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What to Know Before You Work on Your Own Plumbing

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Melbourne Plumber

Fixing your own home plumbing can be something simple or it can be something very challenging. There are two variables in this equation. The first and most  important is what sort of plumbing issue you have. If it is something as simple as a lose pipe which is allowing liquids to drip, most anyone can handle this with a wrench and some elbow grease.

The second variable is the skill level of the homeowner. Is working on plumbing something this person has done previously? Did they work in the industry? Maybe they took some courses in trade school. The degrees of skill vary as greatly as the potential plumbing issues.

Envisioning the Fix

Based on your skill level, can you actually see yourself being able to fix the problem? In your mind, map out the potential problems you will run into while attempting the fix. Will you potentially cause more damage to an already bad situation? Will you spend countless hours and/or become frustrated?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then your best bet is to hire a professional plumber near you. These guys have seen it all, Monday through Friday, upwards and back again. They will be able to jump on the situation and get it rectified in a timely manner while you attend to other obligations.

If You Decide to DIY

If you are going to give it a go yourself, remember the following things:

1. Turn off the water at the water main.
2. Make sure you have all the tools needed.
3. Make sure you have enough time and energy to see it through until completion.
4. Enlist the help of anyone in your immediate vicinity that actually knows a little about plumbing.
5. Watch videos on Youtube so you have an idea of what you are up against.
6. Make sure you have the proper clean up supplies so there are no harmful chemicals, bacteria or residue laying around.

Jobs That You Will Most Likely Need a Professional For

There are some issues that your average Joe cannot diagnose or fix on their own. These usually revolve around leaks or other problems buried deep within the home or far down a pipe. If you are noticing that your water bill is higher than usual and the grass is soppy around your home, this could very well be a slab leak.

The problem with leaks like this is finding out exactly where they are in the water line. A pro plumber knows what tests to run to find the exact spot of the leak so they can attack it directly.

Is there a foul smell in the bathroom that is otherwise worse than usual? This may be caused by holes in your drain pipe. Plumbers have various tools that can help diagnose this issue right away. They perform scoped-camera tests and smoke tests to isolate the issue.

Conclusion

There is nothing wrong with attempting a plumbing fix on your own, especially if it is simple or you have experience. But some good advice is to think ahead at potentially how disruptive or realistic doing it on your own actually is. If you think you may be in over your head then you almost always are. Hire a professional plumber to get it done right and in a timely manner.