DIY Plumbing - When Can You Do It, And When Should You Give Up And Call The Plumber

When plumbing work needs to be done, most folks call the plumber right off the bat. After all, they're the guys to call, right? The only trouble is that plumbers' services are pricey. Most charge you even to have a look at your pipes.

Are they ripping you off? Of course not; they charge a lot because they have the tools and experience, and they can basically work miracles (if you're a homeowner, you understand!). They also have their expenses that need to be covered. But, what if you could do it yourself?

DIY plumbing is a great way to cut costs and to learn something. But, it can also cause more trouble if you don't know what you're doing. There is a time for do-it-yourself plumbing... and there's a time to just pick up the phone.

What To Do With Your Clogged Drain?

The number one plumbing problem on earth is clogged drains. Hair, tissue paper, lint, food chunks or a number of other things can get jammed down there and cause a little catastrophe. There's no need to despair! Most clogged drains are easy to handle.

If the water is coming back up, or refusing to go down, there's a good chance it's just some hair stuck in there. If it's a sink, remove the top part, pop on some rubber gloves, and reach down there yourself. Be extra careful if you have a disposal and make sure it's off! You can usually remove the clog yourself, and wouldn't it be a shame to shell out big bucks so a plumber could do that for you?

My Toilet Is Turning Into A Monster?

Nothing panics you like watching the water well up out of the toilet... and spill all over the floor! If your toilet breaks, your life will be changed dramatically. Nobody wants to have to go outside!

This is usually a simple clog, too, but it can be trickier than a sink. The first step is to use the plunger. If that doesn't work, run a regular store-bought pipe cleaner through it. These pipe cleaners can be bought at any grocery or hardware store. Follow the instructions carefully.

Each pipe cleaner has its own method, usually involving pouring it in, waiting an hour, flushing so-many times and saying some magic words.

If the problem doesn't get any better, you can try again, but don't mix pipe cleaners. Some folks do this thinking it will clear up a strong clog, but it can produce toxic effects or make the problem worse. If your clog is too strong for the plunger and pipe cleaner, now's the time to call your plumber.

The Septic Tank Has a Mind of Its Own What's it doing down there? Is it going to explode and cover my house in raw sewage!?

Don't panic and don't mess with it. You may feel like you're tough and can take on the septic tank "mano a mano", but don't try it. Leave septic tank problems to an experience plumber. The reason is that any septic-tank goof up could end up damaging your house and costing you mega-bucks for repairs... and major plumbing work.

If in doubt with any plumbing problem, just call the professionals and let them handle it. Sure, DIY plumbing can teach you some at-home plumbing techniques, but it can also teach you that you aren't a plumber and it stinks to throw down thousands on home repairs.

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