Neptune City received its name from the mythical Roman sea ruler, Neptune, but in the 19th century, its nearby oceans took on a different image. The location became rich in maritime activities like fishing and shipbuilding, which local museums now honor. While Neptune has always been known for its natural waterways, understanding your household plumbing can be just as important for maintaining a well-functioning home.
Your plumbing comprises two main systems: the water supply line, which provides clean, fresh water, and the drainage waste line, which empties gray water into the sewer system. Each line has dozens of pipes, fittings, and attached appliances and water fixtures, each developing unique issues and warning signs over time. When it’s time for a repair, trust Casper Friendly Services over handling issues yourself.
Professional Vs. DIY Plumbing: Why Risking Rookie Mistakes Is Not Worth It in Neptune, NJ
Professional plumbers spend years studying and becoming certified in residential and commercial plumbing. They dedicate their time to ensuring Neptune citizens always have a dry, safe space to come back to by conducting installations, maintenance, and repairs multiple times daily across the city and undergoing constant training.
Because of this, unlicensed individuals with little to no education in these types of services are no match for a top plumber in Neptune, NJ. Still, residents constantly opt for DIY plumbing to save money. Below, we’ll relay why the opposite can happen, leaving DIYers with more costs than necessary.
A Lack of Professional Tools Keeping You From a Proper Job
Since countless things can go wrong with your plumbing, dozens of tools exist to alleviate each unique condition. In most cases, there are numerous tool options for one issue alone, depending on the problem’s severity.
For instance, if you have a toilet clog causing water levels to rise in the toilet tank every time you flush, you may try plunging. While that may work in some cases, other times it won’t. That is especially true if the clog is:
- Too firm and refuses to break apart with a simple suction
- Too far, resting in the main line rather than the toilet line
- A solid obstruction like a tree root
Therefore, you may need an auger that grinds clogs in a corkscrew motion or pulls back up large debris like jewelry and toys using the hook end. If the clog is too big or too far for an auger to reach, hydro-jetting with high water pressure is best.
Unfortunately, it can cost hundreds of dollars to purchase and try all these items, and it can prove wasteful since you may only use it a handful of times. So, rather than guessing about the tools and throwing away money, consider hiring a professional plumber who already has all the tools necessary for fixing any issue.
The Wrong Parts Not Meant for Your Plumbing System
Just as bad as not having the right tools is not having the proper components for the job. Unfortunately, this is a common issue with DIY plumbing in Neptune, NJ. Many homeowners with little experience in sizing parts or looking closely at material makeup may simply try to find new parts according to appearance.
For instance, if you have a piping connection with rust, holes, or looseness, you may need a pipe tee fitting that connects pipes at 90-degree angles rather than a cross or elbow type. Even if you realize that, you can still purchase the wrong material, like galvanized steel rather than PVC. As PVC threaded ports expand and contract, the metal part won’t, causing stress on the PVC, which leads to gaps and cracks.
Other reasons your newly purchased components may not fit or work as efficiently include when the components are:
- Not compatible with other parts of your system
- Not high quality
- Too big or small for attached pieces, causing a loose connection
- Not right for the environment or the location you want to place them in
Incorrect Repairs or Procedures Leaving You With More Problems Than You Started With
Sometimes, the issue starts with a misdiagnosis if you consider the plumbing symptoms but not all the potential solutions. For instance, if you notice a sink faucet or showerhead isn’t providing enough water pressure, causing it to take longer to wash off soap, your first instinct may be that there’s a clog in the aerator, showerhead or filter.
You may turn off the water and disassemble the faucet or showerhead to soak or scrape off sediment or residue buildup. However, if you reassemble the item just to rediscover the issue, you not only waste your time but may end up feeling more confused than when you started. You may have even spent a lot to repair or replace something that wasn’t the issue to begin with.
DIY plumbing requires a lot of trial and error before you find the root cause of plumbing issues. In the low water pressure case above, any of the following could be the culprit:
- Corrosion or buildup in the main water line
- A partially closed water supply valve
- Undetected leaks that reduce the amount of water that makes it to nearby fixtures
- A malfunctioning water pressure regulator that isn’t properly maintaining water pressure
Even if you find the appropriate cause, the plumbing terms alone prove difficult for the average Neptune, NJ, resident, not to mention the actual process. Something as simple as overtightening tube fittings or turning the valve incorrectly causes breakages leading to anything from leaks and water damage to higher utility bills and safety concerns. Professional plumbing services reduce the risk of improper care.
Property Damage Caused By Ineffective Services
Ineffective DIY services are just as harmful to your home as ignoring symptoms. For example, if your plumbing system is coming to its lifespan’s end but you opt for repairing certain pipes rather than replacing the entire system, more cracks and holes will develop along the pipe surfaces. They’ll grow in size as they corrode and water continues to pass through them.
The water escaping the pipes reduces water pressure since less of it is traveling to your water appliances and fixtures. Moreover, you’ll take longer showers to feel clean, and it’ll take more water to fill your dishwasher or washing machine, resulting in higher water costs. You’ll also notice:
- Mold and mildew growth alongside a musty odor
- Wall and ceiling water stains
- Cracked or chipped paint or curling wallpaper
- Swollen floorboards or slab leaks
In these cases, a plumber should not only repair your plumbing to prevent further water damage but also sanitize for fungal growth while a construction worker repairs walls, ceilings, and floors.
Causing Self-Harm and Injuries to Others
What’s worse than destroying your home with DIY plumbing in Neptune, NJ, is harming yourself or your loved ones in the process. You may think as long as you know how to use your tools or manuever heavy equipment, you don’t have to worry. However, twisting your finger with a wrench or lifting a replacement toilet with your back rather than your legs isn’t all there is to be wary of.
Drainage lines, toilets, and the sewer system house gray and black water that contains human waste, bacteria, pathogens, contagious microbes, and other toxic substances. While some contaminants enter the body via cuts on the skin, others enter through breathing air, leading to respiratory illnesses and other ailments that result in hospital stays, doctor visits, and high medical bills.
While you can wear face masks, waders, and thick gloves, the safest way to deal with plumbing issues is by calling an expert who has done this specific task dozens of times before.
Voiding Insurance Coverages and Warranties with Improper Plumbing Care
One final example of how DIY services can cost money is when you incorrectly repair a product that originally had a warranty.
Usually, appliances, fixtures, and plumbing systems come with manufacturer or installation company warranties that guarantee they’ll replace or fix faulty parts, respectively, if they go bad within a certain period. However, if they feel you’ve manipulated the products, causing them to go bad, the warranties become null, and you have to pay out of pocket to repair or replace parts.
Similarly, insurance companies may only cover water damage claims if they originated from natural disasters like storms and floods or plumbing issues outside your control. If they find you conducted a plumbing service without a professional by your side, you’ll have to pay thousands of dollars yourself for water damage and plumbing repairs since the insurer will see you as the cause.
Opt out of a Family Member’s DIY Plumbing and into Our Family-Friendly Services in Neptune, NJ!
Plumbing issues are not child’s play and require more than a YouTube tutorial or wikiHow step-by-step instructions. That’s why when you need real skill and expertise in your corner, you need the #1 plumbers in Neptune, NJ, and the surrounding areas. At Casper Friendly Services, from drain cleaning to faucet replacements, we provide safe and reliable 24/7 services, so call our certified team at 732-759-4568!
