There are always going to be times when your home needs plumbing work, whether it’s replacing a faucet or showerhead, unclogging a drain or fixing a running toilet. Provided you have the right tools and equipment, certain plumbing tasks are relatively easy to do yourself and avoid the cost of hiring a local expert plumber. Nonetheless, DIY plumbing can carry some risks even if it’s just a basic project.
There are also certain projects and plumbing issues that you shouldn’t attempt on your own and are best left to an experienced professional.
Types of Plumbing Work You May Be Able to Do Yourself
Generally speaking, you should only ever attempt to do very basic plumbing work yourself. Something like replacing a shower head is incredibly simple and just involves shutting off the water and then using a wrench to unscrew the existing faucet and screw on the new one. However, even this isn’t without risk, as you could break the pipe the shower head screws onto if you’re not careful and either use too much force or overtighten the shower head.
Replacing a faucet is also relatively easy, but it often requires you to lie on your back underneath the cabinet to disconnect the faucet from the sink and then reconnect the new faucet. You also need to be careful not to break the pipes that stick through the wall when connecting the flexible hoses for the faucet.
Fixing a running toilet is another job you might be able to do yourself, depending on what is causing the toilet to run. If the issue is a worn-out flapper, you can usually remove the old one and replace it in just a few minutes. That said, the fill tube and flapper are connected on some toilet models, which makes the job a bit more difficult. Retightening a toilet that’s loose and rocks is also simple, but you have to be extra careful not to overtighten the nuts or else you can crack the porcelain and ruin the toilet.
If you have a clogged sink drain, you’ll often be able to unclog it using a sink plunger. You can also try using a pipe snake if you own one and plunging the drain doesn’t work, but you need to be careful that you don’t damage the drain pipe.
Understanding the Risks of DIY Plumbing
When considering whether it’s worth trying to tackle any plumbing work yourself, you need to make sure to consider the potential risks beforehand. Safety is always a concern when doing plumbing work, as the last thing you want to do is accidentally injure yourself. Far too many people end up needing to go to the emergency room to get stitches because they got cut while trying to do a DIY home project.
While DIY plumbing can save you money, the other big concern is that you might damage your plumbing and make things far worse. If you end up breaking a pipe, you’ll have to leave your water off until you can get a plumber out to replace the pipe. This type of repair can be fairly expensive, especially if you break the pipe in your shower or one of the pipes that supply a sink.
Cracking your toilet or bathroom sink is also a major hassle, as you’ll need to buy a new one and have a plumber come in to swap it out with the old one. You could also cause a hidden leak when doing certain things, resulting in water leaking out behind a wall or in a ceiling. In this case, you could then have to replace quite a bit of drywall and potentially have to deal with mold issues as well. Should any of these things happen, the amount you’ll have to pay to get the damage you caused fixed will be much more than what it would’ve cost you to hire a plumber to do the work in the first place.
Another thing you should consider when it comes to DIY plumbing work is the potential insurance implications. Licensed plumbing companies are generally always insured. If a plumber damages something or causes a leak, you’ll be able to get their insurance to cover the repair costs. If you do the work yourself and something goes wrong, you’ll be responsible for the additional costs yourself. That’s because homeowner’s insurance policies generally always have a clause that says that any damage that results from DIY work isn’t covered.
Situations That Necessitate Calling a Plumber
Some plumbing work is much too risky or complicated to attempt yourself, and some tasks aren’t something you could even do yourself due to not having the right equipment. Projects that fall into the latter category include anything to do with your sewer system, such as unclogging the sewer line or repairing/replacing it.
Sewer issues or issues with the drains throughout your house are something you want to call a plumber for immediately, so you can hopefully avoid sewage backing up inside your house. Leak detection is another thing you’ll need a plumber for, due to the complexity of finding and then repairing hidden leaks. Plumbers have specialized equipment that allows them to quickly find and pinpoint the exact location of a leak behind a wall or cabinet, inside a floor or ceiling and even under a concrete slab.
Any work involving a gas line should only ever be done by a licensed plumber. Even a small gas leak could result in your home catching on fire or even exploding, which isn’t a risk you should ever take. It’s also illegal for anyone who isn’t licensed to work on gas lines.
Major projects like adding new plumbing fixtures, moving existing pipes, and replacing a water heater should also be handled by a professional. Not only are these types of projects difficult and complex, but they often require a plumbing permit and must be inspected once complete to make sure they conform to code requirements.
Doing any plumbing work yourself that doesn’t meet code can lead to major headaches later on. For starters, if you decide to do major renovations in the future, you’ll be required to have a licensed plumber fix anything that isn’t up to code. The plumbing inspector could also fine you if they find any work that wasn’t done with a permit.
Another potential concern is that you may not be able to sell your house for as much as you might’ve if you’re plumbing system doesn’t meet code. That’s because the home inspector will usually spot any code issues and report them to the prospective buyer. The buyer will then likely try to get you to fix the issues or want that cost knocked off the sale price.
For plumbing services you can trust, Christian Brothers Air Conditioning Plumbing Electrical is the company to turn to. We’ve been serving Glendale and the Phoenix Metro since 1976 and have been repeatedly voted as the area’s number one plumbing service. No matter what type of plumbing work you need, you can trust that we’ll handle it correctly. We provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all our services and won’t rest until you’re happy.
To schedule service from one of our experts, contact us today.
