At first, doing it yourself has an appearance of being an efficient and economical alternative to quickly complete your plumbing project or home improvement task. Of course there are many variables for each and every project. How much time will the project take, do I have the skills and how hard is this job are a few of the common questions homeowners ask before they do it themselves. Homeowners who choose to go the DIY route typically regret that decision. Most DIY projects end with a call to a professional plumber to complete either part or all of a project, usually after a lot of time and money (tools, supplies, ect.) has been spent investing into the project.
Basic Safety Guidelines and Regulations
Many homeowners who do their own plumbing are both uneducated and ignorant about specific safety standards to follow for their plumbing project, or they simply choose to ignore those safety regulations, deeming them unimportant.
- Turn off the electricity, especially if you are near a power source.
- Before you start on your plumbing job, make sure the water is turned off.
- Small pieces of debris and water sprays can be dangerous, always protect your eyes.
- It’s a good idea to protect your ears as well, especially while using loud power tools.
- Protect your lungs against dust and fumes; wear a facemask or a respirator.
- Don’t use the wrong tools just to get by. If you need a larger more expensive tool that you can’t rent, that might be a clue you should hire a professional plumber. They are trained to use them & it will be more affordable for you in the long run.
- When dealing with hot water temperatures, always wear gloves or other protective clothing to prevent burns and scalding.
- In case of an emergency always be prepared to contact someone for help.
Don’t Forfeit Your Warranty!
Most homes are protected by warranties. The builder of the home honors these warranties, as long as a certified professional performs the home improvement upgrades. If you choose to DIY and try and repair some of the plumbing in your home, your warranty could be forfeit because you did not have a certified professional conducting repair on your plumbing. If you consider the financial implications of forfeiting the warranty on your home and compare that to saving minuscule amounts of money on doing your plumbing yourself, logic is clear.
Do you really save money on plumbing when you DIY?
The standard do-it-yourself plumbing project can range anywhere from snaking pipe to replacing sinks or toilets. Before determining to DIY, take into consideration the time you are about to undertake to not only do the actual plumbing repair, but also the time it will take to learn the steps needed to complete the job. After this consideration, compare your hourly income to the time it would take to DIY. If you can make $20 in an hour and DIY would take more than 13 hours, you should call a professional plumber. It will save you money, time, and the stress of a DIY plumbing project.
Are you looking to upgrade your Minneapolis home? Call MN PLUMBING and APPLIANCE and get started today!