Plumbers need to be licensed and qualified for good reason: DIY plumbing is associated with significant risks and dangers. A dripping tap could escalate into an overflow of water.
Causing damage to your premises and wasting, even more, time and money on repairs and replacements.
Of course, money and time aren’t the only risk factors to consider; homeowners or businesses have even more to lose when it comes to DIY plumbing. Given this, here are five major reasons why you should leave plumbing to the experts.
1. DIY Plumbing can Make the Issue Worse
Whether it’s a leaking pipe or a running toilet, if you haven’t diagnosed the issue correctly, you can make it much worse. A single plumbing issue can have a variety of potential causes from which you need to identify the correct one.
Years of training and experience are required for an accurate analysis of the cause behind your plumbing problem, along with the technical know-how to rectify it. For example, replacing a ball valve or a gate valve might seem like a simple job, but without the right tools and skills, you could easily break the valve and set off flooding in your kitchen or bathroom.
Additionally, it’s easy to make plumbing mistakes, whether it’s with the tools you’re using or the plumbing materials you’re working with. If you misdiagnose the issue, you’ll likely waste time and money on the wrong kind of DIY repair that could make the issue far worse and potentially even damage your property. This could end up costing you more money on getting an experienced plumber to help than if you’d contacted your plumber right away.
2. DIY Plumbing can Lead to Serious Injury
Plumbing can be physically demanding, and you’ll also need to be able to use tools and handle materials in the right way. This is partly why DIY plumbing work could put you at a high risk of developing an injury. The potential exposure to hazardous substances and fumes, waste, and flammable products can also heighten this risk.
For example, you could cut your hand on a corroded pipe, unaware the pipe contains contaminated waste, and experience a serious infection as a result. Plumbers are trained in identifying hazards and they have appropriate equipment, procedures, and protective clothing to safeguard against these.
3. DIY Plumbing could Mean Breaking the Law
If you do DIY plumbing, you could be breaking the law. This is because the list of what you’re permitted to do yourself (unless you’re a licensed plumber) is a very small list. On this list is basic tasks like changing showerheads, replacing washers in your taps, and installing garden irrigation systems.
The consequences of doing work you’re not licensed to do could be a substantial fine and other penalties. If a plumber comes across illegal work, they can report the unlicensed work to the relevant authority.
4. DIY Plumbing Voids Insurance and Affects Sale Prospects
DIY plumbing can void your building and home insurance, and it could impact other types of insurance coverage as well. The voiding could extend to warranties on your fixtures and appliances.
In addition, if you’re trying to sell a property with non-compliant plumbing, pre-purchase checks could identify this non-compliant work and the sale could fall through. Pre-purchase inspections by professionals can pick up on any illegal plumbing work, so in addition to the purchase falling through, you could be facing penalties and fines.
5. DIY Plumbing can Cause Health Issues
Fixing your own plumbing issues could impact your local community and cause public health problems. For example, incorrectly connected pipes could mean sewerage entering the stormwater drain in your neighborhood.
At this stage, it becomes a potential public health problem affecting others. Depending on your local laws, you might be given time to contact a plumber to resolve the situation. These laws are a reflection of how seriously the authorities view these types of plumbing-associated public health issues.
Avoid the Risks of DIY Plumbing
The popularity of DIY work around the house might have convinced some people to take care of their own plumbing. However, DIY plumbing poses serious risks, from injury and health impacts to financial liability.
Even the most basic tasks like replacing a worn washer in your tap require diagnosing the issue correctly and using the right tools, so if you’re not confident, avoid doing these as well. Ultimately, when it comes to your plumbing, don’t take risks with DIY work because it could end up costing you more than you might think.