It can be tempting to try to resolve plumbing issues in the home, especially when they seem to be rather basic. Thankfully, many plumbing problems are relatively straightforward and can be fixed with a basic set of tools. DIY work saves time, money and headache, plus gives you the bragging rights that you’ve fixed yet another thing around the home.
However, there are many plumbing issues that are best left to the pros, and trying to tackle them on your own will only leave you with a bigger mess and more costly repairs. Let’s take a look at the various jobs you can expect to complete on your own and those that should be left to a professional set of eyes.
Top DIY Plumbing Jobs
-Â Â Â Â Â Stopping a toilet from running incessantly
-Â Â Â Â Â Getting a toilet to flush
-Â Â Â Â Â Repairing a toilet handle
-Â Â Â Â Â Fixing a dripping faucet
-Â Â Â Â Â Installing a new faucet
-Â Â Â Â Â Sealing around sinks and bathtubs
-Â Â Â Â Â Repairing a leaky showerhead
-Â Â Â Â Â Unclogging a faucet or bathtub drain
The good news about DIY jobs is that they are uncomplicated and have easy steps to follow. You may already know how to tackle these repairs, or you can easily look online for helpful, step-by-step information.
Now let’s look at the jobs that you shouldn’t attempt on your own – the ones best left for the professional plumbers.
Top Professional Plumbing Jobs
-Â Â Â Â Â Replacing or moving major fixtures, such as sinks and bathtubs
-Â Â Â Â Â Replacing valves
-Â Â Â Â Â Gas line issues (most areas require that you hire a licensed plumber to work with gas lines because of safety issues)
-Â Â Â Â Â Sump pumps and water heaters
-Â Â Â Â Â Severe clogs
-Â Â Â Â Â Main line stoppage
-Â Â Â Â Â Any setting where a permit is required, such as home additions or remodels
There are various reasons why these jobs require the work of a professional, but you can be certain that if you attempt them on your own, you’ll end up with more work than you anticipated. Some jobs may appear easy, such as replacing a valve in the shower, but this project can cause extensive damage to your walls if you don’t select the right size valve. Other jobs are complex because of the type of equipment you would be working with, such as sump pumps and water heaters that have intricate inner workings.
If you’re ever in doubt about a potential plumbing repair, call our team at Troy Trawick. Our locally owned and operated business is familiar with the best parts, tools and techniques for all plumbing projects.
Image c/o: wikipedia.org
