Should You Call A Residential Plumbing Contractor?

Homes frequently have plumbing issues, and people are often tempted to save money by doing the work themselves. Some problems call for a residential plumbing contractor. Those who are unsure when to ask for a residential plumber should consider calling one in these four situations.

Uncertainty

Even the most competent DIY plumbers will have moments where they feel uncertain about what to do or how to diagnose a problem. It is one thing to replace the rings in the sink trap to keep them sealed. Disconnecting the lines from a hot water tank with rusted lines is quite the other task. When you hit the limits of your confidence working on a problem, that's a good time to bring in a residential plumber.

Liability

One of the best times to contact a residential plumbing contractor is when there's potential liability associated with a job. If you live in a multistory building in a place above other people, for example, you could be liable for damages if the water leaking from one of your repairs gets into someone else's dwelling. The risk just isn't worth it compared to paying a contractor who has a license and is insured. Let their insurance cover anything unexpected.

Similarly, you should be aware of liability issues close to the main water line. If you have municipal water, there's a point where your work can interfere with the utility company's lines and equipment. Typically, there's a big meter attached to a wide pipe at this spot. It also usually has a tag on it from the last time someone inspected it. Anything you mess with around this spot in the system could damage the city water system and leave you on the hook for damages.

Expense

Some components of a water system are too expensive to justify the risk associated with DIY work. If you're setting up a tankless water heater, you should probably kick in a little bit of extra money for a residential plumber to connect the water and heating systems. Generally, the cost of connecting the system will be small compared to the cost of potentially damaging the components. Once more, a residential plumbing contractor is insured so let their policy protect your interests.

Time

If you don't have the time to do a job well, leave it to a professional. Some plumbing work can take days. There is no reason to ruin a weekend trying to install or fix something when a residential plumber can do it just as well or better.

For more information, contact a residential plumber near you.

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