Considering doing your own plumbing repairs or taking on a plumbing project on your own? Before you pick up the hammer and wrench, let’s consider a few things.
First, know that it’s entirely possible for you to DIY a plumbing project or repair in your home, given the right situation and assuming you’re the right kind of homeowner. That being said, there are important drawbacks to consider.
In this article, we’ll take you through the pros and cons of DIY plumbing projects vs. DFY (Done For You) plumbing services.
The Best DIY Plumbing Project: Maintenance
Given that the most common home plumbing problems are clogged toilets and sinks, and leaks from pipes, showers, tubs, and toilets, one of the best things you can DIY in your home is regular maintenance to head those problems off at the pass.
Regular maintenance includes:
- Visually inspecting pipes and fixtures twice a year, looking for corrosion, cracks or rust
- Checking your drains once a month to make sure they’re draining correctly, and there’s nothing impeding them like trash or debris
- Looking at your water heater every few months to make sure there’s no rust, then draining it once a year to keep the sediment levels down, especially if your home tends to have hard water
- Looking for any leaks around your tub, shower, and toilets every month or so
- Ensuring that your toilets are flushing correctly and that the elements in the tanks are working as they should
The Best Projects For DIY
Should you find problems as you perform your maintenance tasks, these are the kinds of projects that are ideal for DIY:
- Installing a new shower head
- Getting a slow drain working again
- Fixing a leak in a faucet
When Is It Time To Call A Professional?
The bottom-line answer to this question is that it’s time to call a professional when a plumbing project or repair is beyond your capabilities because of your knowledge, confidence and experience level.
Another time to call in the pros is when a project requires a licensed professional in order to be compliant with local building codes. Sticking to that guideline will ultimately save you time, headaches, and money.
What Are The Pros Of DIY Plumbing?
The upside of DIY plumbing comes down to three things:
- Saves you money. Professional plumbers have expensive tools, licenses, years of experience and training, plus the overhead of running their business. All that comes at a cost. For simple repairs or projects for which you’ve got the tools and know-how to do it, DIY saves you money.
- Adds to your skill set. Many videos online show you how to do basic plumbing repairs. When you take the time to watch and learn, and successfully complete your project, you’re racking up experience for the next time you or a friend encounter the same issue.
- Gives you the satisfaction of a job well done. It feels great to be able to say “I fixed that myself.” There’s a lot to be said for working with your hands, using the right tools, and feeling the victory of a successful outcome.
What Are The Cons Of DIY Plumbing?
The cons come in the form of dollars, time, and frustration. What can go wrong? What’s there to lose? In short, a lot.
Costs going through the roof
DIY plumbing is great for all the reasons listed above. That’s when all goes well. But a plumbing problem that goes horribly wrong can cause significant damage to your home and resulting in corresponding significant costs to repair.
Picture what it takes to repair the damage that a plumbing disaster can create: water from burst pipes damaging drywall, insulation, framing, flooring, or your ceiling. Clogged sewer lines causing toilets to overflow. A leaking water heater silently ruining whole sections of your home.
That’s just the short list of the kinds of situations we’ve been called in to rescue.
If you don’t have the right tools and knowledge or a particular project, leave it to the pros.
Being out of compliance with code
Building codes require that certain projects be done by a licensed professional, for the sake of safety and structural integrity. Repairs and installations that aren’t up to code can result in fines, or in you having to do costly remediation of items before you can sell your home.
Your lost time
Despite what they show on the home improvement shows, many plumbing repairs and projects can be extremely time consuming. That’s particularly true if you’re learning as you go.
When It’s Not An DIY Project, Give Us A Call.
When in doubt about a plumbing repair or project, give us a call at ASI Heating and Air. We’ve got the tools, the know-how, and the professionals to do the job right.
