You can ask your friends, neighbours, family, and coworkers what plumbers they have used. You will often receive good recommendations and learn about the quality of their work. You will also learn about bad experiences so you will know what company to avoid. You can also check with people in your social circles such as church members. As well, you can also check with a realtor to see if they have a list of dependable and honest plumbers.
If you need an emergency drain repair, toilet repair, or some other plumbing job completed you'd be better off to go online and find a proper business. The best businesses are almost always ranked towards the top because Google is so accurate with their searching relevancy. So if you type in your city and the word plumber you will be given the best in your area!
Some water conditioner valves do not take washers and therefore you cannot repair them. If you have a washerless shut-off valve that leaks it will need to be replaced. You will need: a propane torch, solder, flux, sandcloth, a wire fitting brush, a small section of copper pipe (most likely 3/4" I.D.), a slip coupling (again probably 3/4") and a shut-off valve. I would highly recommend installing a ball valve with a drain on it as opposed to a washer style valve. If you purchase a decent quality ball valve it will last a very long time.
Can you imagine the uproar there would have been if all the Trustworthy plumber around the world stuffed up and drains blocked up everywhere? Well, isn't that very similar to what has happened to our financial sector?
The number one thing to look for is emergency services. You never know when a pipe will burst or a toilet will overflow. It is not always during business hours, and you certainly cannot wait hours until a Local plumber is ready to come to your home in the morning. You need someone who will be responsive when you need fast help, which is why you should look for a company that provides emergency hours. You may have to pay an extra fee, but it is usually cheaper than having to pay for mold elimination down the road after letting standing water stay in your house for days.
Before choosing any plumbers in your area be sure you pick a contractor that has experience with similar projects as yours. Plumbing in your area isn't the same as say New York or Chicago, unless of course you are from one of these cities. Ask for a reference or two for plumbing jobs that they have completed in the past.
Most importantly, make sure that you set your foot in a reliable and trustworthy store which also offers great discounts or sales for you to be able to save.