With the advent of the internet age, there are plenty of videos online that provide tutorials on how to do things. This could range from anything from baking a cake to fixing a problem on your computer or phone or even setting up furniture. The DIY genre in particular is quite popular, as it provides easy fixes to random problems in the home. They are quite beneficial as they can help to save resources and time. However, when it comes to plumbing issues, DIY fixes can be a challenge, or even dangerous. Below we have highlighted some of how this could be the case:
1. Flooding
One of the biggest dangers of DIY plumbing fixes is the very real danger of flooding your entire house. While trying to fix an issue, it can be easy to commit an error or break a valve and have water gushing everywhere. Due to the lack of expertise, we often do not know where the main water supply is shut off from. As such, by the time we figure it out, water has already filled the rooms. Cleaning up all the water can be quite a hassle, not to mention the damage that is likely to occur to your appliances in the kitchen, for instance. To avoid all these problems it can be much easier to acquire local plumbing services, as they are best placed to do a good job.
2. You may not address the real issue
There are different plumbing setups in various houses, depending on the construction. It may be difficult to find a video that speaks specifically to your situation. As a result, you may therefore end up making everything worse rather than better. Sometimes a leaking pipe may be a symptom of a deeper underlying issue. You may thus try to fix a small problem and therefore end up running the whole system. Alternatively, you could fix the problem but only temporarily, only for it to come back a couple of days later. This can be quite frustrating, and you could end up in a loophole of finding a DIY video after video to fix all the problems that keep on emerging.
3. It is a safety hazard
DIY plumbing can be effective to fix any problems, especially when you have a little bit of know-how with performing maintenance. It can however be a big problem if you have no idea how to operate the tools needed to perform the fix. If you are not careful, you could even end up accidentally injuring yourself. If you do not have the proper tools required for the job, do not use makeshift tools as you could damage things and make them worse. Moreover, without the proper techniques, you could unintentionally end up with leaky pipes. It can be easy to think that one has fixed the issue but without good sealing, for instance, water will leak onto floorboards and lead to a weak structure.
4. Insufficient repairs
Without the correct technical knowledge, we might make the correct fixes, but not in a perfect manner. This could lead to subsequent problems such as reduced or increased pressure in the water pipes. You may also not have water flow to some areas in the house, or damage the eating system for the shower. As such, DIY plumbing can help you resolve the current issue. However, through mistakes such as tight bolts or improper fittings, you might just end up having more problems than you did from the start.
5. Costly repairs
With DIY fixes, a lot of things could go wrong. As outlined above, you could end up making the situation much worse, have incorrect repairs, or flood your house. You will therefore end up spending more than you initially would have. This cost will be incurred due to the buying of new equipment as a result of more damaged pipes. The scope of work could also be larger which will lead to a bigger repair budget.
6. Corrosion
With DIY fixes there exists a risk of replacing burst pipes with the incorrect ones. There are various pipes for various uses, such as inlets and drainage. It is important to distinguish the difference, as using the wrong pipes could lead to cascaded damage in your house or your building. Moreover, you could attract litigation issues if you use incorrect plumbing that does not comply with the standards set in place for your town or home area. Some pipes also run the risk of being corroded if you use the wrong material. This in turn poses a health hazard for you and your family.
