Finding a plumber when you need them can be a Herculean task. If you need emergency plumbing service in an area where you don’t have any friends or relatives, it can be particularly difficult to track down someone who can come out and fix the problem fast. Even if you live in a city that has excellent municipal services, it doesn’t hurt to have a name and number saved on a piece of paper just in case anything goes wrong. It’s also prudent to have the name and number of a reliable contractor you’ve used in the past. Having this information saved in a spreadsheet or even a paper folder can come in handy whenever you need it most. Below are some tips for finding a reliable plumber in your area:

Ask your neighbors

If you have a couple of neighbors on one side of your house who have similar plumbing issues, they are the ones to talk to. They probably have a plumber they trust and can recommend, and they are in a better position to judge who is worth hiring than you are. If you don’t know any of your neighbors or they don’t know you, it’s best to look in the yellow pages for reliable contractors in your area. This is an obvious place to look, but it’s also the last place you want to look if you have a busy family.

Browse online

If you are in a hurry and don’t want to talk on the phone with a bunch of strangers, you can search online for plumbing services in your area. You can use a search engine like Google or Bing, or you can go directly to websites like Angie’s List and HomeAdvisor. These websites allow you to search for local contractors by services they offer, price, and reviews. You can even get a contractor to come out to your home and give you a quote on the spot, which is particularly helpful if you have a broken pipe that needs to be fixed today.

Check with a local business

If you are in a hurry and don’t want to talk to a stranger on the phone, you can also try calling a local business. Many businesses, including restaurants and grocery stores, offer plumbing services. If you are in a hurry and need to fix a broken pipe, a business with plumbing is likely to be more than happy to come out and fix it for you. If you have to travel outside of your area, you can also try to see if there are any local real estate agents who offer plumbing services. There are many times when you need to dig a hole and drop a pipe underground without damaging your property and the surrounding landscape.

Watch who is working on your neighbors’ pipes

If you notice that your neighbors’ plumbing is leaking but you don’t know who they hired, you can ask them politely if they mind if you peek inside their home to see if they have a contractor’s tag hanging up. Most people will be happy to show you where their pipes are leaking, and if they don’t have their contractor’s tag hanging up, you can ask them if they would mind giving you the name and number of their plumber.

Bottom line

Finding a reliable plumber in your area takes time and research, but it’s better to have the wrong person come out and fix your plumbing problem than to wait until you have an emergency and can’t find a qualified contractor. Having a trusted name and number saved on a piece of paper will save you time and stress in the event that you have to call a plumber unexpectedly.