As a homeowner, you’ll do anything to keep your home in good shape. And this means taking care of your plumbing, your electrical system, and monitoring the house for any possible damage.
Believe it or not, about 93 percent of most water damage in your home is preventable. But does that mean you should attempt to maintain your home’s plumbing on your own?
Absolutely not. Some do it yourself plumbing repairs put your home at risk for worse damage. Here are a few of the most common problems you should leave to the experts.
1. Replacing Broken or Damaged Pipes
Pipes get bent, dented, and broken all the time. And while it may seem simple enough to replace them yourself, it’s always best to leave the job to the pros.
If you try to fix a broken pipe yourself, there’s a chance that the damage will spread to neighboring plumbing. Worse, you could cause extensive water damage to the rest of your home.
If you think you have a damaged pipe, take a step back and call your plumber.
2. Unclogging Drains
Some drain clogs are simple. After all, almost everyone has unclogged a toilet with a plunger before.
But other clogs are a bit more complicated. This often leaves homeowners reaching for the liquid clog remover. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
The clog remover will get rid of the clog, but it’s incredibly corrosive. This means it eats through your pipes and can damage the rest of your home’s plumbing with repeated use.
If there’s a clog you can’t easily see by removing the drain cap, call a pro. They’ll get rid of it safely.
3. Searching for Leaks
Believe it or not, the spot where you’re seeing a leak is often not the place where the leak originated. And even if you manage to fix the spot where you see water pooling, you open your home up to mold and mildew growth.
When left unchecked, mold and mildew can cause all sorts of upper respiratory problems for your family.
If you have a leak, even a minor one, you’ll need to call a plumber. They’ll be able to find the exact source of the leak and repair it to prevent future damage.
4. Repairing a Leaking Hot Water Heater
It should come as no surprise that how water heaters are tricky to work with. And sometimes, they can start to leak without warning.
Fixing those leaks yourself is one thing that you should never do. Most water heaters rely on gas to heat the water. When you make repairs on your own, you run the risk of damaging the gas connections and causing gas leaks in your house.
Even if it seems like a minor issue, call your plumber. Putting your family at risk just because you tried to fix a slow drip is the last thing you should ever want to do.
5. Installing a New Hot Water Heater
Gas leaks aren’t the only hazard you’ll face with water heaters. You also have to worry about electricity.
If your house needs a new hot water heater, schedule an installation appointment with your plumber. This guarantees that the unit gets installed correctly. But it also preserves the new unit’s warranty.
To keep the manufacturer’s warranty valid and in place for the full term, you must get a professional to install the unit. Otherwise, the manufacturer won’t honor the warranty. And if anything goes wrong, you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket for the repairs.
6. Working on Your Gas Line
Most homes have gas lines either running to their hot water heaters or their appliances. And anytime there’s an issue with that gas line, it’s time to call a professional.
Working on any type of gas appliance is dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. But working on your gas line is even riskier.
If you suspect anything wrong with your gas supply, call a professional immediately.
7. Fixing a Damaged Sewer Line
Sewer lines transport waste and gray water to the water treatment facility. But when they get damaged, you may end up having the contents of your sewer line spilling out of your drains and your toilets.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to fix the problem yourself. You’ll want to call your plumber immediately.
Listen for strange gurgling or bubbling noises coming from the drains. If you hear them, schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
8. Moving Pipes
Rerouting plumbing may seem simple. But doing it well takes training and experience.
If you move the pipe to the wrong spot or fail to seal everything correctly, you could have a massive leak behind your walls and fixtures.
If you’re trying to move things around, leave it to a professional. They’ll make use the best materials and move the pipes where it makes the most sense for your home or project.
9. Anything Underground
Unfortunately, many plumbing problems involve going underneath your house or working underground. These are tasks you should never try to handle yourself.
Pros have the right tools and experience to make sure they don’t damage the rest of your property. According to this plumbing company, working underground without training can cause damage to your home’s foundation.
10. Fixing a Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals are a convenient way to get rid of food waste, but they can and do break. If you find that yours won’t turn on or isn’t grinding things up properly, try hitting the reset button.
If this isn’t enough to fix the problem, don’t start troubleshooting on your own. Call your plumber. They know how to take the unit apart and put it back together properly.
And even better, they’ll keep your system’s warranty intact during the repairs.
Avoid Do It Yourself Plumbing
If it’s something minor like plunging a clogged toilet to get rid of a toilet paper clog, feel free to tackle the job on your own. But in general, avoid most do it yourself plumbing tasks whenever possible.
Most plumbers offer 24-hour service so you never have to worry about unexpected emergencies popping up in the middle of the night. And when you get the problem fixed right the first time, your home will stay in better condition.
For more tips on home maintenance, check out our latest posts.