We live in the DIY era, where instead of calling in an interior designer to decorate our homes, we go to Pinterest to search for inspirations and take on the job ourselves. The same goes for the repairs in our homes, where we would rather Google how to fix broken pipes than engage the help of a general plumber.
Our urge to resort to these self-help measures is primarily fueled by our attempt to save on the costs of hiring a professional service, like that of an expert plumber Western Sydney or plumbing contractors based near the metropolitan area. While the Internet has blessed us with a wealth of resources—DIY guides and tutorials to do almost anything under the sun—there are just things that are better left to the professionals for safety and compliance. This is particularly true for your plumbing repair works.
Sure, a leaky faucet can be a relatively easy fix. But, keep in mind that it’s a different story for the following plumbing issues.
Why You Shouldn’t DIY These Plumbing Repairs
- Drain Clogs
There are several commercial products available to help you address clogged drains and pipes. These include plungers, plumber’s snakes, and chemicals. While they help, these items are only effective to a certain extent.
For example, while it’s somewhat true that the chemicals dissolve the blockage, what they don’t tell you is that they’re strong enough to gradually dissolve your pipes, too. In other cases, the clogs are just too complicated or too deep for the plunger or the snake to reach and they require special equipment that only professionals have.
- Gas Leaks & Gas Line Repairs
Your gas line is something that you would never want to experiment with if you lack experience. Damaging it can cause gas leaks, putting the health and safety of everyone in the household at risk, including your family, pets, and plants.
This level of danger illustrates the seriousness of why you shouldn’t attempt to fix any issue related to your gas line.
- Installation, Replacement, and Modification
There are just too many types and sizes of pipes, valves, connections, and other components used for different places and purposes. Use the wrong one and you’re putting yourself at risk of leaks, corrosion, clogs, even burst pipes.
The same goes for the installation of equipment such as water heaters. Improper installation or the use of an inadequate valve can damage the water heater or cause a pressure build-up which may lead to a serious injury. Make sure that you hire a professional to guarantee your safety during the process.
- Underground Repair Jobs
If any of your plumbing issues involve damaged internal pipes, you should know immediately that it’s a job for a licensed general plumber.
In most situations, you’ll have to dig or open a wall to access those pipes and some jurisdictions have laws in place stating that only licensed plumbers can do work on plumbing repairs and installations.
- Flooding & Standing Water
Clogged drains are a typical cause of flooding or pooling of water in your property. Therefore, it’s easy for you to think that removing the blockage would resolve the problem.
However, there are also other potential causes to this sudden pooling of water and it’s further down the pipes, where it’s inaccessible to you. These include invading tree roots or leaky underground pipes. There’s no way to find out unless you hire a general plumber who has the tools to dig deep, find the cause, and resolve it.
In summary, hiring a licensed general plumber will give you the confidence that the job will be done safely and efficiently, thus minimising the risk of problems down the road and even saving you money from further repairs.
For your plumbing works, contact your local plumber today.