It's been a great weekend. You've visited with friends and family, had a great dinner at your favorite restaurant, and even played a couple rounds of golf. But now it's back to the office. You swing open the door and punch in your security code but then you realize that things are not normal. There's a different smell and the air seems a little damp. Then you notice the water in the hall and the wet stain on the front office carpet.

Frozen Pipes: When water in pipes freeze they expand and may even burst the pipe. Close the main shutoff valve. If the pipe has not split yet, thaw it with hot water bottles from the end of the pipe nearest to the tap. Thawing must be gentle, never with a naked flame, to avoid thermal water expansion that too can split the pipe. As a preventive maintenance make sure your pipes are appropriately insulated against the cold months.

Make sure that you call a plumber as soon as things start to act up. You will save a lot of money toilet 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 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.

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.

Your septic tank has to be emptied sometimes, and there's no easy answer to when it should be done. It depends on the size of the tank and the (sorry to mention it) consistency of the stuff going into it. Basically, if the septic tank isn't pumped out regularly, it will cause you thousands of dollars worth of problems. Ask your Local plumber for advice on your septic tank maintenance.

The first step is to avoid anyone who knocks your door offering to do work for you. This is not how professional organisations tend to court businesses and, in most cases, the better professionals will have plenty of work to keep them going without the need to door-to-door.

When you are ready to commission the work, ask for the quote in writing and ensure the final bill is broken down. That way, there will be no room for inconsistencies between the two figures.