The Internet has profoundly changed our lives. Of its many impacts, one of the most significant is that millions of people now have instant access to tutorials, videos, and instructions on how to do or build things themselves.
From building your own coffee table to “lifehacks” that turn old bike handles into in-style wall decor, “Do-It-Yourself” (DIY) is more popular than ever. Here’s where you should draw a line, though: unlike bottles recycled into planters, DIY plumbing repair is never a good idea.
In this blog, we’ll go over why you should only trust your plumbing repair needs to a professional plumber who has the right equipment, training, and more to get the job done.
Situation #1: Frozen pipes
Every winter here in Buffalo, frozen pipes pop up all across the city. And, every winter, homeowners decide that they want to take matters into their own hands. In one of our previous posts, we addressed why this is bad idea. Put down the hairdryer or—especially—the blowtorch and call Reimer, instead.
Seriously: no blowtorches.
Any kind of “hack” for unfreezing your pipes could make the situation a lot worse. Frozen pipes are very volatile: the expanding ice has placed the pipe material under immense pressure.
A professional plumber has the equipment and finesse to gently thaw the ice and relieve this pressure with no further damage to the structure. Other methods, however, risk the pressure building further and the pipe bursting. Not good!
Situation #2: Drain cleaning
As plumbers, we believe that it’s important to know what you’re getting into before each and every project. Drain cleaning is a good example: we use equipment to figure out what is down the drain before we attempt to remove it.
Many homeowners resort to using store-bought chemicals. Here’s the thing, though. If these chemicals are harsh enough to eat through whatever’s down there, aren’t they harsh enough to also damage your pipes? The answer is yes, which is why we think drain cleaning chemicals should be rarely used, and only as a last resort.
Instead, call Reimer. Our plumbers have a variety of professional snake tools that we use to clear drains, depending on what the obstruction is.
Situation #3: Re-piping
The popularity of home renovation shows on TV has prompted a number of homeowners to try to give their own property a makeover. That’s great: as long as you enlist the help of some professionals, opening up that kitchen will really bring your home up-to-date.
However, there’s two areas where you should really call in a specialist: plumbing and electrical. Reimer can help with the former. Moving pipes, sealing pipes, and any kind of re-piping should really be left to the experts.
The last thing you want is to get everything the way you want it, go to turn on the water supply to your home again, and disaster strikes. It’s just going to ruin everything you worked so hard for, and it can be prevented by calling in an expert.
DIY some things, call experts for others
Sure, there are some things that homeowners should try taking on themselves. However, we recommend calling Reimer if you get in over your head, or if you’re tackling something big, potentially dangerous, or technically complex.
To schedule service, contact us online, or give us a call at (716) 272-2371.
