Knowing when it’s Time to Call a Plumber

It can be very tempting to try to take care of what you think is just a small plumbing problem, but one of the most valuable lessons you can learn is knowing when it’s time to call in a plumber. There is nothing worse than realizing too late that you should have called in a professional. You certainly wouldn’t put your home in the hands of an inexperienced plumber, so why would you even think about handling serious problems yourself? Here are six types of jobs that you should just skip the individual attempts on and call a professional right away:

• 1. Replacing or moving major fixtures like bathtubs or sinks. Moving major fixtures is a big job that requires a licensed plumber to sign off on, so that is definitely not something you should ever try to do on your own. Replacing large fixtures like a bathtub is another major project that should be done only by professionals because of the intricacies of the task.
• 2. Valve replacement. It may seem like replacing a malfunctioning valve is a small and thus, simple, task, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Don’t let the size of the task fool you. Just determining the right time of valve takes a certain level of expertise. If you do any part of this small job wrong, you could end up with a much larger job that will require patching a damaged wall or shower stall.
• 3. Gas line problems. In most areas, you are required to hire a licensed plumber to do all work that requires gas lines in any way. This is certainly one area you do not want to mess with the law on. There is a good reason that they require someone to be licensed to do this kind of work. Not knowing what you are doing could result in serious property damage and / or danger to health or even life.
• 4. Sump pumps or water heaters. Probably the two most complicated appliances in your entire plumbing system are the sump pump and water heater. These appliances do much more than process water. There are intricate parts that require special knowledge to handle.
• 5. Serious clogs. The big problem with this one is that many homeowners do not know how to recognize a serious clog when they see one. They think that they can take care of these problems with the use of a plumber and / or a jug of chemicals that they will pour down the drain. But if you know what to look for, it isn’t too hard to recognize a serious clog because some pretty strange things will be going on. For example, if the toilets are backing up into the bathtub or shower, then you know there is something really bad going on that you can’t see. Even if you have used conventional means on what appears to be a regular clog that won’t budge, you should still call in a professional because you can’t afford to risk messing up the pipes. Just one mistake could affect the plumbing throughout your home.
• 6. Building permits required. One of the greatest joys of owning a home is renovating, but if a building permit is needed to complete the job, you should always have a professional handle the plumbing.

Of course if you are ever in doubt about what the problem is or whether you should try to tackle it yourself, just skip the drama and call in a professional who will take care of it the first time. If you are looking for a plumber in the Laguna Beach area, give Scott English Plumbing a call.