Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it’s even more important for plumbing companies that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Atlas Plumbing & Rooter, customer satisfaction is a direct result of employing courteous, highly trained technicians and installing the best plumbing materials available on the market. “We always install top-of-the-line, American-made parts at affordable prices,” confirms owner Joel Ledesma. “That’s a big part of our dedication to quality.”

Atlas Plumbing & Rooter has been providing residential and commercial plumbing services for clients in San Mateo County and San Francisco since 2005. In addition to installing and repairing sinks, bathtubs, faucets, toilets, sump pumps, drains and water pipes, the company repairs and replaces tankless water heaters, offers advanced equipment to diagnose drain and sewer problems, and provides trenchless repairs for broken or damaged underground pipes.

Unlike many larger plumbing firms, Atlas Plumbing & Rooter’s employees are carefully handpicked by Mr. Ledesma himself, which guarantees a high level of quality control. “I hire professional colleagues and family members who are in the industry,” he explains. “Our employees are local residents who are easygoing, polite and happy. I’ve never hired someone I didn’t know.”

To further differentiate itself from its competition, Atlas Plumbing & Rooter verifies that all its employees are responsible and honest by conducting background checks and checking their DMV records every year. “That way, our clients feel safe having our employees in their homes,” adds office manager Audra Hooten. “They know they’re working with knowledgeable and courteous technicians.”

Maintain your water and sewer lines to avoid expensive repairs. Regular attention and consistent upkeep can help keep your home plumbing system running efficiently and smoothly for years. To avoid small problems like leaks and clogs, consider the following preventive maintenance tips:

Get a home plumbing inspection. Whether you’re planning to buy a new home or have lived in your house for years, it’s wise to have a professional plumber inspect your plumbing system and sewer pipes. “When you have your whole house inspected by a professional, they’ll look for running toilets and leaky faucets, make sure the water heaters are installed to code, and look for potential future problems that can save you thousands of dollars in damages and wasted water,” explains Joel Ledesma, owner of Atlas Plumbing & Rooter in San Francisco. Some plumbing contractors have equipment that allows them to visually inspect drain lines and sewer pipes. This can show tree roots, pipe flaws and areas that are prone to clogging well before the drains back up.

Maintain your sewer pipes. Hire a licensed rooter service company to clean your sewer pipes every year or two. Rooter services are also advised for customers whose drainage systems are prone to clogging. While this may seem like an unnecessary expense, the minimal cost of maintaining pipes can help allay possible backups and expensive repairs.

Invest in lint traps. “Lint traps are very effective when placed on the discharge hoses of laundry machines,” says Mr. Ledesma. “Lint tends to stick to pipes and can cause clogs and water backups, but a lint trap ensures the lint doesn’t get inside the drain.” Washing machine lint traps are inexpensive and can be purchased at home improvement warehouses, hardware stores or from local plumbing companies.

Make repairs immediately. A dripping faucet, running toilet or leaky valve is more than just a waste of water or a source of annoying dripping. Small leaks can easily turn into large problems if left unaddressed. If you can, tighten or replace the seals yourself. If the problem is larger, call a plumber. The repair cost for a small fix will be considerably less than having to repair a larger issue.

Q: How long will it take to fix my plumbing problem?

A: It’s hard to predict how long a job will take without seeing it first. We usually complete most jobs within one hour, but every situation is different, so we give each client an approximate average time. For example, a sewer takes three to four days to fix, but a water heater takes two to four hours. Replacing a faucet should take less than one hour, but it can sometimes take more if it’s hard to remove the old faucet. Relining a water heater should take 15 minutes to one hour. Also, if we have to go back to the supply house to get a part, that can add to the length of the job.

Q: Where do you get your plumbing products?

A: We get all our plumbing products from wholesale plumbing supply houses.

Q: What kind of machines do you use for drain cleaning?

A: We use top-of-the-line Spartan sewer machines to clean drains.

Q: Do you charge by the hour?

A: No, we charge by the job—if it takes longer than expected or if we have to leave and get parts, the customer doesn’t have to pay more. If you call us to snake out a drain, you’ll still only pay the rate we quote you—even if the job takes several hours. On the other hand, a cheaper plumber who charges less but bills by the hour can take longer and cause you to pay two or three times what you’d expected.

Q: Can I trust your employees when they’re in my home?

A: Yes. We hire professional, responsible plumbers whom we know and trust. We conduct background checks on all our employees and check their DMV records every year. We make sure our staff members are responsible plumbers who live in the area and know how to work courteously and safely.

Q: Is it important to pull a permit when one is required?

A: Absolutely. We follow every guideline and don’t work on jobs without permits. When a city requires a permit for a job, we take full responsibility and pull it ourselves. We never make our customers responsible for obtaining permits.