Do you love to save money? If so, you probably try doing everything yourself, such as painting and yard work, and even changing your own oil.
But there are certain things you shouldn’t try doing yourself. Without specialized training and tools, you can break something, leading to even costlier repairs. Or worse, you could hurt yourself, as is often the case with DIY electrical repairs.
When it comes to plumbing repairs, you usually aren’t in danger. In fact, there are a handful of simple plumbing repairs that you should do yourself.
But there are a few plumbing problems you shouldn’t attempt on your own. Not only can you break a sink, a toilet, or a faucet, but you can damage a waterline or cause flooding in your home. Not good.
Keep reading to learn about seven instances when you should call a plumbing service rather than taking the DIY approach.
- Flooding
If you ever come home to any amount of flooding, whether it’s covering your entire home, or it’s just a small part of your home like the laundry, you shouldn’t try solving this issue on your own.
When flooding is occurring, something in your plumbing system has failed. However, it may be holding on just enough to prevent excess flooding. Trying to fix this yourself can cause further damage to the pipe and lead to even worse flooding.
Call a plumber, such as Maintracts Services Ltd, to find the root cause of the issue and have it repaired by a professional so you know for sure that your home won’t flood in the future.
- Persistent Drain Clogs
If you have ever tried fixing plumbing problems before, it’s probably been a clogged drain. Whether it’s in the sink or bathtub, a clogged drain is a big problem.
There is too much debris building up in the drain, preventing water from leaving your home. This can lead to foul smells and unsanitary home conditions.
Most homeowners try flushing the clog away using a drain cleaner. These often work for smaller clogs, however, the solution is usually only temporary. In order for the clog to be completely cleared all the way through your pipe, you need the tools and expertise that come with a professional plumber.
Otherwise, you’ll waste tons of money buying drain cleaner every week.
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- Problems With a Gas Line
One of the most vital, yet dangerous components of a comfortable home, is the gas line. Natural gas enters our homes and works to heat up our homes and the water that we use.
However, a gas leak can be very dangerous. Oftentimes, it’s easy to tell if you have a gas leak. Because natural gas can be odorless, utility providers will add a harmless chemical to the gas to make it smell terrible, often like rotten eggs.
If you ever smell something like this, get out of the house and call a plumber right away.
If you are ever tempted to tamper with gas lines, your fireplace, or your water heater, don’t. Your life and the lives of your family are at stake. These should only ever be touched by qualified professionals.
- Plumbing Installation
There are many instances where homeowners might want to add new plumbing to their homes. Maybe they have an empty basement and want to install a laundry unit or construct a bathroom down there.
But adding new plumbing lines is a very complex process. It is possible to do in an existing home, but should often be completed during a larger remodel since walls and floors generally need to be torn apart.
The addition of new plumbing is also regulated by local municipalities. That means, the city’s planning department is going to need to approve your plumbing project and inspect it during and afterward to ensure you performed the work properly.
But if you are not a licensed plumber, you likely won’t get the thumbs up from the city, putting you in a tricky situation.
- Appliance, Toilet, or Sink Installation
If you are relatively handy, it can be tempting to try swapping out appliances on your own. However, it’s rarely a simple job, especially if you have an older home.
A toilet, for example, needs to be sized perfectly to fit the drainpipe in the ground, along with the water pipes along the wall. Toilets also need to be installed perfectly over the drainpipe, sealed properly, and leveled properly, so they don’t wobble.
It’s harder than it sounds and is best left to someone with experience unless you want to risk toilet problems in the future.
- Underground or Internal Pipes
Need to access hidden pipes? Don’t bother doing it yourself. If they are outside, then they are underground. Inside pipes are hidden within the walls and floors of the house.
It’s unlikely you are going to know the exact spot to access the pipes, so you might cause a lot of unnecessary damage. On top of that, breaking something in one of these pipes is likely going to cause some larger issues.
- Bad Smells
Do you notice any foul smells in your home? They are most often found in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room; AKA any room with drainage pipes.
As the years go by, debris and film collect on the inside of your drainage pipes. If they aren’t cleared and cleaned on a regular basis, they can eventually begin to produce a foul odor.
It can be tricky to find the source of the odor, and even harder to clean your pipes well enough to get rid of it. If drain cleaner doesn’t work, you know what to do; call a plumber.
Plumbing Repairs You Can DIY
So is there anything you should try doing on your own? Sure, a clogged toilet is often solved with a plunger and a little elbow grease.
Dripping pipes are usually the result of loose fitting. Just tighten everything you see and you’ll often fix the issue. Other than the basics, however, it’s always best to call a qualified professional.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help With Plumbing Problems
There’s nothing worse than trying to save money by attempting plumbing repairs on your own, only to break something and create a bigger, more expensive problem.
There’s always a risk when you take the DIY approach. But when it comes to plumbing, and other highly technical areas, it’s always best to call a professional right from the start. You’ll be glad you did.
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