GEM Plumbing Health & Safety Update – COVID-19

– Updated 9/1/2020 –

Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by COVID-19. As our own community, and those around the world, are struggling with Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its various variants, we are closely monitoring updates and recommendations from the CDC and our local health officials.

We know you rely on us when emergencies happen, and as always, are here for you. Our team continues to monitor the situation daily and is taking additional safety precautions to ensure we can continue to serve you while protecting your health and the health of our technicians.

ENHANCED TECHNICIAN PROTOCOL AND SAFETY MEASURES

• GEM technicians use one-time-use, disposable shoe covers and gloves and are taking precautions to clean tools and equipment. 
• Technicians, as well as our office staff, have been briefed on safety practices within our customers’ homes and on CDC’s recommendations for how we interact with one another. 
• Our employees are closely monitoring their own health. In the event there is any individual who is presenting symptoms or fear they may have been exposed, they will be self-quarantined, along with any employees they’ve been in contact with. 
• We have transitioned to a remote work model for all employees to limit any risk of exposure.
• If we don’t shake your hand, we mean no offense. We just want to minimize the spread of germs to keep everyone healthy.

Contactless service to keep you even safer

In order to deliver the service you need with less risk to you and your household, we’ve come up with some extra measures to help solve your problem without any contact between you and your technician.

Here’s how it works. We will:

• Give you a call or text when we arrive to greet you and sort out next steps over the phone.
• Go right to the system that needs attention — no need to lead us there personally.
• Wear a complete set of personal protective equipment, including a mask, to prevent contamination.
• Have you work any controls (like a thermostat) to reduce our contact with your devices.
• Use a “verbal” signature to sign off on invoices (instead of requiring an actual signature).
• Ensure any parts we need to complete the work are sent over safely and without contact.
• Send all documents electronically, and complete the payment without physical methods like cards or cash.

Here’s what you can do to help:

• Let us know if you have any concerns, and what you need from us to keep you safe and comfortable.
• Open all necessary doors for us, so we can walk right to the problem without touching doorknobs.
• Keep an eye out for our number so you don’t miss our call.
• Clear out any clutter from the work area to help us complete the job quickly and safely.

We want to assure you that we take safety as seriously as our work. We’re committed to continuing our service without exposing you or our staff to unnecessary risk — please let us know how else we can bring you more peace of mind.

Contactless Plumbing, HVAC, And Electrical Support

We understand you might be more cautious about who enters your home. Through our partnership with HomeX, our members can now speak to a vetted technician, over the phone or through video chat. The HomeX Remote Assist technicians can help you diagnose, and often fix issues without the need for a home visit. If the Remote Assist technician determines that you need an in-person service visit, we’ll send a tech to your home. They’ll already be briefed on exactly what’s wrong and have the right tools and parts to get started right away and get the job done quickly.

Remote Assist is free as a part of your GEM Home Advocate plan. If you are not a member, you are able to access free diagnoses through Remote Assist, and if we are able to solve the issue virtually. If the Remote Assist technician determines that you need a service visit, we’ll send out a tech and credit your invoice with the fee.

Remote Install Quote

Need a replacement instead of a repair? That’s where HomeX Remote Install Quote can help. Connect with a Home Comfort Advisor over the phone to discuss your issue, and if needed, share a live video chat to clarify the details and next steps. You’ll get a quote within an hour, which will be based on your unique system needs, and your Advisor will book your install for as early as the following day. All it takes is one call and one visit, and you’re all set!

Your Home hygiene

Home hygiene is always a top priority and especially when germs are likely to spread. It’s important to follow advice from the local health authorities and maintain good airflow in your home. You can practice good home hygiene by:

• Disinfecting and cleaning surfaces frequently.
• Ensuring your home’s vents and filters are clean. Central heating and cooling systems ventilate the air in our homes to protect our health.
• Improving indoor air quality with products that can filter very small particles, kill germs, and control humidity. This includes products such as high efficiency filter systems, air purification systems, humidifiers and dehumidifiers.
• Installing touchless faucets and other healthy home products like bidets.

As always, we encourage our customers to explore air quality products that can help keep their home healthier — we are currently providing $50 off the installation of these items.

Our top priority is your health and safety and we will continue to be here to assist you. We also ask that if you have been exhibiting any symptoms related to COVID-19, and you have recently had service, please call us so that we can help ensure the health and safety of our team members and other customers.