Plumbing Jobs: To DIY or Not? | Insight from Your Trusted Marrero, LA Plumbing Service
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When is it important to call your Marrero, LA, plumbing service for help, and when is it okay to DIY? As a homeowner, you likely have the DIY chops to handle some smaller plumbing jobs yourself—tightening the trap under your bathroom sink to stop a leak or maybe even cleaning a showerhead to improve water pressure. However, there are times when going the DIY route just doesn’t make sense because the repair is out of your scope of knowledge. Let’s look at some tasks that DIYers are generally ill-equipped to tackle.
Burst Water Lines
First things first. Before calling your plumber for a burst water line, take a moment to mitigate your damage by locating the cut-off valve for the water supply line nearest the leak and turning it off. A burst water line can cause a shocking amount of damage in a matter of minutes, and left to do its own thing, a simple water line can cause major flooding that costs thousands of dollars to repair. If you can’t find the cut-off valve for the responsible line, just turn off the whole thing with your home’s main shut-off valve. When that’s done, you’ll need to call for plumbing service, since replacing a water line is more complex than it sounds, especially if you’re dealing with an unexposed pipe located within a wall or some other inaccessible area.
No Water
Another situation that warrants a call to your Marrero, LA, plumber is when you turn the tap, flush the toilet, or turn on the washer only to find there’s no water coming through your supply lines. Generally, when homeowners discover they have no water, the problem is centered on a particular area of the home, such as in a bathroom or kitchen. Once you check your home’s water outlets to determine which are working and which are not (including hot and cold taps), you can get a better picture of where the problem lies. Sometimes the cause is an issue with your hot water heater; if you’re getting cold water but not hot water, that’s your first bet. It is rare for water to be out to the entire home, but that is sometimes the cause if there is an exterior problem with your water meter or main supply lines outside. Either way, calling your local plumber for help is a smart move at this point.
Drain Cleaning
Counting on your local plumbing service for periodic drain cleaning is a good way to negate the possibility of clogged drains and the problems they can cause. While it is possible to clear a drain on your own in some instances, your efforts can also sometimes have the opposite effect, causing additional problems that lead you to call your plumber anyway. One example is using caustic cleaners in your drain in an attempt to remove a hair clog or other obstruction. These cleaners can be dangerous to use if you breathe in their fumes or get them on your skin or in your eyes. They can also cause damage to your pipes and supply lines. Plungers can sometimes be effective too but used inappropriately can force too much air into your drain, leading to additional damage. If you have a clogged drain, calling your plumbing service for help is a better alternative to DIYing it.
Sewer Backup
If you’ve dealt with a sewer backup before, you know that it can cause a lot of issues in your home’s plumbing system and make conditions in the home less than ideal. You’ll know you have a problem if you see water from one place in the home backing up in another. For instance, water from your washer bubbling up in your sink, or worse yet, water from your toilet backing up into your shower. When this happens, call out for emergency plumbing service right away to remove the blockage or obstruction and mitigate any damage.
Gas Leaks
If you suspect that you have a gas leak, grab your cellphone and leave your home immediately before you call your plumber for assistance. Gas leaks are not just an inconvenience; they can be very dangerous too.
Hot Water Problems
Your hot water heater is a complex appliance that has intricate parts that must be in optimal shape for your unit to work as it should. There are a range of things that can go wrong when it comes to hot water heaters, and most of them require a professional plumbing service to come out and repair. If you don’t have hot water, you could be looking at a problem with the unit’s heating element or thermostat. If your water is smelly or malodorous, then you may need to have your unit flushed. Either way, your professional plumber can help, so skip the DIY and give them a call.
Renovations
If you’re renovating the home and adding a new bath or remodeling an existing one, it’s time to call your local plumbing service. Not only is your plumber the best source for getting the proper licenses and permits for your project to make sure it is up to par with local building codes, your plumbing professional has the experience you need to move a shower from one corner to another or install a new toilet. Most homeowners lack the plumbing knowledge to get the job done right the first time, and many that try to go with DIY plumbing end up regretting the decision in the end.
As a rule of thumb, when in doubt, trust your local plumbing service to take care of your home’s plumbing needs. Most homeowners’ lack of knowledge and proper equipment to handle plumbing issues serve only to worsen the situation and ultimately increase the cost of repairs. Trust bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of New Orleans, for plumbing service you can depend on. Our technicians are licensed, certified, and ready to hop at the chance to toad-ally solve your plumbing woes.
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