worsen over time. When prevention doesn't work you can keep the costs down with the following tips:

• Comparison shop. Get rates from several plumbers in Howard County before you select one to do the job. Since most work requires an on-site estimate, many people don't want to bother scheduling more than one. *Tip – let the plumber know that you are getting at least 3 bids, research has shown that this fact alone can reduce the cost of the initial bid by 10% and encourages the technician to take time to explain service options at various price points.
• Ask if you can see the cost of parts (fixtures, vanities, toilets, valves, pumps, fittings, faucets, clamps and more) separated from the overall service. This will allow you to see if it makes sense to stop at a big box home improvement store to pick the parts up yourself. Predictably (and justifiably), every plumber in Columbia, Ellicott City, Woodstock and Woodbine will mark up the cost of these parts to account for their time, cost of inventory, etc.
• While emergency plumbers in Howard County do work 24 hours a day and holidays, avoid calling after normal working hours for non emergencies. Costs are significantly higher so unless water is leaking into your walls or on your floor, wait until the next day to pick up the phone.
• Advanced techniques such as trenchless sewer repair and replacement can cut costs over a third and avoid damage to flooring and landscaping. For pipe repair epoxy is inserted and allowed to cure, sealing minor cracks with a sewer lining (or pipe within a pipe). With just two holes dug at each end of the pipe, trenchless 'pipe bursting' can crush the existing pipe while replacing the pipe entirely.

Matching the Right Plumbing Contractor in Columbia, Ellicott City and Woodstock For Every Problem

Whether you maintain multiple apartment buildings or just have a small home, you are susceptible to every type of plumbing problem at some point. Some of the issues you will need a plumbing contractor in Howard County for include:

• Unclogging a Clogged Drain - Sure, you can try to unclog a drain yourself with store-bought products like Drano, Liquid Plumr or even homemade concoctions with vinegar and baking soda, but for a major clog, you will need to hire a professional drain cleaning service in Howard County. Hair, soap scum, food debris and other items can accumulate in a drain, making it difficult or even impossible for water to pass through. The average cost for drain cleaning in Howard County is $200.
• Fix a Leaky Faucet - That dripping faucet is more than just annoying; it's a waste of water and it can do damage to your sink or tub and your pipes. For minor leaks you can turn off the water supply and try tightening the fixture with a wrench. If that doesn't work we recommend having a pro take a look at it. Usually in less than 20 minutes Howard County emergency plumbing companies will be able to disassemble your faucet without doing damage, inspect washers, o-rings and valve seat to determine the source of the leak.
• Leaking/Running Toilets - If your toilet is leaking or the water continuously runs it can quickly damage flooring and carpeting and cost thousands of dollars in repairs. Typically the seal at the bottom of the toilet is the source of the leak but it could also be from a cracked toilet bowl, broken shutoff valve or a misdirected water supply tube. For handy homeowners with the right tools you can first try simply tightening the floor bolts at the base of the toilet. If that doesn't stop the leak, flip the shut off valve in the back of the toilet and call a professional who will need to remove the toilet, check the wax gasket, flange and water supply tube.
• Repair a Burst Pipe - Pipes will burst if too much water pressure builds up (usually due to a clog elsewhere in the house) or if the water in them is allowed to freeze and expand against the pipe. Older pipes can also leak or burst due to chemical reactions that corrode the pipes over time, typically caused by acidic or alkaline water. Plumbers in Howard County have the option of welding a patch over the broken pipe or replacing the damaged section of pipe. In some cases all of the pipe may need to be replaced, such as when tree roots have grown around and into piping. The average cost for pipe repair in Howard County is $700 for one isolated burst or tear in the pipe.

FAQ

The more information you have the less likely you will get poor quality work from a bad plumber in Howard County and you can even reduce your chances of needing help in the first place.

• Are you licensed? No matter how small the job, never leave it to a plumbing company in Howard County that does not have all of its plumbers licensed individually. It is simply to easy for improperly trained plumbers to do major damage that can ruin your home or affect you drinking water. Don't just take the plumbers word for it either; ask to see and verify the license is legitimate. *Note that in some cases homeowners can incur fines for having faulty plumbing installed and selling a house with plumbing that doesn't stand up to code will cause major issues. Only a licensed Howard County plumbing company can be held accountable, rather than you. If you are adding a bathroom or doing some major repairs that will require new fixtures you can also take a look at the NCSL's most up to date info. They also get bonus points for membership in societies like ASPE that promote ongoing education and serve as a resource for staying on top of industry developments.
• Are you insured? Your plumber must have have insurance to cover the cost of any direct or ancillary damages that may occur while repairs are being made. Critically, this insurance must also cover potential injuries while working on your home so you are clear of all responsibility.
• How do you diagnose the problem? Some repairs are easy to diagnose with a quick visual inspection or even over the phone. For less obvious problems they will need skill and proper tools to get to the root of the issue. Do they have pipe inspection cameras that allow them to peer into pipes as fast a possible? Do they have a checklist to diagnose all potential problems? Starting work without a full picture of the problem can lead to more costs down the road.
• How can I learn more before calling a plumber in Columbia, Ellicott City and Woodstock? There is always more you can learn to help you before your plumbing project starts. For larger remodels/additions that require plumbing work we suggest the International Code Council for Maryland specific plumbing code, for older homes where lead pipes can be a health concern: www.iccsafe.org, www.asse-plumbing.org/chapters/NOH_LeadFree.pdf, and www.water.epa.gov.
• Does this price cover everything? Review the line items on the bid and ask if the estimate covers everything; materials, labor and a contingency should any problems arise. This is the only way to compare pricing options before work begins.

Step By Step To Get The Best Plumbers in Howard County Within 24 Hours

You need the right company for the job and you need it fast. Aptera has saved you some time by phone verifying all plumbing companies in Columbia, Ellicott City, Woodstock, Woodbine and Jessup we work with are highly skilled, maintain solid reputations by doing great work and sticking to the price quoted whenever possible. Now you just need to:

1. Diagnose - Identify the primary problem and check for secondary issues Note anything peculiar so you can clearly explain the problem over the phone. For example, did a sink backup or drain slowly before you noticed a leaking pipe? This can indicate that a clog may have caused the leak and help the technician diagnose the problem faster.
2. Compare plumbers in Howard County - Word of mouth is great but most people cannot recommend any service let alone a specialist plumber that will match well with your needs. We recommend quickly looking at reviews to identify red flags and then looking at their areas of expertise and make sure they are a good fit. For example if a company focuses on commercial plumbing in Howard County then they will likely not be a great fit to fix your toilet.
3. Get three quotes - Only request pricing if you get a good initial response and they take the time to ask about your problem. Then, three different bids is a good general rule to give you options without overwhelming you and wasting more time than necessary.
4. Get started - You may be tempted to pick the company that charges the least, but low price may indicate lack of skill or even encourage them to cut corners. Strike a balance between a fair price and what your instincts tell you based on your call.

Howard County Cities Served