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    Home Repairs You Shouldn’t Try Yourself

    Home Repairs You Shouldn’t Try Yourself

    Although ‘do it yourself’ is something we advocate for strongly, there are times when it’s just better to call in the professionals.

    Whether that’s due to a safety issue because the job itself needs expert and precise knowledge, or simply because any mistakes made could be a lot more costly than calling in an expert in the first place, sometimes it’s best to know when to call for help. Here are some examples.

    Plumbing Jobs

    Water can do a lot of damage to a home if it is allowed to, and while the need for plumbing to be done might mean water damage has happened already, getting that plumbing wrong could mean you see a lot more. It might be possible to do a little plumbing work if the pipes are already in place and if they are just minor repairs, such as changing a faucet or switching a showerhead. Yet if you try to change too much, and when you start to get involved in pipework, you really should contact a professional for help. Your home insurance may not cover the damage the water causes if it was down to your DIY disasters, plus it’s truly inconvenient to be without water for a long period of time.

    Electrical Jobs

    If you are thinking of tackling any jobs that involve an element of electricity, think again. Again, minor repairs are (probably) okay to do; changing a lightbulb, for example, is actually a useful life skill to have. However, the really technical stuff where you need to know which wire routes to which outlet and how to test that everything is working is not for the amateur to try out. Not only is it a safety issue, but, depending on where you are and what needs to be done, you might need a permit or a license to do it.

    Without that, you could face a fine, and your insurance could be voided. On top of that, even if you do the work yourself and suffer no ill effects, if you decide to sell your home, later on, you could have problems if you can’t produce the permit for the work you did.

    Asbestos

    Asbestos may be naturally occurring, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe. It was used in many older buildings as insulation, so the chances are if your home dates from before the 1990s, you’ll have some asbestos lurking in your walls. Asbestos won’t hurt you if you leave it alone, but if it is disturbed, the fibers can be breathed in and get lodged in your lungs, resulting in illness and sometimes death from mesothelioma. Removing asbestos, therefore, is a highly specialized job and should never be attempted by yourself.

    Air Conditioning Units

    Air conditioning units are complicated pieces of equipment, and it takes specialist knowledge to be able to deal with them properly. They combine both water and electricity, which makes them doubly dangerous, and they can lead to all sorts of safety issues within the home if they are not repaired properly, including fire, electric shocks, and mold. It’s far better to search for an expert and find someone who can maintain and repair your air conditioner for you than to run the risk of hurting yourself or your family.

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    Home Repairs You Sho…

    by Anthony Johnson Time to read this article: 7 min
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