Although some plumbing work is easy to do, most tasks are best left to a professional plumber. DIY plumbing work will often lead to issues down the road unless you know exactly what you’re doing. Simply watching a how-to video online is never going to provide the same level of results as having the work done by an experienced, licensed plumber. In this article, we’ll explain some common issues that can arise from DIY plumbing. We’ll also look at the signs that can indicate you need to call a Glendale, AZ, plumber.
Leaks and Water Damage
The biggest risk with plumbing systems is that they can end up leaking and causing major water damage to a home. Even if you’re just trying to replace or repair a faucet, there’s always a chance it will leak or have issues with dripping. Even worse, you could easily end up breaking one of the water lines if you’re not extremely careful when detaching or reattaching the flexible supply hoses. If this were to happen, the only way to prevent major flooding in your kitchen or bathroom is to immediately shut off the valve on your main water line. Even if you shut the water off within a minute or two, you’ll still end up with a major mess. A broken pipe can release nearly 50 gallons of water in a single minute.
Sometimes a home’s main shut-off valve can get stuck if it hasn’t been closed for a few years. This will prevent you from being able to shut your water off. You could even end up causing your main water line to break if you use too much force trying to close the valve. In either case, you’ll have to call the water department’s emergency line so that they can send someone out to close the valve in the street.
While you’re waiting for them to arrive, you could end up with hundreds or thousands of gallons of water flooding your house and causing extensive water damage. At this point, you’d usually need to hire a flood restoration company. This ensures everything fully dries before mold starts growing. You’ll possibly need to have any carpets and sections of drywall that got soaked, torn out, and replaced. This can potentially cost thousands of dollars to repair all the damage caused by the flooding.
High Water Bills
One of the more common plumbing issues you’ll eventually encounter is when a component in your toilet, like the flapper or fill valve, wears out. This leads to the toilet running occasionally on its own or never shutting off. This is an issue people often just ignore or just temporarily fix by jiggling the handle whenever the toilet doesn’t stop running. That said, it’s likely not something you should ignore for too long since it will lead to your next month’s water bill skyrocketing. While a toilet that frequently runs may not seem like a big deal, it often ends up wasting up to 200 gallons of water per day.
The issue with trying to solve an issue like this on your own is that you often won’t fix the problem or could even make it worse in the long run. That means your water bill will still be much higher than it should, and you’ll likely eventually need to hire a plumber if you can’t figure out how to repair the issue on your own. The fact that your water bill can increase so much from even a minor issue like a dripping faucet, running toilet, or pinhole leak means you’ll end up paying more compared to what you’d pay a plumber in the first place.
Insurance Issues
You can also end up encountering issues with your insurance company if you do any DIY plumbing work. Let’s say that in the process of the work you end up breaking a water line or putting a hole in it and causing a leak. Most homeowner’s insurance policies cover the cost to repair water damage caused by a sudden, unexpected plumbing problem like a broken pipe or a leaky dishwasher. What they almost certainly won’t cover is water damage that occurs because of you trying to work on your plumbing yourself and damaging it. In cases of a major leak that causes extensive water damage, you could end up paying at least a few thousand dollars out of your own pocket. Possibly much more if the water damage results in a serious mold issue.
Another thing to consider is that a licensed plumbing contractor must be fully insured. If you hire a plumber to do any work in your home and they cause a leak or any other damage, you can file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance company. They will pursue the plumbing company and their insurance provider to get the damages covered. That means you won’t need to worry about your insurance rates going up when you file the claim. If you caused the damage yourself and tried to file a claim, it would likely be denied. There’s also a chance that your insurance company would deem you high risk and raise your rates if they don’t just drop you altogether.
Signs You Need to Hire a Plumber
One obvious sign that you should hire a plumber is if your water bill is suddenly much higher than normal. This almost always indicates you have a plumbing leak. In this case, you want to act immediately since even tiny hidden leaks can eventually result in major structural damage and lead to serious mold issues. A dripping faucet or running toilet doesn’t require an emergency plumbing service. However, you’ll end up paying more the longer you wait due to all of the wasted water.
Drain and sewer issues are also things that require the help of a plumber. You can often unclog a drain or toilet with a plunger, but it’s best to call a plumber if plunging doesn’t fix the issue. Using drain cleaner has the potential to cause further damage since all products contain extremely corrosive chemicals. Sewer issues are an especially big concern since they can lead to waste backing up inside your house and contaminating things with harmful pathogens. A clog or other sewer issue is also not something you can fix yourself since you don’t have the proper equipment. Even worse, a backup can indicate your sewer line is broken, which can end up flooding your yard with sewage and damaging your home’s foundation.
With 45+ years of experience serving Glendale, Christian Brothers Air Conditioning Plumbing Electrical is the company to contact for all your plumbing repair, routine maintenance, and installation needs. We can also handle all your other home service needs, from electrical work to your air conditioning and heating. Whether you’re dealing with a leak, a toilet that won’t shut off, or any other plumbing issue, give Christian Brothers Air Conditioning Plumbing Electrical a call to get the prompt service you need at an honest, affordable price.
