Emergency Home Repair Service Calls During COVID-19 Pandemic Tips, Property Maintenance Advice

Emergency Home Repair Service Calls During COVID-19 Pandemic

2 June 2020

How To Handle Emergency Home Repair Service Calls During The COVID Pandemic

An emergency home repair can happen at any moment. From clogged plumbing to broken water pipes, homeowners are always concerned about a costly and annoying emergency. This concern is amplified during the current COVID pandemic. If an emergency home repair is needed during the coronavirus, what can a homeowner do?

In the pre-COVID world, homeowners could tackle home repairs, even emergency home repairs with less anxiety and stress. For instance, if a water heater broke, you would simply assess the problem and call the local repair experts like Fix It Right Plumbing in Australia.

During the COVID pandemic, repair service calls take on a different form. Not only are homeowners reluctant to let people inside their homes, the risk for getting COVID increases with outsider contact. What can homeowners do to navigate emergency home repair service calls during a pandemic?

Let’s take a closer look at how homeowners can protect themselves before, during, and after repair service calls.

Calling The Repair Company To Schedule Service

This is the first step, and it is a step that you would do whether there is a pandemic or not. However, the call will be very different than before. You will tell the repair company what the emergency is and why you need a repair professional to come fix it.

After that, the questions will become a bit more personal. Remember, the questions the repair company representative asks, and the questions you ask, are not intrusive anymore. They are simply trying to keep their workers safe while you are trying to keep you and your family safe too.

The repair company rep will probably ask if you, or anyone in your home, has had COVID. They will also ask if anyone in your home was quarantined as a precaution. This is pretty standard. You should ask how the repair company is ensuring their workers are safe to come to your home. These questions include:

Are you screening workers for COVID?
Are you testing workers for COVID?

Have any workers had coronavirus in the past?
Are the temperatures of workers being taken before shifts begin?
How is the company ensuring no worker is coming in feeling ill?

These questions are very important, because they can help you decide if you want the repair specialists from that company to come to your home.

Preparing Your Home For An Emergency Home Repair Service Call

Once you feel comfortable with a repair company, it is time to prepare your home for the emergency home repair service call. This is important, because you want to minimize movement of the worker in your home.

For example, clear a path for the worker to access the area where the repair needs to take place. If it is in the basement of your home, maybe a backdoor that has less access to the main areas of your home is best for entrance and exit of the worker.

You should also clear away any personal items around the path to the worksite and around the worksite. The guidance is six feet apart for safe distancing. This means that keeping items six feet away from the worksite is best practice. You can also place plastic down on the floor where the repair specialist will travel and work.

Practice Distancing During The Repair Service Call

When the repair specialist arrives at your home, ensure he or she is wearing protective equipment. This includes gloves, masks, aprons, face shields, and even boot covers. If the worker does not have protective equipment on or available, feel free to deny him or her entry into your home and call the repair company.

You should also be wearing protective equipment when talking to and showing the repair specialist where the emergency repair needs to happen. During the visit you should also limit time spent with the worker, and also keep a safe distance.

After The Emergency Home Repair Service Call

Once the repair specialist has finished the job, your job is not over. To ensure your home is safe, you will need to deep clean any area the worker may have been. Start by removing the plastic sheets you put in place on the floor.

Next, wash the areas with soap and spray down areas with antibacterial spray to further ensure areas are clean and safe. If possible, avoid all areas where the repair specialist was for at least 24 hours after cleaning.

When done cleaning, throw away gloves and protective equipment if disposable. You should also wash the clothing you wore during the service call and cleaning. Showering after is also a best practice.

Wrapping Up

Emergency home repairs can pose a serious problem for homeowners during the COVID pandemic. Staying safe and doing your due diligence to protect yourself and family before, during, and after a home repair service call is critical. If an emergency happens, be ready to tackle the problem safely.

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