If you have a minor plumbing issue such as a dripping faucet or a slight sink clog, chances are you are tempted to fix it yourself. You may be successful in these menial jobs and may seek to to take on larger plumbing jobs in the event that they arise, but it would be beneficial for you and your home to differentiate between jobs you can tackle yourself and when you should seek assistance from a professional licenced plumber. The following are situations where the latter option should definitely be considered.

1. Clogged drain

You have a clogged drain and it would be easier and cheaper to just buy a do-it-yourself drain cleaner but this is not a good idea. These drain cleaners may be successful in clearing minor blockages, but will not address ongoing problems and you will find yourself looking to hire a plumber in the near future anyway. Hydrochloric acid is normally the common chemical in these drain cleaners and it is known to eat away at pipes and fixtures which will in turn cost you even more money due to having to replace them.

Licenced plumbers have tools such as cameras that can be installed into a drain to identify the exact location of the clog, jet machines that use water to clear obstructions, and snakes that thread down a drain and can knock apart materials blocking a pipe. These tools will guarantee that your clog is cleared and your system will be working as it should in no time.

2. Leaking pipes

You may be able to fix a dripping pipe with little effort but a leaking pipe is a different story. A pipe that leaks constantly over an extended period of time will eventually lead to leaking to other rooms and will cause structural damage if it continues for long enough. Whether the leak is due to a severe clog or poorly fitted pipe joints, a professional plumber can attend your home, identify the reason for the leak, and usually all it takes is taking apart the pipe that leaks and removing an obstruction or installing a new piece if a crack is the reason for the leak.

Remember, your insurance will normally cover burst pipes that cause flooding but usually refuse to cover damages caused by slow leaks that could have easily been repaired.

3. Frozen pipes

In areas with colder climates, pipes will freeze when the temperature where they are located is not high enough or if they are not insulated properly. Sometimes a frozen pipe can be thawed out with the careful use of a blowtorch of a blow-dryer, but if the freeze is severe enough, you will want to call a professional plumber. The plumber will usually just cut out the frozen piece and install a new one. Calling a plumber to fix a frozen pipe is imperative because as temperatures rise, the freezing will subside and cause water to leak out of any cracks caused by the freeze.

4. Low pressure/no water

If you have low water pressure or no water at all, this could be symptomatic of a mineral build-up around your fixtures or in your water tank, a faulty check valve, or issues with drawing water into the home such as a clog or an inadequate size of water main. Because low water pressure or lack of water could be due to a number of things, it would be best to hire a plumber who can positively identify the issue and fix it. The plumber will save you time and money by keeping you from running out and buying numerous different parts all of which may not even fix the issue and attempting to perform the repairs yourself.