Clogged drains, burst pipes, leaky faucets. It seems like no matter what precautions you take, plumbing breaks down one way or another and you need to have a good water damage defense in place.
Plumbing problems can be a huge headache, but if you’re smart about making repairs and replacing equipment you can save yourself a lot of time and money.
Making smart repairs
When you’re having plumbing problems, you obviously want to get things back in working condition as quickly as possible and save as much money as you can. But depending on the situation, it might make more sense to replace the broken equipment completely rather than just fix the problem temporarily.
Here are a few things that you should consider when deciding whether to repair or replace:
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Cost of repairs
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How often your plumbing needs to be repaired
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How long the broken equipment has been in use
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Energy efficiency of the current system
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The safety of the set-up you have now
Some plumbing problems, like a clogged drain or a leaking faucet, are easy to repair on your own, and your plumbing will be as good as new. Other problems, however, are the result of old, leaky pipes, recurring clogs, broken equipment, and harmful lead pipes. These items should be replaced, since repairing them isn’t a long-term solution.
If you do choose to repair rather than replace, there are plenty of local and online retailers for inexpensive replacement parts and tutorials to help you along the way.
As long as you feel confident making repairs and replacements yourself, you can save a lot of money by doing the work yourself. Otherwise, it may be worth it to call in a professional, whether to assess the situation or do the actual repairs.
It’s better to be stuck with repair bills than make the problem worse by leaving it untreated or risk making it worse.
