Cheap plumbing is often times expensive in the long run

Plumbing.  It’s a dirty word. And it’s a dirty job. Most people try to take the path of least resistance and just hire cheap plumbers. Others opt for DIY (do-it-yourself) plumbing, mostly to save money. This, however, can often times lead to greater expenses in the long run.

Professional plumbers have some obvious cost implications such as having to mark-up their services to make a living, buying replacement parts, etc. That’s what you’re paying for. Some people feel that they’ll just tackle it on their own to save a few clams, but there are also hidden costs that you should be aware of when taking this route. Water velocity has to be factored in when doing your own plumbing to avoid the bursting of water pipes and the consequent flooding of your home. Cleaning up after a flood is very expensive, especially if carpet and rug cleaning is necessary. Flooding also damages tiles that will require replacement. There is also the risk to damage of walls in cases where pipes run through walls. Bad plumbing could lead to the accumulation of life threatening gases. Hydrogen sulfide is one such gas. Gas levels of above 150 ppm lead to paralysis in the sense of smell, asphyxiation (loss of breathing), respiratory depression, and even death. These diseases are expensive to treat. Another of these gases is methane. This is an asphyxiant gas that causes such conditions as oxygen deficiency/asphyxiation, also expensive to treat. The odor of hydrogen sulfide and methane are enough to cause nausea, headache, and other symptoms that also require treatment. Hydrogen sulfide and methane gas are also inflammable and they could cause the destruction of the whole house. Not only do you risk damaging fixtures with DIY repairs since you will not have the necessary training and experience, but you should leave plumbing to a professional because you risk voiding the warranty of some fixtures if you do the repairs yourself. Many manufacturers insist that only certified technicians do repairs.

If you have homeowner’s insurance (HOI), you could void it by not having plumbing that is up to code, and that can mean real trouble. Insurance coverage usually has a rider that the plumbing in your home has to be done by a professional. The insurance company will probably send a representative to assess the plumbing job and if it is shoddy, you could miss the whole payment or your premiums could go up. If there is improper plumbing work that involves electricity-consuming fixtures like washers, there is a high possibility of you incurring huge electricity costs down the road. Bad plumbing practices such as connecting copper pipes with pipes made of galvanized metal leads to expensive problems such as corrosion, which ultimate leads to full replacement of your internal pipes and can even lead to water heater repair needs down the road.

So think twice before tackling a big plumbing job on your own. Cheap plumbers can be attractive on the front side, but you will end up paying more in the long run. Give us a call anytime 24/7 if you think you may need our services!