When to DIY and when to call a professional plumber

There are Australian laws and regulations that regulate plumbing work in Australia. This means that there are few home plumbing tasks that you can DIY. Besides, a lot can go wrong with DIY plumbing projects. However, there are also plumbing works that you can successfully DIY. Read on to know when to DIY and when to call a professional plumber.

You can learn more about the risks of DIY plumbing projects, projects requiring special caution, and illegal DIY plumbing works to avoid. This post concludes with the services of commercial plumbers and why getting expert help is essential.

Reasons to Attempt DIY Plumbing Projects

While it is often not advisable to perform DIY plumbing repairs, several pros of DIY plumbing projects can make them attractive.

Save costs

A significant reason for doing DIY plumbing jobs is to save costs. It is possible to save on labour charges and overall fees if you buy the needed tools and parts from local hardware stores and do the repairs yourself.

Gaining experience

You can gain some hands-on experience in basic plumbing repair if you watch online videos and attempt the repairs yourself.

Confidence boosting

You can boost your confidence and self-reliance skills by performing DIY plumbing repairs and installations yourself.

Risks of DIY Plumbing Projects

If something goes wrong with your DIY plumbing project, you may have unfavourable results that you may consider the cons of DIY plumbing.

• For one, your home may get so extensively water-damaged that your home and contents insurance will not cover you.
• You will also have to spend more money to repair the water or sewage problem than you would otherwise spend for professional plumbing jobs.
• Besides, you may often spend more time on DIY plumbing work than an experienced plumber would spend. This is because you may not have the needed skill set.
• There are also related safety hazards and potential threats of DIY plumbing jobs that you may need to consider.

Plumbing Issues You Can Fix Yourself

You can attempt DIY plumbing for plumbing issues such as replacing tap washers, installing shower heads or performing minor tap leak repairs. However, it would help if you invited licensed plumbers to fix complex leaking showers, effectively deal with blocked drains, or repair hot water systems. This is the best way to ensure these plumbing issues are correctly fixed, and the project is insured.

Read on for more details on plumbing projects that you can DIY:

Fixing clogged or blocked drains

You may have clogged drains or need help with slow-draining showers. These are tasks that you can resolve yourself using several options. To fix blocked drains, you may use baking soda, plungers, or wire hangers. Meanwhile, you can take the preventive measure of installing filtration systems such as drain filters to help prevent drain clogs.

New faucet installations

It is possible to install a new faucet yourself. You would have to turn off the hot and cold water valves. Then, you can remove and fix the old faucet and replace it with the new one.

Leaky faucet repairs

While leaky faucet repairs are more technical than installations, you can also take some steps to fix them. Turning off water valves is the first step in draining water from plumbing systems. Next, you can use a washcloth to cover the drain and remove the decorative handles.

This will allow enough room to unscrew the nuts that attach the faucet handle to the stem. Your final step is to take out and replace the old washers and O-rings with the new duplicates.

Fixing running toilets

An occasional DIY solution for running toilets is to restore the flapper in the tank to its proper place.

When to Invite a Professional Plumber

• Only licensed professionals can handle issues dealing with sewerage or drinking water.
• Invite a plumber if you have to fix noisy pipes or install new hot water systems.
• Contact a plumber to unblock stormwater drains or sewer drain pipes.

You can also look at the following plumbing projects that may require you to invite professional plumbers:

Burst pipes

You may have issues with your exterior plumbing fixtures. It may simply be that your inbound or outbound pipes have worn out, or you may have burst pipes due to flooding or large tree roots.

You may also have frozen pipes. These are all instances when you need to call a professional plumber. They will perform pipe inspections to locate the problem and implement solutions such as pipe relining.

Interior plumbing repairs

It's usually time to call a competent plumber if you want to do plumbing repair work on floors, ceilings, or the walls of your building. They can also help you fix faulty showers and sinks.

Plumbing renovation

Major renovation projects or plumbing jobs such as bathroom remodelling and bathroom renovations require the services of a professional plumber. Likewise, you need a professional plumber to fix your kitchen sink or plumbing. They can help you get the required plumbing permits. At the same time, they know what building codes apply to such renovation projects.

Hot water heater problems

It's time to call your professional plumber if you have recurring hot water heater problems. The hot water may often turn cold, which can be a serious problem in winter. You may also lack hot water and require water heater repairs from professional plumbers.

Ideally, you should not attempt to fix faulty water heaters as a DIY plumbing job. This is because water heaters can be dangerous if not well handled due to their high voltages.

Plumbing Projects Requiring Special Caution

Plumbing projects can have severe repercussions if they are not correctly done. Here are some of these dicey projects:

• You need to align toilets when you are replacing them properly. It would be best to properly consider water supply lines and waste or drain lines during the process.
• Due caution needs to be exercised when replacing old plumbing.
• Garbage disposal replacement needs to be done carefully.
• When working with drain lines, you must ensure that polybutylene pipes are adequately laid.

Illegal DIY Plumbing Works to Avoid

There are national and state laws and regulations regarding DIY plumbing that you must heed. For example, the Australian Plumbing Code specifies that only licensed plumbers can complete plumbing or drainage works.

• Therefore, you must invite a licensed plumber to install the drinking water system and plumbing.
• Likewise, a licensed plumber has to handle water treatment systems, water lines, and the drainage of sewer lines.
• In addition, you need licensed plumbers for roof plumbing or gas fitting work.

Consequences of ignoring plumbing laws

The consequences of ignoring plumbing laws and performing DIY plumbing for certain plumbing repairs and installations include the following:

• Inability to lay claim to damages that occur from work.
• Voiding of the warranty on the appliance.
• Monetary fines.
• Failure to pass building inspection if the unlicensed plumbing work is identified when you wish to sell your property.

When to Call an Emergency Plumber

The ideal choice between an emergency plumber and DIY plumbing solutions for plumbing emergencies should be clear. Examples of plumbing emergencies include clogged drains, gas leaks, and running toilets. These are plumbing issues that compromise the health and safety of residents.

Services of Commercial Plumbers

Here are some services that your commercial plumber can help you with.

• Licensed commercial plumbers can be of help when you have a plumbing emergency. This can include broken toilet parts, leaky pipes, and exterior plumbing issues.
• Major plumbing projects like bathroom remodelling, repairs, and upgrades can be risky. Your commercial plumber can handle such projects.
• Professional plumbers have the correct home and commercial plumbing tools for drain cleaning. They also have water softeners.
• The plumbing tips that you can get from master plumbers are often invaluable.
• For example, they may recommend tankless water heaters or sump pumps based on your needs.
• Your professional plumber can repair or replace faulty plumbing parts such as leaking pipes, leaking taps, broken faucets, and seals.
• Backflow testing is an essential preventive measure to prevent backflow issues in plumbing systems. Commercial plumbers can provide this service.
• They can help you out with general plumbing and appliance installations.
• You can often rely on licensed plumbers to care for significant plumbing issues, such as home plumbing repairs on water systems. This can include pipe repairs or clearing debris off water lines.

Get Expert Help from a Plumbing Company

After reading this piece on when to DIY and when to call a professional plumber, you should know what plumbing jobs you can legally and safely DIY.  In any case, you can relieve yourself of a lot of stress, time, and effort if you hire a licensed and professional plumbing company.

They can take care of water leaks, busted pipes, and other emergency plumbing issues from the start. Moreover, they are experienced in providing residential plumbing and commercial plumbing solutions.