There’s no denying it: America is a can-do nation. It’s in our nature never to back away from a challenge, to tackle it with unreserved enthusiasm.
But there are some challenges worth taking a step back and asking, “Should I maybe let a professional handle this one?”
When it comes to plumbing, the answer is a definite yes. Here are 3 plumbing jobs you should never do yourself.
1) Anything That Requires A Rental
Many homeowners have well-outfitted toolboxes. Even for those who don’t consider themselves naturally inclined toward DIY projects, acquiring tools comes with owning a home.
The tools in those toolboxes can help you get a lot done, even a few plumbing jobs.
But if you need more than that, reconsider the scope of your project.
If your plumbing plans require renting heavy-duty equipment, whether through a big box retailer or local specialty shop, it’s likely too big for you to take on.
And make no mistake: you can rent pretty much anything, including excavators, tractor loader backhoes, skid steers, and more. Those make even the largest plumbing jobs accessible to people with enough ambition.
There’s a huge difference between operating such tools and operating such tools well so that whatever is done with them is done safely and effectively.
Understand that difference and leave the earthmoving to professionals.
2) Anything Related to Sewage
One type of job that might require heavy duty tool rental? Anything related to your home’s sewer system, up to and including the main sewer line that connects to your city’s system.
Making a big (and messy and smelly) misstep here isn’t limited to digging up your front yard in an attempt to replace the main sewer line.
Another task for which you can rent equipment? Drain cleaners of various size, from small handheld models to large ones mounted on wheels.
Clearing a sewage clog isn’t a job to be taken lightly. If anything goes wrong, repercussions could include untreated human sewage spewing into your home, potentially creating a serious health hazard.
One reason for this: in rare instances, attempts to clear clogs can result in a broken drain cleaner, which exacerbates the matter by adding yet another obstruction around which it is necessary to maneuver.
WaterWork Plumbing is available for emergency support 24/7 … but that doesn’t mean you want to have to call us at midnight on a Tuesday as waste spills into your basement laundry room.
3) Anything That Involves Rerouting and Replacing Pipes
It’s one thing to swap out a P-trap and another thing entirely to reroute piping to move or add a sink, for example, as part of a home renovation project to increase the value of your home.
One complicating factor: the different types of piping you might encounter. That complication creates challenges when swapping out cast iron pipes with, say, PVC.
If you’re digging up your home’s sewer main — with the heavy duty rental equipment we caution against using — you might come across orangeburg. Orangeburg is piping made from tar and paper that can complicate a replacement job.
Rerouting or replacing pipes might also require welding. Improper welding can lead to an immediate or eventual leak. And that’s not the worst that can happen when you’re dealing with fire!
Regrets, You’ll Have a Few
Owing to our can-do nature, the average DIY-er executed eight projects. That’s according to a survey conducted by ImproveNet.com. And of those respondents, 60% regretted taking on at least one of those projects. About a third of them called in a professional to fix their work!
Depending on the size of the plumbing job you’re considering, it’s always safest to skip the middleman — AKA regret — and rely on experienced professionals from the start.
We’re here for you. Contact us today to share the project you’re considering doing yourself. We’ll be happy to speak with you about it and why it might pay, literally and figuratively, to go pro from the start.
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