When to hire a professional plumber and when to take care of your own plumbing needs
Start plumbing with these easy-to-follow tips!
We’ve all had to deal with a plumbing problem at home at least once, and it is never good news. Fortunately, you don’t always have to pony up the cash to pay your trusted plumber, as you can fix whatever’s wrong yourself. Here are some tips for those who are ready to step up and fix their own problematic pipes.
A bit of physics knowledge helps
Getting a handle of some basic physics concepts—pressure and gravity, mainly—would really go a long way when it comes to understanding the ins and outs of your home’s water supply and drainage systems. If you understand why your faucet is spraying in a way you don’t want it to or why your drainage always seems to be clogged, for example, then you can find solutions to different problems and challenges faster and much easier.
Always do research before starting a job
The Internet is a great and convenient resource for a variety of things, so there’s a good chance that you will find the solution to your plumbing problem with a simple Google search. Make sure you look for fixes that deal with your particular problem, and don’t forget to filter whether or not the information you see is applicable to your pipe situation.
There are even how-to sites and step-by-step videos, as long as you tailor your search terms properly. You may also check out certain forums for help. Sites like Reddit can be pretty useful, too. The Internet is amazing that way.
Have the right tools on hand
You may know what to do and how to fix what’s ailing your pipes, but you won’t be able to do squat if you don’t have the tools to do your work. This is going to set you back in terms of finances, but the investment will definitely be worth it because you will be relying on these tools when new problems arise. Plus, you can use various tools for other types of work that need to be done around the house.
There are many tasks beginners can easily accomplish
Once you’ve armed yourself with the basic knowledge of how the water systems in your place work, then you’ll see that there are a lot of fixes that you can do yourself—provided they’re the right kind of problem for beginners. For example, there are fixes that mainly involve replacing certain parts like clogged aerators in faucets or patching up leaking pipe sections with sealant.
Of course, when the going gets too tough, you’ll need to go the next item on our list…
Don’t hesitate to call for help!
Some plumbing problems may simply be too much for beginners to handle. For really complicated jobs, it’s always best to call in people who specialize in dealing with these types of problems—get your phone and hit up the number of your trusted pro plumber right away. It will save you the time and trouble of getting your head around the problem. Once you have more experience under your belt, perhaps you can tackle more complex issues.
You don’t have to be a pro to feel like Super Mario—arm yourself with the fundamentals and you’ll be on the right path to achieving great DIY plumbing, but when you need a professional, don’t panic, call Atlantic at 443.213.1804.
