Is Your Plumbing Repair One You Should Never DIY? | Marrero, LA
Photo By Suzanne Tucker at Shutterstock
When your plumbing breaks down, it’s stressful and a huge inconvenience. And, some people may try to avoid paying for plumbing repairs by attempting a DIY solution. You might find a YouTube video that promises to take you through fixing the problem step-by-step. We can’t stress enough how bad of an idea this is. Plumbers are frequently called in to fix a problem that a homeowner tried to repair themselves initially. Not only will you end up paying for plumbing repairs anyways, but you also likely have made the situation significantly worse by trying to fix it yourself, so the bill will ultimately be higher. Or, you may put yourself in danger by repairing the issue incorrectly.
Whether we’ve convinced you or not that DIY plumbing is a terrible idea, here are the top plumbing repairs you should never, ever, attempt to DIY.
Gas Leaks and Gas Line Repairs
When you have a gas leak in the home, it’s an incredibly dangerous situation. The best-case scenario is that you immediately recognize the rotten egg smell and get every living thing out of the house. In the worst-case scenario, someone is sent to the hospital, or the home explodes.
The danger element is why you should never try to repair a gas leak or a gas line issue on your own. Call a plumber and notify them of the gas issue. They will be able to fix it safely.
Flooding
The most common reason for flooding is a blockage in the pipes. People often think that if they simply remove the clog, they’ll fix the issue. However, if the backup is far down in the lines, it’s likely impossible to reach without professional tools. And, while you attempt to access the clog, you run the risk of damaging the pipes. If you damage the pipes, it can lead to more flooding and other costly expenses.
Additionally, flooding isn’t always caused by a blockage. Sometimes flooding is caused by invading tree roots. This is another problem that is incredibly difficult to deal with if you’re inexperienced. Skip the hassle and call for plumbing repair as soon as you have flooding. You can’t afford to waste time as the flooding is likely causing more significant damage to your floors or lawn with every minute.
Standing Water
People see a pool of standing water and assume it’s a quick fix. Something must be leaking nearby and simply needs to be patched up, right? Wrong. Standing water in your basement, yard, or other parts of the house can be due to various problems. It could be a clogged sewer line, leaky pipes, or a crack in the foundation. Only an expert plumber can find the exact cause for the leak and repair it.
Additionally, standing water needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible. Standing water can cause damage to the house, to your health, and the environment. Call for plumbing repair before the standing water does more damage.
Frozen Pipes
If you live in an area with harsh climates, then you’ve likely dealt with frozen pipes before. If you have experienced frozen pipes once or twice in your home before, it can be frustrating to call for plumbing repair every winter. But, we’re here to tell you that only a plumber should handle frozen pipes.
Usually, you can wait for the weather to warm up a bit, and the pipes will unfreeze. If this doesn’t seem to be working, don’t try to warm the pipes up yourself. You’ll find articles telling you how to unfreeze your pipes yourself, but ignore this advice. When you unfreeze pipes too quickly, it can damage and weaken the piping. A weakened pipe is much more likely to burst, causing colossal damage to your plumbing and property.
Call for plumbing repair to unfreeze your pipes. If frozen pipes frequently happen to your home, discuss with your plumber some of your long-term solutions.
Installing New Appliances
We get it; you just paid a lot of money for a brand new appliance. The last thing you want to do is pay for the installation. But, unless you know what you’re doing, installing plumbing appliances on your own can be very dangerous. For example, a water heater deals with 240 volts of electricity for installation. Unless you know how to install it safely and adhere to building codes simultaneously, it’s best to call a professional plumber. Otherwise, you run the risk of electrocuting yourself or starting an electrical fire.
Don’t forget that incorrectly installing your appliance can lead to unintended consequences, such as:
- You install it poorly which causes it your new, expensive appliance to break
- You have higher utility bills because it was installed clumsily and isn’t working at optimal efficiency
- Your warranty is void because you didn’t pay for professional installation
Bad Smells
A foul odor coming from inside the home is almost always a plumbing issue. If you can locate the smell source, you might think it’s a quick fix of cleaning and unclogging an area. Unfortunately, foul odors are usually a deeper problem than expected. Most often, it’s bacteria feeding on buildup from inside your pipes. Or, if your plumbing system fails, a bad smell can start to come from the vents. Whatever the source of the foul smell, it requires a professional. A plumber needs to take apart the pipes and give them extensive cleaning. If you don’t have the proper tools and expertise, you probably won’t be able to clean the lines enough. This will lead to you finding a smell again in just a few days, or weeks, and calling for plumbing repair anyways.
bluefrog Plumbing in Marrero, LA
National plumbing brand bluefrog Plumbing has a local franchise. Our Marrero, LA location has been providing local residents with quality plumbing repair for several years now. You can call us for any type of plumbing service including drain cleaning, water heaters, sewer and water line repairs, camera inspections, leak detection and repairs, plumbing fixtures, emergency plumbing, and more. Skip the DIY mess and contact us for an appointment today.
Priority Service