The ServiceLive Twelve Days of Christmas

Posted by Sarah under Homeowner, Service Providers

On the first day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
A handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Second day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Third day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Forth day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Four IT techs,
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Fifth day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Five golden ratings,
Four IT techs,
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Sixth day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Six buyers paying,
Five golden ratings,
Four IT techs,
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Seventh day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Seven gardeners a-mowing,
Six buyers paying,
Five golden ratings,
Four IT techs,
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Eight day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Eight orders posting,
Seven gardeners a-mowing,
Six buyers paying,
Five golden ratings,
Four IT techs,
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Ninth day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Nine Pros from Lansing,
Eight orders posting,
Seven gardeners a-mowing,
Six buyers paying,
Five golden ratings,
Four IT techs,
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Tenth day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Ten orders closing,
Nine Pros from Lansing,
Eight orders posting,
Seven gardeners a-mowing,
Six buyers paying,
Five golden ratings,
Four IT techs,
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the Eleventh day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Eleven dispatchers typing,
Ten orders closing,
Nine Pros from Lansing,
Eight orders posting,
Seven gardeners a-mowing,
Six buyers paying,
Five golden ratings,
Four IT techs,
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
ServiceLive sent to me
Twelve Plumbers plumbing,
Eleven dispatchers typing,
Ten orders closing,
Nine Pros from Lansing,
Eight orders posting,
Seven gardeners a-mowing,
Six buyers paying,
Five golden ratings,
Four IT techs,
Three installed lights,
Two rekeyed locks,
And a handyman to trim my maple tree!

Happy Holidays all!

Tags: Christmas Carol, Gardeners, Handyman, Lights, plumbing

Do it Yourself or Bust?

Posted by Frank under Homeowner

We all, at one time or another have tried to save money by doing something we are not experienced at. I am all for saving money but, at what cost? What if you discovered a leak under your bathroom sink? You might think it was an easy fix. So, you head out to your local home improvement store to speak with a plumbing professional about the (leaking) issue. From the advice of the Plumbing expert you purchase Teflon tape which sounds like an easy solution to my leak.

You get home and start your repair by applying the Teflon tape around the threads of your pipe which should seal the leak. You turn on the water to test the seal, and all seems to be good to go. Not so fast!

Your wife calls you at work three days later to tell you that the bathroom floor is now covered in water which is also dripping through the ceiling in the theater room. Panic begins to set in. You race home to discover that the problem has now escalated into several major repairs i.e. plumbing, flooring, ceiling, etc.

You’re upset and kind of lost, but you explain carefully to your wife that you were trying to save money. She replies by “Doing it Yourself”, now it will cost us more money. She than asks the most important question, what are you going to do now? You explain that we need to hire a licensed plumber to fix our leak.

One word could have avoided this and that is hiring a “Professional”. Even though you think you have the materials needed to fix the problem. You still may lack the knowledge to diagnose the problem correctly.

You can find a professional service provider with just a few keystrokes online at ServiceLive.com!

Tags: home improvement, Home Repair, leaks, plumbing, servicelive

World saved, at least my world!

Posted by George under Homeowner, Service Providers

When things go drip in the night it can be difficult to determine if there’s a real problem or just a simple turn of a handle. After further investigation I discovered that I had a leak in the bathroom and possibly behind the wall. I knew that I had to get this repaired immediately or this issue could escalate into a major repair with additional costs.

Course of action:

I logged into ServiceLive and created an “emergency” service order describing the issue. The leak was in the bathroom and behind the wall connecting to my tub. The only thing I could hope for was a speedy acceptance of the service order and the FAST arrival of a service provider.

Faster than a speeding bullet!

Service Order was posted at 10:00AM
Immediately accepted
Total time of resolution: 3 hours, 20 minutes

Great response time and the time to resolve certainly was the icing on the cake. The water leak was noticed early and corrected in record time so that there was no significant damage. This is the best news any homeowner could hear. Indoor swimming pool averted!

ServiceLive is live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including holidays.

Thank you,

Very satisfied customer

Tags: Home Repair, Leak, plumbing, Repair, servicelive

How to Prevent Costly Home Repairs

Posted by Frank under Homeowner, Tips

While major plumbing problems are best left to professional plumbers, there are several precautions homeowners can take to prevent costly repairs. We are in the summer season, but be prepared for the winter.

• Disconnect outside water hoses. Water left in the hoses can freeze and expand, causing faucets and connecting pipes inside your home to break.

• When pipes freeze, water pressure builds causing cracks - no matter if the pipe is made of plastic, copper or steel. Even a tiny crack can unleash more than 250 gallons of water in a single day.

• If your home has interior shut-off valves leading to outside faucets, close them and drain water from lines.

• Cover outside faucets using a faucet insulation kit available at home centers.

• Insulate pipes in unheated areas, such as garages or crawl spaces, with heat tape or thermostat-controlled heat cables.

• Seal door and window leaks to reduce cold air drafts.

• Your water heater works harder during cold weather. Flush it out and remove sediment buildup, which causes corrosion, shortens its life span and reduces heating efficiency. Drain several gallons from the faucet near the bottom of the tank through a hose directed into a nearby drain.

• Carefully test the water heater’s pressure relief valve (water is very hot) by lifting up on the lever and letting it snap back. The valve should allow a burst of hot water into the drainpipe. If not, call a professional to have a new valve installed.

• Set the water heater’s thermostat at 120°F for optimum performance.

• Clear leaves and debris from downspouts to ensure easy drainage when water freezes and thaws.

• Inspect and clean sump pump and pit. Pumps exposed to extreme cold can freeze, preventing the pump from operating.

• When leaving home for extended periods, shut off the main water valve and drain the system by opening faucets at the highest and lowest points of the house. Keep the heat on and set no lower than 58 degrees.

By following these tips, you can save in costly repairs and reduce your utility costs. It’s always best to consult with a professional if you’re not comfortable with following the tips above. If you’re a homeowner you can create a Simple Buyer account with ServiceLive and have a qualified Plumber perform an inspection before the winter arrives.

Tags: homeowners, plumbers, plumbing, repairs, servicelive, Tips