The Dangers of DIY Plumbing

Popular Mechanics says it best: “There are some DIY projects that are the most fun and rewarding if you simply dive in and learn as you go. And then there’s plumbing.” Unlike replacing the lock in your front door, building a spice rack, or installing new curtain hardware, plumbing is one job best left to the Sacramento plumbing pros at Ace Plumbing. DIY — Do it Yourself — plumbing projects can go wrong very easily if you get just one step wrong, and that can lead in turn to a bill that’s a lot higher than it would’ve been if you’d just called us first. Expense isn’t the only reason to call us, either.

Flooding

We’re only human, so it’s easy to forget things we should be doing. Including shutting off the water before starting a plumbing project. What started off as a slow drip ends up a gusher better suited to Yellowstone. Worse still, sometimes homeowners find that a valve has rusted shut so they decide to use a wrench and plenty of torque to force it open — only for the valve to break. And then you can’t find the main shutoff, or forget where it’s located due to stress. Nobody — not us, certainly not you — wants to while away an afternoon cleaning up a flooded house.

Burst or Broken Pipes

Something won’t budge? Just takes a firmer touch, or a few well-calibrated whacks, right? Wrong. We’ve seen pipes badly damaged by DIY jobs, sometimes because of a slip-up, other times because something was joined incorrectly or soldered wrong. Water pressure has a way of revealing flaws in your technique with startling speed.

Improper Repairs

It’s easy to get plumbing repairs wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing. Even something small, like the wrong type or size of washer, means an ineffective repair. That, in turn, means more trial and error, more time, and further repairs. And that’s the best-case scenario. Some repairs, like your dishwasher, water heater, or washing machine, can involve not only the water and plumbing, but also your gas connections, electrical, and other challenges. Get that wrong and you could be setting yourself up for a house fire — or worse.

Expense

Perhaps the biggest irony of all is that most people who do their own plumbing repairs are doing it in order to save money, only to find out that it’s costing them in the long run. Some repairs can be done quickly and easily with a screwdriver, a washer, and a bit of elbow grease, but there are many more that require specialized tools, materials, and knowledge. Once you’re done investing the time to learn techniques, money on tools and materials (both purchased at retail, since you don’t buy wholesale in the same volume we do), you find that your “cheap” DIY project was anything but.

Connect with a Professional Plumber

So there you have it. Unlike installing a new bathroom mirror — which should go fine as long as you don’t hammer holes in the drywall or accidentally lop off a thumb or two — plumbing is best left to the experts. Save your money, your time, and your sanity, and call Ace Plumbing for all of your fixture installation and plumbing repair.