Plumbing Projects: DIY or Call A Professional?

For the average homeowner, various plumbing projects are just a recurring fact of life. But just how can you know if yours is a do-it-yourself plumbing project involving easy plumbing fixes that you can tackle yourself, or if it is a more complex plumbing repair when it’s probably best to engage the expertise of a professional? For some folks, the sense of accomplishment that comes with a successful do it yourself project is one of the joys of owning your own home. For others, these might just be unpleasant but essential chores that must be done. And still, others feel that they have no choice but to attempt what projects they can just for the cost savings they expect to realize by avoiding the expense of hiring a pro.

How Much Money Can You Save?

Since labor is quite often the most significant cost component of hiring a plumber, the savings you can realize from doing it yourself might easily be 50% or more. Before you begin, it’s a good idea to add up how much your project will cost you for materials and supplies and to estimate how much time it will take. This will help you decide if the potential savings make it worth doing it yourself or if hiring a pro just might be the best way to go. Also consider that while many plumbing projects may appear simple in online instructional videos, they seldom show the real world rust and corrosion you are likely to encounter - conditions that often have a way of expanding a simple project far beyond its original scope. Most plumbing companies should be able to give you an estimate on the cost of any basic plumbing installation or plumbing repair to also help with your decision as to how best to proceed.

Plumbing Projects You Should Be Able to Do Yourself

You should be able to unclog or replace a faucet aerator or install a new shower head yourself. Many other common plumbing problems people encounter like a dripping faucet, a slow or slightly clogged drain, or a running toilet can be simple fixes, but if these are not done correctly the first time, they can turn into costly significant repairs. And like anything else in your home, your plumbing needs regular routine maintenance. Items such as checking all faucets, both inside and outside, for drips, and taking steps to avoid clogged drains should be part of a monthly homeowner maintenance schedule. These items can also deliver substantial savings by avoiding future costly repairs, or, in the case of leaks or running toilets, by just saving money on your monthly water bills.

Plumbing Projects You Might Be Able to Do Yourself

If you want to tackle installing a new garbage disposal, installing some new faucets, or even replacing a toilet, you should have no significant problems as long as you have all the needed tools and you understand all instructions before work begins. Something like recommended regular routine maintenance of a water heater, draining and flushing the tank, may or may not be something the average homeowner wants to undertake on their own depending on their experience and skills. Your water heater’s owner’s manual should provide for instructions specific to your model.

Plumbing Projects Best Left to a Pro

It’s easy for a seemingly simple plumbing repair to quickly escalate into a major plumbing disaster. Any project involving a new water supply or drain piping needs a professional to make sure all new pipe joints or welds are done correctly and will not slowly weaken and eventually begin to leak. Severely clogged drains usually need professional equipment to resolve. Avoid using chemical drain cleaners - they seldom work but can often corrode pipes leading to more severe problems over time. Any objects stuck in sink or tub drains or in toilets will likely require a professional to extract them safely. A dishwasher installation seems like a project that would be easy to do yourself, but the confined location of most dishwashers makes it difficult to ensure that the water supply and drainage lines aren’t kinked and that all connections are properly sealed to avoid costly leaks and drain-water backups. A water heater installation is usually best left to a pro since it will also involve electrical connections or special gas fittings.

Locate and Test Water Shut Offs

Whether you plan to do plumbing projects yourself or hire a professional, it is imperative that every homeowner know where their water shutoffs are located and how they are each operated. You will likely need to cut off the water for most do it yourself projects you undertake, but this knowledge can also mean the difference between a minor leak and a flooded home whenever an unexpected plumbing emergency occurs. There is usually the main shut off located near where the water line enters the property or where it enters the home. For individual sinks and toilets, there is usually a shut off under each sink or behind each toilet. If you cannot locate these shutoffs, or if any of them are found to be inoperable, it will be well worth the cost of having a plumbing professional locate each of them for you and confirm that each works as designed.

Safety First With Any Plumbing Project

Some jobs are just too dangerous for an amateur. Anything involving water plus electricity often falls into this category. Swapping out an electric water heater, plumbing for a hot tub or pool, or installing or connecting a jacuzzi bath or heated seat walk-in tub are just a few examples. Also, some projects require a building permit, and that process is usually best handled by a pro for both safety and legal reasons. Even when you can get the necessary permits yourself, the fact that they are required is an indication that you should carefully review both your skill level and your comfort level before you decide to tackle the job by yourself.

Professional Plumber or DIY?

Whatever your project may be and whether you decide to go it alone or hire a professional, making the right decision can mean the difference between saving a few dollars and turning a simple project into a plumbing disaster. And with many plumbing repairs, timing can mean everything. It may be tempting to put off fixing something simple like a dripping faucet but ignoring the drip can turn a simple washer replacement into a more complex valve seat replacement or even a need for a completely new faucet if you ignore the drip long enough.

And while something like switching out an old water heater is usually best left to the pros, having it done when your water heater nears the end of its useful life rather than having to have it done on an emergency basis when water leaks finally appear can save you big money on the job. The new water heater will most certainly save you money on your electric bill due to the new water heater’s improved energy efficiency.

Need An Experienced, Professional Plumber?

Above all, if you end up feeling in over your head, you can always stop and consult with a licensed East Texas plumber like American Plumbing Company in Tyler before you begin any plumbing project, undertake plumbing related renovations, or begin a needed plumbing repair.