Do It Yourself is Great, but Trust the Pros when it comes to Plumbing
There are plenty of around-the-house jobs that homeowner can and should take on themselves. Things like maintaining the yard, painting a room or even adding a light fixture are within the skills of most homeowners. Doing these kinds of projects by yourself can save money and provide a great sense of pride knowing that you have added value and appeal to your home. However, for all but the most talented and experienced do-it-yourselfers, plumbing is something best left to the pros. Consult with a plumber for any reworking of the pipes in your home, and call an emergency plumber if you have a leak or overflow situation.
One of the main reasons you should not attempt plumbing work by yourself is simply how important plumbing is to the overall operation of a home. If you make a mistake painting a wall, it is easily remedied at any time. However, a mistake fixing plumbing under a sink could lead to expensive damage and long term harm to the structure of the house. It is not good enough to read a couple plumbing articles and go ahead with moving or installing pipes. Unless you are very experienced and confident in your ability, using a professional to do the plumbing work in your home is the wise decision.
Another reason to avoid doing your own plumbing work is the complexity with which plumbing systems operate. It is far more complex than just connecting some pipes to bring water in and take water away from your home. There are building codes to consider, and standard procedures that need to be followed. If you fall short in any of those areas, you will risk have a catastrophic failure at some point in the future and ending up with a major repair job.
You should also not attempt your own plumbing repair when you face an emergency like a burst pipe or an overflowing toilet. In these cases, the best course of action is to call an emergency plumber and have them address the situation as soon as possible. You should not attempt your own repairs in these situations because every minute that goes by is more damage that can be done to your house. If you spend a half an hour trying to fix a leak, only to realize you can’t fix it, you have lost valuable time that can’t be recovered. Whatever damage is done from the leak will be significantly worse than if you had picked up the phone immediately after finding the leak.
Knowing the difference between what jobs you can take on and which need professional attention is an important skill for a homeowner to have. While you certainly don’t need to call in help for every single job around the house, there are some tasks that require experience and knowledge beyond that of most average people. Plumbing is one of those areas where most people are not capable to doing a quality repair or remodel work. When faced with the need for a plumbing change in your home, you would be smart to call out for help. Likewise, when there is a leak that requires immediate attention, call an emergency plumber to get the job done right the first time.