The questions people ask before they call a plumber.

Yes. There is no answering service. Nights, weekends and holidays you reach a plumber who can help immediately and give you shut-off instructions while we are on the way.

Yes. We explain the problem and quote the work before we begin, including on emergency calls. No surprise fees.

We are based in Lynnfield and serve Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Plymouth Counties — the North Shore, Boston, MetroWest and the South Shore.

Emergencies are dispatched by distance from wherever the plumber is; Lynnfield and the North Shore are fastest, Boston and the South Shore follow. We give you a real arrival window on the phone, not a four-hour block.

Shut off the main water valve, cut power to any wet area at the breaker, move valuables and take photos for insurance. If you smell gas, leave the building and call 911 first, then us.

Anything actively leaking or backing up, no water, no hot water in winter, a boiler out in heating season, a frozen line, or any smell of gas. If you are asking whether it can wait until morning, call and we will tell you honestly.

Usually in the basement on the wall facing the street, near the water meter, a few feet from where the pipe enters the house. Turn the handle clockwise (or a lever a quarter turn). We can walk you to it on the phone.

Yes. Every job is performed by a licensed Massachusetts plumber, and the company carries full liability insurance. Work is done to Massachusetts plumbing and gas code.

Yes. For planned work we quote free of charge. For an emergency call we quote the price on site before starting any work.

Yes. Boilers, water heaters, gas lines, repiping and remodel plumbing require permits and inspection in Massachusetts; we file them and schedule the inspector.

Workmanship is warranted for one year unless your invoice states a longer term; equipment carries the manufacturer warranty, which we help you claim.

A cast-iron boiler often runs 20 to 30 years with maintenance; high-efficiency condensing units are typically 12 to 15. Past 15 years, a major repair usually points to replacement.

Tankless saves floor space and standby energy but needs a large gas line and produces less flow in a cold Massachusetts January. A well-sized tank or an indirect fired from the boiler is often the better value. We size to your household.

Shut off the cold supply valve on top and the gas or breaker, then call. A leak from the tank body means replacement; a leak at a valve or fitting is usually a repair.

Multiple fixtures acting up together means the main sewer line, not a single drain. That call gets a camera inspection so we fix the actual cause.

No. They corrode pipe, rarely clear the whole blockage and make the next plumber's job dangerous. Snaking, hydro-jetting or a camera inspection solve it properly.

Insulate lines on exterior walls and in unheated spaces, shut off and drain outdoor spigots inside, keep heat at 55°F or above when away, and open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls during deep cold.

Yes. Homes, condos and multi-family on the residential side; offices, restaurants, retail and multi-unit buildings on the commercial side, including backflow testing and maintenance programs.

Yes — Suffolk County from Back Bay and the South End to Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Charlestown and East Boston, plus Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop.

Yes, both on the owner side (in-unit work) and the association or landlord side (common systems, water heaters, backflow, maintenance programs).