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How a DIY Plumbing Job Can Go Terribly Wrong

Posted on: January 7, 2019

We thought about calling these “DIY plumbing horror stories” in the title, but that feels a bit gruesome. But make no mistake, the ways a botched do-it-yourself plumbing job can fail may make you feel like you’re living in your own little horror story. No scary monsters, but high bills, water damage, and sewage aren’t big improvements.

There are a few simple plumbing jobs you can take care of on your own, such as cleaning out the aerators in faucets when they become clogged. But troubles like fixing pipe leaks and installing new plumbing fixtures should be left to licensed professionals to prevent … well, prevent some of these things from happening …

Voided Warranty!

Warranties exist to protect you, the buyer, from faults in a product that have nothing to do with how you use it. If you have a faulty plumbing fixture and the problem stems from the manufacturer, you can get a refund or a replacement as long as it’s under warranty. But if you attempt to make repairs to a fixture or plumbing appliance yourself and cause damage, that will void the warranty. You’ll end up paying for the replacement.

Water Damage!

This is a looming threat that can occur with attempt to fix pipes or bathroom fixtures: a sudden release of water to create flooding. And this can happen even if you take the precaution of shutting off the water main to the house—there’s still plenty of water in those pipes! Water damage is expensive to eliminate, and much pricier than hiring a professional to take care of the basic plumbing job in the first place.

Mold!

This one is a genuine icky horror story. Nobody wants mold getting into their home: it creates building damage, it looks terrible, and it can emit toxic spores into the air. Any professional plumber can tell you stories about how an amateur “fix” to plumbing or a botched installation job led to hidden water leaks, encouraging mold growth.

Scalding Water!

This is one that can happen from tampering with a water heater without knowing what you’re doing. Scalding water coming from showerheads and taps is extremely dangerous—and it happens far more often than it should, often thanks to messing around with the water heater when there’s a problem with lower water temperatures. If the water heater isn’t working as it should, get a pro to find out why.

High Water Bills!

There are many ways a plumbing mistake can lead to a spike in water bills. It could be poor connections at pipes creating leaks or errors with poor piping. It’s easy to avoid with a licensed plumber on the job.

Sewage in the House!

This is probably the worst disaster that might happen—a backflow of sewage into your home. It could be only sewer gas entering through drainpipes because the DIY job didn’t put in the right type of p-trap, or it might be as terrible as actual sewage flooding because the DIY work didn’t fix what it was supposed to fix. The professional plumber will always diagnose exactly what’s wrong so it can be made right.

We have the licensed and trained plumbers in Chapel Hill, NC who will handle any plumbing issue you may have. We offer 24/7 emergency service to stop all the troubles above.

Keep away those plumbing terrors and call the pros! Bud Matthews Services is here for all your home service needs.

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We recognize that our services are of a special and often emergency nature, and we remain fully committed to fulfilling the needs of our community even as potential demand for our services may increase with more families either choosing to or being required to remain home for extended periods of time. More importantly, the safety of our employees and customers is always our highest priority, and we recognize that heightened diligence and focus on health and safety is required during these challenging times. We are actively monitoring updates from the CDC, WHO and local health officials; and we have been proactively and continually implementing measures and developing plans to prioritize the health and well-being of our employees and customers. Including:

  • Equipping all technicians with masks, gloves, and disinfectants.
  • Social distancing – Avoid handshakes and limit direct contact with customers during their visit.
  • Requiring technicians to clean all surfaces with disinfectants before and after performing work.
  • Requiring all employees to stay home if they are experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing or fever.