Are they reputable? This may seem like a rude question to ask a plumber trustworthy drain leak repair but it is important because you are going to be letting them into your home. Ask them for references and many of them will be happy to provide some. Most plumbers understand that you have to be careful who you let into your home these days and will do everything they can to ensure you that they are indeed reputable and can be trusted in your home.
Ask for an estimate for the total cost of repairs. Some 24-hour plumbers will not want to give an estimate over the phone, and would want to personally assess the plumbing situation first. But you may be able to get a rough estimate and an idea of the price if you come well-informed about the plumbing emergency. Picture out the scenario to your emergency plumber and ask for the usual or average cost of repair.
Like knowing where your electrical panel is located, it is just as important to know where the valve for the main water service to your home is located. Also, knowing where the water valves for individual fixtures can help keep small leaks from becoming major repairs. Start by turning off the water for the individual fixture near the affected area. If that doesn't work, or your issue is a busted pipe, turn off the main local water heater repair service service. The main water valve is usually located outside in a box in the ground. Turning off the water main will stop the flow of water to your home and thus preventing further water damage.
If you are ever faced with a situation where faulty plumbing is causing water leaks, there is only one sensible course of action. That is obviously to turn off the water supply altogether, and wait for a qualified operative to come and assess the situation. This is why it is important to always know where the stop cock is located on your property. Don't leave it until it is too late to find out. Make sure that you know how to turn off the electricity supply as well, as flooding can make electricity extremely dangerous. If you think there is risk, leave the situation to a trained professional.
Make sure that you call a plumber as soon as things start to act up. You will save a lot of money in the long run because you won't be dealing with the damages caused by flooding after the fact. Most people will find that they are not too willing to call in a professional drain line repair early on but it is worth it. It is better to pay someone for a minor issue rather than to try and fix it yourself and end up with a huge mess.
You definitely want a plumbing service that has access to any type of parts that a given job might require. If they do not carry them in their trucks, you want a worker that knows where to quickly buy them. Nobody wants a repair person spending the better part of a week trying to track down some special drain part. While a lot people do not consider this, it is very important.
A reputable plumbing service will often make suggestions when you initially contact them. In the case of a clogged drain, for example, they have seen hundreds or even thousands of cases just like yours and they know that most bathroom sink clogs are the result of by hair building up in the drain. Accumulated hair can create a plugged drain and it can be a fairly straightforward job to loosen up the clog and have a free flowing drain again.