Why You Should Always Call Your Plumber

Imagine this – your faucet breaks at home and someone in your household (not a plumber) decides to fix it. They manage to fix it, and everything seems fine. You go to sleep and end up waking in dire need of water in the middle of the night, so you get up and open the faucet… and everything comes apart! Within a minute you are soaked, in a panic, and have no clue what to do. This scenario and many other DIY disasters can very easily be avoided.

When do you call the plumbing professional?
Many people think that plumbing can be learned as a DIY trade, however it is a lot more complex than it seems. Plumbing qualifications can take up to three years to obtain – for good reason. Your plumbing is a complex system of inter-connected systems and pipes – some parts of your plumbing may even be older than you and a hodgepodge of repairs and extensions. Also, there are many small components and fragile parts that could easily be misplaced or broken if not handled correctly – one small move and your home can become your own private indoor pool.

Technology has also come a long way in changing the face of plumbing. For example, a dripping faucet is no longer as simple as changing the washer. Many modern faucets now contain ceramic plates instead of washers, which are far more complicated to change than the washers of yesteryear – you will definitely end up wasting money as well as time trying to DIY.

Another example that many people won’t even consider when thinking about hiring a plumber is that of your washing machine. As soon as your washing machine hose looks frayed even in the slightest, you should replace it. This seems like an easy enough job to do without having to call a professional, however, there is so much that can (and probably will) go wrong that the best thing to do is to call your trusty plumber, ASAP! Not only will he have the right parts and tools to do the job, but he will also know exactly what he is doing and prevent disaster from striking (while still maintaining your warranty and saving you time).

What can you do on your own, though?
There are a few things which would be handy for you to know though, should that plumbing emergency arrive. Ultimately you will have to call the plumber to sort it out, but you can do damage control until they arrive:

• A clogged toilet:
  There are two things you can do when you have a clogged toilet, or to avoid a clogged toilet: Firstly, you can invest in a plunger – this is a device that sucks up built up dirt that is blocking your toilet drain, so that it becomes loose and frees the drain up.

• No water coming out of the shower:
  On the rare occasion, this can be caused by a clogged up dirty showerhead that doesn’t have any more space for water to pass through. If this is the case, mix some baking soda and vinegar in a plastic bag and tie it over your shower head overnight – the next morning you should be good to go!

Remember that all DIY plumbing is done at your own risk and that if the problem persists you must call your plumber immediately. Art Plumbing and Air Conditioning will handle all your plumbing needs, with a 24-hour emergency plumbing service for those rare occasions!