Over time, your home and its contents will likely experience issues, breakdowns, and need for TLC and attention. Wear and tear can put pressure on your home and your appliances, affecting your quality of life, and how efficient your home is, not to mention how big your energy bills are. Appliances that aren’t running at their best or homes that need updating or repair will consume more energy and work harder than those that have been appropriately cared for.
When it comes to home repairs, there is a lot of benefit in learning DIY to help you save money and learn new skills. However, you should leave some tasks to the professionals, unless you are one.
Electrical Work
Electrical work can be hazardous, and attempting to fix major electrical issues can put you at risk of death. One miscalculation or misstep can set your home and your life at risk, even if you think you know what you’re doing. While you can change a lightbulb, a light fitting or an electrical socket plate, anything more complex than this should be carried out by a qualified electrician to ensure work is carried out to legal standards and is safe for purpose.
Usually, this is something that people want to do because they think they can do it cheaper than an electrician can do it for, but it’s totally not true. Just think about it for a moment; an electrician can get wholesale electrical supplies that would be more expensive for you to buy; plus, they usually do energy audits to save you money, too. So, you’ll be safer and just far better off not doing this yourself because the pros outweigh the cons of hiring an electrician.
Gas Work
Gas is extremely flammable and highly volatile. Appliances like central heating, hot water, boiler, cookers, and fires can all be gas-powered. Even the most minor fault with your appliance or gas supply can put you at risk of harm. Gas leaks must be reported immediately, the gas supply is turned off, and all windows and doors are opened to let the gas dissipate. If you suspect an issue with your gas appliances or supply, you need to turn off the gas until it can be made safe and call Gas, Heating & Plumbing Services, who can determine the fault and fix it without causing further damage.
Plumbing Repair
We’re not talking about a simple tap leak or change or even a blocked toilet; these can often be easily fixed with the help of online tutorials. But anything further, such as leaks, pipelines, sewer issues, and even fitting new baths, should be done by the experts. One study of plumbers and the most common emergency call-out identified that botched plumbing jobs from DIY repairs were the number one emergency call-out. Skip the added cost, damage and stress and call in a plumber before overestimating your knowledge and abilities and making things much worse than they started.
Structural Repairs
If you notice any changes to the structure of your home or the foundations, you need to call structural engineers. Sagging floors, cracked foundations, jagged cracks in walls, and doors not fitting into the frame can all indicate structural or foundation issues. The first signs are a warning that something is amiss, and you need to call in the experts to determine the cause and fix it quickly.
DIY repairs around the home can save you a lot of money, especially if you are gifted in this area. However, you shouldn’t attempt repairs outside your skillset or require training and qualifications. The four problems mentioned are ones you should not try yourself.
[…] can be highly dangerous, and unless you know exactly what you’re doing, it’s best to hire experts to do the work for you. Plus, don’t forget that doing electrical work without the right […]