Don’t Start Plumbing Project Without These Questions

When there's a toilet leak or you want to put in a new sink, you may be doing a little research and thinking that it's something you can tackle. As you keep watching online videos or tutorials, you may feel even more confident that you can conquer the situation. However, before taking action, you ought to address these plumbing project questions.

1-Are Permits Needed?

Few of the resources you're likely referencing to learn about making repairs or installing new items mention permits. Permits are often required by the township or city where you live. The house might have had plumbing improvements done over the years, but the prior owners may have ignored permits. In fact, you have no way of knowing whether your house is currently within guidelines or will be in the future. For this reason you should consult your specific permits office to get all information on your property and ask whether new ones are necessary for the work you plan. 

2-What Supplies Do You Have?

Even if you feel ready to begin, you must have appropriate equipment. Putting out a lot of money for supplies may not be the most cost-effective way of getting the work completed, especially if you're not absolutely certain you'll use everything you get. It may make more sense to wait for a plumber who already has supplies.

3-What Don't You Know?

No matter how many tutorials you've watched or read, there could still be details you don't know about. For example, to save money you might get a piece of copper pipe rather than steel, without understanding that if you attach it to your current steel piping system, that's a problem. Two metals can often interact in a bad way that makes joints fail prematurely; if you do get that copper pipe, you've got to know you should also pick up a di-electric union to prevent contact with the steel.

You've also got to know what you'll do if water starts spraying everywhere and you can't stop it of if handles snap as you're turning them. By working without enough knowledge, you might not be able to figure out how to deal with unintended consequences and trouble without damaging things.

The desire to repair something may be strong, but until you've got satisfactory answers to these inquiries, it may be better to work with professional plumbers. Discussing problems with plumbing experts can help you determine if you can best resolve issues with their help. 


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