Bob Vila makes it look easy. When he’s faced with a dripping faucet, an overflowing toilet, or pipes that give the Vegas fountains a run for their money, it just takes a few minutes (and some tools snagged from his completely stocked workshop) to address the issue and get everything back in order. But you’re not Bob Vila, are you? This article is written for the rest of us, who have some do-it-yourselfer skills but not a whole lot of plumbing experience. Taking on a home plumbing repair can save some serious cash – unless the job’s just too big. Then an effort to save money can actually cost you money!
Begin by taking a realistic inventory of your home repair skills.
How adept are you at fixing things? There are those of us who can look at instructions online or in a home repair manual, look at the pieces we actually have, and make it all work. Then there are those of us who can’t do that. If you’re in the first group, with some manual dexterity and mechanical ability, keep reading. If you’re in the second group, you may want to consider developing those skills before tackling home plumbing repair. Consider if you have the necessary tools and equipment to do the job, and the time to make it happen.
The next point to consider is the scope and magnitude of the plumbing repair job.
It’s one thing to fix a dripping faucet, and another thing entirely to remove a toilet and retrieve the stuffed panda bear your toddler sent ‘exploring’. If you’re new to home plumbing repair, start small. Build your skills and expertise on minor repairs before moving onto the major jobs. Dripping or leaky faucets are the most common plumbing problem, followed by leaking pipes, clogged toilets, and dirty drains.
A dripping faucet is a surprisingly expensive problem…at least in terms of your water bill!
The steady loss of water needs to stop. Can you do the job yourself? If the water’s dripping from the end of the faucet, the repair can be a simple matter of replacing washers. This is well within the ability of most Wellesley MA homeowners. Repairing leaks that occur at the base of the faucet may mean removing the faucet, replacing the o-rings and fittings, and putting the faucet back in place. This is a little more involved, but can generally be done by the skilled, well-equipped homeowner.
Wellesley MA Plumber continued …
