More numbers that spell DRAIN
Local matches first, then toll-free.
How people call a plumber
Most plumbing calls are not planned. A pipe lets go under the sink, a water heater starts dripping, or the toilet backs up an hour before guests arrive. The person calling is standing in water with a phone in one hand, and they dial whoever they can find fastest: the magnet on the fridge, the truck they saw on the street last week, or the first result that loads.
That is where a number that spells something earns its place. DRAIN or LEAK is easy to recall from a passing van, and it is easy to say over the phone to a neighbour who asks who fixed yours.
Where to put it
- The side and back of the van. People read a word at a red light. They don't read ten digits.
- The invoice and the sticker on the water heater. The next emergency comes from the same house, sometimes years later.
- Door hangers and yard signs on jobs you are finishing, so the neighbours see it too.
After hours
Calls to the number ring the phone you already carry, so a 2 a.m. call reaches you the same way your current line does. If you miss it, the caller lands in your normal voicemail. Texts to the number arrive as email, which suits a customer sending the address and a description of the leak before you call back.
Local or toll-free
A local area code tells a homeowner you are nearby, and for plumbing that matters. If DRAIN is taken in your area code, a nearby one or a toll-free number is the next best choice. The table below shows how hard each word is to get.
Which of these words you can get
The shorter the word, the more numbers can spell it. Toll-free is one national pool, so a word that is taken in your area code can still be free there.
| Word | Letters | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| DRAIN | 5 | Harder to find. Up to 100 per area code. A neighbouring area code or toll-free often has one. |
| LEAK | 4 | Usually available. Up to 1,000 per area code, though popular trade words go first. The live results above show what is free today. |
| PIPE | 4 | Usually available. Up to 1,000 per area code, though popular trade words go first. The live results above show what is free today. |
| FLOW | 4 | Usually available. Up to 1,000 per area code, though popular trade words go first. The live results above show what is free today. |
| PLUMB | 5 | Harder to find. Up to 100 per area code. A neighbouring area code or toll-free often has one. |
Why plumbers pick a number that spells something
The same three things every business gets, in the words your customers use.
Keep your phone
Calls forward to the line you already answer. Nothing to install.
Live in a minute
Pay and the number is active. Put it on the sign tonight.
$9 a month
100 minutes included, then 5¢ a minute. Toll-free adds $3. Cancel any time.