What Portland Plumbing Help is
Portland Plumbing Help is a free phone referral service. When you call, we connect you with an independent local plumbing company that serves your area. We are not a plumbing company. We don't repair pipes, clear drains, install water heaters, service boilers, employ plumbers or set prices.
Why we exist
When water is coming through the ceiling, most people don't know where the shut-off is, whether it's an emergency, what a plumber should charge or how to check a license. We try to make that simpler: one number to call for plumbing help in Portland, ME and nearby towns, plus clear, locally grounded information on this site about frozen pipes, emergencies, water heaters, drains, sewer lines, leaks, sump pumps, toilets, faucets and boilers.
What people call us about
Where we take calls from
We focus on Portland, Maine, including the West End, Munjoy Hill, the Old Port, Bayside, Parkside, Back Cove, Deering Center, North Deering, East Deering, Riverton, Oakdale, Stroudwater and Libbytown and Rosemont, plus South Portland, Biddeford, Saco, Yarmouth and Peaks Island. If you're nearby but outside these areas, call and we'll tell you whether a company covers your address.
How the referral process works
- You call and briefly describe the problem and where you are.
- We connect your call to an independent plumbing company that serves your area and is available.
- You talk to the company directly about the problem, scheduling and how they price their work.
- You decide whether to book. There's no obligation and no fee from us.
Companies may pay a fee for the referrals they receive. That's how this service is funded, and it's why calling is free for you. It doesn't change the price you agree with the company.
What we are, and what we aren't
| Portland Plumbing Help does | Portland Plumbing Help does not |
|---|---|
| Connect your call to an independent local plumbing company | Perform plumbing, drain, sewer, water heater or heating work, or send our own plumbers |
| Publish free guidance on emergencies, winter plumbing, licensing and hiring | Set or quote prices |
| Tell you upfront that we're a referral service | Promise a company's availability, arrival time or results |
| Encourage you to verify licenses, ask about permits and get terms in writing | Hold plumbing or fuel licenses, pull permits or issue warranties |
You stay in control
The company you're connected with is an independent business, responsible for its own licensing, insurance, permits, pricing and workmanship. Before work begins, we encourage you to:
- ask for the plumber's Maine license, issued through the Plumbers' Examining Board
- for oil or gas burner work, ask about a Maine Fuel Board license, which you can verify online for free
- ask whether the job needs a permit from the local plumbing inspector
- get the price, or how it's calculated, before work starts, and the warranty in writing
For a full checklist, see how to find a reputable plumber in Portland. For pricing, see our plumbing cost guide.
How we research this site
Our guides draw on primary sources wherever possible, and we update them when the facts change. The main ones are:
- Maine Revised Statutes on plumbing licenses (32 M.R.S. §3302) and plumbing permits (30-A M.R.S. §4215)
- The Maine Fuel Board and the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board
- The Maine Public Utilities Commission's Dig Safe requirements
- Portland Water District's lead service line inventory and annual water quality report
- The US Department of Energy's water heating guidance
- American Red Cross and Consumer Reports guidance on frozen pipes, NOAA climate data and US Census Bureau housing data