Blocked Up: Straightforward Advice About Plumbing Issues

There may be some minor plumbing repairs that need to be done around the house and which you can handle on your own, with a few good tools and a bit of knowhow. However, many homeowners make the mistake of thinking that they can handle far too many plumbing repairs on their own, and they often wind up doing more damage than good. Note a few times when it's best to call an emergency plumber rather than trying to tackle certain repair jobs by yourself.

1. When Bathtub Drain Clogs Won't Clear

If you have a clog in the bathtub drain and a standard drain cleaner won't clear it, never try to use a snake or other appliance on your own. These are actually harder to use than you may realize and you could do damage to the pipes and connectors if you use one incorrectly. You also need to understand how to use a snake in order to clear a clog; typically you don't simply run the snake through the drain but must work it back and forth to actually remove the items clogging the drain itself.

It's also good to note that a clogged bathtub may not be the result of hair and soap scum in the drain, but this could be caused by something even outside your own home. If tree roots have wrapped around the pipes outside your home, they could crack those pipes and in turn, dirt and sediment can seep in, causing clogs. You could waste quite a bit of time and effort trying to run a snake through your bathtub drain when the problem isn't even in your home's pipes in the first place. For those clogs that won't clear, call a plumber instead.

2. When You Need to Replace Pipes

If you have a water leak behind your walls, you will probably need to replace corroded or bent pipes. This too is not as easy as many homeowners assume, and using the wrong materials or not attaching them properly can mean more leaks. As an example, when matching metal pipes, you need to use the same type of metal for each section of pipe or otherwise you might see early corrosion. Metal and plastic pipes also aren't used together, as the plastic may not support the weight of the metal.

Plumbers (like those at Haig & Menzel Contractors Pty Ltd) will know the right materials to use for pipes as well as the sizes, and will ensure they're connected with plumber's tape or glue or another adhesive to seal the connections. In turn you'll have a repair that will last.