Local plumber warns of scams as it may take days for busted pipes to be fixed

HOUSTON – In the latest installment of the unprecedented Texas winter storm, homeowners with broken pipes are at a loss.

Many local plumbing companies are stretched thin because they suddenly need help with dwindling jobs.

Many homeowners rush to the stores to do their own repairs. A plan that professional plumbers tell you could be a very bad idea.

ARS Rescue Rooter, a local plumbing company that has been operating in the greater Houston area for years, said the best way to solve the problem is to properly repair the pipes.

The Bodukoglu family’s water froze and their pipes broke despite efforts to isolate them.

Chuck Teeter, plumbing manager at ARS, arrived Friday, three days after the family called for assistance.

“We go five days without water,” said homeowner Melinda Bodukoglu. “We called on Tuesday. It’s been three days but the plumbers are doing their best. “

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Melinda and her husband Gary Bodukoglu have studied the consequences of broken pipes: a headache for every homeowner.

“It is a great inconvenience to deal with insurance and the everyday things that you take for granted,” said Gary Bodukoglu.

Like many others, they called a plumber for help but had to wait a few days before actually being served.

“We fixed six to seven pipes,” said Teeter.

According to Teeter, many local plumbing companies were overcrowded when walls collapsed and pipes destroyed after the wintry weather.

“We have over 1,000 calls on our board and more than 70 trucks are driving around,” said Teeter. “This is an unprecedented event. Each leak takes three to four hours to repair. With that time, we can’t make too many calls in one day. “

Despite the challenges, ARS’s priority is to reach customers as quickly as possible. With the warming temperatures, people should expect to be serviced faster as crews can move around faster.

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According to Teeter, customers may have to wait a few more days just because of demand. He also stated that materials are hard to come by as many are obtained from the same materials.

“Everyone in the city of Houston goes to the same place: the Home Depot, Lowes … everyone trying to take everything from there and people trying to do it themselves,” Teeter said.

Teeter’s top advice to homeowners dealing with burst pipes:

  1. Do not try to repair pipes unless you are a professional as you can make a costly mistake

  2. Don’t fall victim to plumbing fraud. Make sure the company you hire is reputable, licensed, and insured.

“There will be people coming down the street with whatever they can find,” Teeter said. “It’s going to be a whole other nightmare.”

Customers can check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) ​​website to see if the company has a good reputation.

The Bodukoglu family waited, but said they were relieved that they could do the job properly.

“This is like the best thing that has ever happened,” laughed Gary Bodukoglu.

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The other advice Teeter gave?

“Be patient because everyone is excited about it,” said Teeter.

Copyright 2021 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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