When you discover there is a problem with your plumbing system, the first reaction is how you can fix the issue yourself. You will probably find a DIY fix online for a leaking faucet or valve failure. However, unless you are a plumbing expert, it is not advisable to repair anything yourself. The reason is that you will pose to yourself the following dangers if you decide to fix the plumbing issues yourself.
1) Water Damage
Water is essential as it provides solutions for most household chores, but it can also be disastrous if not well checked. You may decide to fix a leaking pipe only to end up with a flooded house. Your furniture, carpets, walls, and belongings can get damaged, causing you immense loss.
Therefore, the next you discover a plumbing issue that needs fixing, avoid the temptation of repairing it yourself. You can call a J.L. Wagner Plumber to check and diagnose the extent of the damage, and you will get a lasting solution. A professional plumber knows how to diagnose a problem and fix it without causing further damage to the whole plumbing project.
2) Loss Of Money
The internet today offers a solution to almost any problem under the sky. As such, your first stop when you realize your water system is faulty will be to check on the DIY tutorials online and try to fix the issue yourself. It seems like a quick and affordable way to get repairs done, but it is not always the case.
Some of the fixes may come in handy as they can offer you basic information on how to clear clogs on blocked sinks or turn off the main water supply. However, it is proper to leave the hard work to a professional when dealing with intricate procedures. Major repairs require experience and knowledge of the plumbing components and fixtures, which only an expert plumber possesses.
3) Sewage Backup
When pipes in your house start backing up to the shower when the toilet gets flushed, the problem could be more than a slight blockage due to dirt particles. There could be clogging in the sewer line, which will not be easy to solve with a plunger alone.
Trying to repair it yourself could lead to sewage backup exposing your household to infections. A plumber has specialized tools they can use to repair the clogs.
4) Failed Valves
It is normal to find a faulty valve at home because, with time, wear and tear happen, resulting in valve failure. Sometimes, it could be a stuck valve which, if you force it to open it, may snap the knob. Getting a new valve to fix the old one may seem like an easy repair process.
However, disconnection may occur due to tightening or improper installation leading to serious damage. Expert plumbers can help fix the plumbing system to the correct level and have everything running normally.
5) Injuries
A DIY repair may not be the best solution due to the health hazard posed by using the wrong tools. You may not know the right tools to use for a particular repair; you will use the wrong tool, which can damage the plumbing system or, worse still, injure yourself in the process. You could end up in the hospital paying costly bills that would have been avoidable if an expert had repaired the broken fixtures.
6) Damaging The System
There is no dependable way of knowing if the tutorials given online are safe or not. Some people do it for the fun of doing it and are not professional plumbers. Therefore, you risk damaging the components of the plumbing system and causing further problems.
Calling an expert when things have gone wrong will attract more fees because they will have to do more than the initial repairs.
7) Corrosion
Plumbing pipes can be of various metals ranging from copper, cast iron to stainless steel. Unless you are a professional, you may not know which metals may react if they contact others. Fixing two different pipes can cause corrosion to occur, making the issue aggravate.
Corroded pipes are a health hazard since they will affect the quality of your drinking water. Drinking contaminated water can cause you and your household to experience diarrhea, vomiting, and headaches. The corroded pipes can burst or crack, leading to water leakage, which can spoil your belongings.
Water heaters also get affected, and their efficiency goes down when there is corrosion in the plumbing system.
The rust particles present in the water can cause blockage in pipes leading to serious damage when the pipes burst. You can avoid all these dangers by calling in a professional with the right skill to do a proper installation in your home.