DIY Plumbing: When To Call A Professional?

With unlimited resources and helpful guides on the internet, especially YouTube, it’s easy to take on a DIY plumbing project for most issues.

From fixing taps and pipe leaks to installing sinks and pumping a clogged toilet, there are various plumbing works that you can DIY and save money on professional plumbing services. However, some plumbing issues can surpass the skills required for standard installation and repair work. In such cases, it’s advisable to hire a master plumber who can efficiently diagnose and fix the problem quickly.

Don’t know when you should call a professional? For better understanding, we will walk you through DIY plumbing and projects that may be more appropriate for licensed plumbers.

DIY Vs. Professional Plumbing

Before considering either plumbing option, it’s best to weigh their pros and cons and see which suits your situation better.

Pros of DIY Plumbing

1. A Great Learning Opportunity

Learning home improvement techniques like plumbing requires hands-on experience rather than reading self-help guides. You must apply what you learn, so fixing some minor plumbing issues immediately after watching a tutorial or reading a guide is helpful. Knowing simple repair methods can be immensely useful when a professional plumber is unavailable.

2. Cost Saving

Saving money on plumbing expenses is why homeowners choose to DIY instead of hiring a professional. But, if you’re worried about the additional costs, you can buy the tools and mechanical parts needed from local hardware stores before the professional arrives.

If your home has a severe plumbing emergency, saving money shouldn’t stop you from getting professional help. Getting the issue appropriately fixed can save you money in the long run.

3. Makes You Self-Sufficient

Undoubtedly, successfully performing a plumbing project or installation boosts your self-confidence. This way, you’ll become more self-reliant for plumbing issues in the future.

Cons of DIY Plumbing

1. Inaccurate Diagnosis

Regarding DIY plumbing, you may misdiagnose the plumbing issue since you have limited knowledge about repair and installation. Using the wrong fix for a certain issue may aggravate the situation and cause damage to the plumbing system.

2. Riskier

Since you’re not as experienced as a professional, you might be unaware of the safety hazards or potential risks while working on different plumbing components. And plumbing jobs require several chemical solutions that can harm your health if you inhale or ingest them.

3. No Licence

You would require a licence to do specific plumbing jobs, such as renovation, fixing broken pipes, exterior plumbing, etc.

Pros of Professional Plumbing

1. Accurate Diagnosis

Professional plumbers can quickly identify what’s wrong with a plumbing component since they have the right skill set and experience. This way, you’ll get the right solution to your plumbing difficulties.

2. Better Quality of Work

If you hire professional plumbers, you’ll often get a well-done repair or installation. But DIY plumbing doesn’t always give you a long-lasting solution.

3. More Safety

Since licensed plumbers are more experienced, they know how to handle toxic chemicals and solutions by keeping themselves out of harm’s way. They can also identify polybutylene piping and mould growth and quickly resolve them for your safety.

Cons of Professional Plumbing

1. Labour Charges

Professional services are charged based on labour and additional charges (which include tools and extra parts required). So, unlike DIY plumbing, you’ll also have to pay for labour.

Plumbing Works That Require Professional Assistance

1. Exterior Plumbing

For several reasons, exterior plumbing features such as inbound and outbound pipes may require repair or maintenance. These pipes tend to wear out faster since they come in close contact with dirt, strong tree roots, flooding, etc. Conducting proper inspection and identifying the problem in these exterior plumbing parts are difficult and best done by professionals.

2. Interior Plumbing

Plumbing components are located indoors, especially in the walls, floors, and ceilings are pretty tricky to handle if you don’t have hands-on experience. These plumbing jobs may require more human resources, so you’d need professional help. In addition, since plumbing lines are concealed in this case, identifying the issue requires a thorough inspection and extensive plumbing knowledge.

3. Fixing Frozen or Broken Pipes

If your pipes are broken or frozen, it’s time to call a professional plumber. They’ll help you understand the cause of the breakage, and in the case of frozen pipes, they will carefully thaw them to avoid fractures and water damage.

4. Renovation

Major renovation projects such as bathroom or kitchen remodelling are labour-intensive and require professional assistance. Plus, these projects require proper knowledge of building codes and suitable permits.

Plumbing Works That You Can DIY

1. Repairing Or Replacing Toilet Parts

Simple repair or replacement of faulty parts, such as chains, shutoff valves, fill chains, seals, broken faucets, etc., can be done at home using DIY kits from hardware stores. However, serious plumbing issues such as water or line leaks might require careful inspection and fast repair.

2. Clogged Drains Or Slow Drainage

Unclogging toilet and shower drains are pretty standard - the procedures are simple, and you’ll find the required tools in local hardware stores. If required, you only need drain cleaners (baking soda is a safer, non-toxic option), a plunger, a wire hanger, and a drain cover.

You can also buy a drain filter for the shower to trap hair and dirt. This way, you can prevent clogged drains in the future.

3. Installing New Taps

Putting new taps in place is also relatively easy - turn off the valves, remove the old tap, and replace it with the new one. However, if you damage the valves or cannot find the proper alignment for the new tap, you should call a professional.

4. Leaky Faucet

Although repairing a leaky faucet can become more technical, you can quickly fix it by following a guide or tutorial. Before starting the repair, we recommend familiarising yourself with the different parts included in a faucet.

DIY or Professional Plumbing

As you can see, fixing or installing ancillary plumbing components such as faucets, clogged drains, shutoff valves, seals, etc., is pretty simple. But, various plumbing issues strictly demand professional methods due to their hazardous or severe nature.

However, if you’re still unsure about minor plumbing jobs, we suggest hiring a professional to be on the safe side.

WP Plumbing provides highly-experienced, licensed technicians to solve all your plumbing emergencies in Melbourne and surrounding areas. We are available 24x7 and respond within the same day with upfront pricing while our plumbers fix your issue with high-quality materials and expert techniques.