Homeowners often take on projects themselves. They may be trying to save money, or they may be doing it for a sense of accomplishment. However, there are certain kinds of projects that should never be done yourself. Electrical work is an obvious one, but most plumbing projects fall into this category, as well. Here are 5 reasons why you should never perform serious plumbing work on your own.
Image by Steve Buissinne
It Is Necessary for Legal Reasons
Plumbers are trained to do work that complies with local and national regulations. This means that you may not be able to legally sell your house until a new plumber comes in to replace the second bathroom you installed on your own. Or, you’ll simply be hit with fines for having done work that doesn’t meet the necessary plumbing codes.
You Could Cause Significant Damage to Your Home
If you install the wrong pipe in the wrong place, you can almost guarantee that leaks will form. If you have an imperfect fit, it will leak. If the materials are incompatible, it will corrode until you have leaks. If the new pipe isn’t strong enough, it will break and cause a major flood. Improper connections can leak, too. This could ruin your carpets and wood floors or damage the structure of your home.
It Is More Cost-Effective to Hire a Professional
It is generally more cost-effective to hire a professional plumber than do it yourself. They have all the tools required to do the job right. When you hire a pro, you don’t have to spend hours researching what you need, much less buying or renting tools you’ll rarely use. You won’t end up making matters worse with cheap workarounds, too, like putting marbles or ball bearings in place of proper bathroom fixtures.
Good plumbers will charge you a fair rate, based on the size and scope of the problem. For example, people like Gillies plumbers, for instance, will be able to fix a leaking toilet, clear a blocked drain or track down the concealed leak in the walls of your home. They price by the job, and they don’t charge you a call-out fee. Furthermore, their work is guaranteed. DIY enthusiasts don’t have experience using their fast, non-invasive leak detection methods.
It Puts Your Safety at Risk
The average homeowner is qualified to replace taps and showerheads. However, most homeowners lack the tools or expertise to replace a water heater tank, whether it is heated by electric heating elements or natural gas.
You can run into problems if you don’t properly segregate clean water from wastewater. If you’re working with hot water lines, the odds are that you’re dealing with copper pipes. The best way to cut these is with a blow torch, and, if you don’t have welding experience, you could get seriously burned.
You’re Left Exposed if You Do It on Your Own
Don’t assume insurance will cover the damages your mistakes may cause because DIY plumbing voids your homeowner’s insurance. A licensed plumber’s insurance should cover the costs associated with any mistake they make. This is why you should verify that a plumber has both insurance and a license before they do any work.
Furthermore, your home insurance is void if a claim is made against work that was illegal in the first place. Your warranty could also be void if you install a plumbing appliance like a dishwasher yourself.
Even though the savings might be tempting, you can’t afford to tackle important plumbing projects by yourself. Hire a professional and know that it gets done right the first time.
