Whether you’re looking to install a new sink, or it’s just the faucet, or maybe a toilet, should you hire a plumber? That depends. Today, we’re going to look at times when it’s more reasonable to hire a plumbing pro than it is to do it yourself.
Fixture cost
The fixture cost will sometimes determine who installs it. When you don’t want someone to break that brand new touch faucet with voice control, a plumber is the right option. A handy neighbor can scratch the finish or break the fixture entirely shouldn’t be your first choice.
To avoid the possibility of infrastructure damage
When connecting a new fixture, every interaction with existing plumbing infrastructure can cause damage. So, for example, when replacing a showerhead, there is only interaction with the shower arm. While a handy person can get a little heavy-handed and damage the water supply pipe behind the wall and cause a nasty leak in the wall, this doesn’t happen often. A sink installation, however, requires interface with multiple parts of the existing plumbing. Meaning, there will be numerous opportunities for existing pipes and valves to be broken.
When a homeowner doesn’t want the newly installed fixture to leak, having a plumber install it is a better option. When it’s in an area like the outdoors, it isn’t as important as it is in the house, where it could do some significant damage.
Difficulty of installation
In all fairness, a new handheld shower head isn’t that hard to install and only takes a few minutes. Toilets can be cumbersome and have to be placed just so, or they will crack or crack the flange. Something more complicated or something that requires specialized tools or are in hard-to-reach places such as beneath the sink (we’re looking at you, Mr. Garbage Disposal!) can be frustrating and should be handled by someone who has a great deal of experience--and the tools.
Water heaters
Why water heaters? Two reasons. First, a permit is needed to replace a water heater, and water heaters should now be equipped with a thermal expansion tank to prevent excessive pressure on the tank and pipes. When it’s inspected, the inspector will fail it if it doesn’t have the tank.
The second reason is that a pro should install anything involving gas, and some water heaters are gas. We don’t want the average homeowner messing with gas, especially if they live in our neighborhood. Seriously, a gas leak can be fatal. Also, most appliance manufacturers won’t honor a warranty for a gas appliance that wasn’t installed by a pro. (Do you want to ask your insurance company if they’ll cover an accident involving installing your gas appliances?)
Once you run through the list: fixture cost, infrastructure interface, the difficulty of installation, and water heater, if any of these pertain to the project, it’s a good idea to hire a pro. Other things, such as toilet flapper replacement, should be safe enough for a homeowner to tackle.
If you need an honest, dependable plumber in the Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe or Chandler area, call Jimmy at 480-757-1273.
