Don’t Try This at Home! The Projects You Should Never Try Yourself
As a homeowner, it’s always very tempting to skip corners and try to fix things in order to save money for the more enjoyable things in life. But there are specific tasks that must always be left for the professionals to handle for health and safety reasons and to protect your family in the long-term. Some DIY enthusiasts don’t see this as a valid enough reason not to take on certain tasks themselves but trust us – there really are times where you’re much better off calling the pros in. For example, do you think wasp nest removal is a simple task that doesn’t pose a serious danger? Or perhaps you think you can rewire part of your house just because you’ve changed a couple of fuses in your time. Think again.
Here are some “at home” tasks that you must never try to take on yourself.
Plumbing
Have you built a new shed and want to extend your current water supply to the back of your garden? Don’t even attempt it unless you understand how rerouting water and new piping works. Altering your home’s plumbing without the proper “know-how” can be disastrous and can be extremely expensive to fix once the damage has been done. Save yourself the stress by calling in a professional plumber who can complete the task efficiently. It could cost you a lot less in the long run.
Removing a Wasps Nest
Having a wasps nest in your garden can be outright dangerous, especially if you have young children. After all, the last thing you want is for anyone in your family to get stung. Apart from the danger that a wasps nest poses to you and your family, there are a few reasons why you need to hire a professional. Firstly, they’ll come to your house with all the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), so they can protect themselves against getting stung. Secondly, (and more importantly) they’ll be fully qualified and experienced with handling all sorts of wasp nest issues.
Electrics
Working with electrics can be extremely dangerous and potentially fatal for the inexperienced. Anything more than changing a basic light bulb should be left down to the professionals. In other words, your safety comes first when it comes to electricity. However, when hiring an electrician, you must make sure that they’re a registered professional otherwise, you may have problems selling your property in the future.
Rooftop Repairs
Unlike the other jobs that we’ve discussed so far, undertaking any rooftop repairs yourself is not an option worth considering. Working at height is already a dangerous task, but many factors can jeopardise your health and even your life. Imagine you’re on your roof trying to replace a gutter and your ladder slips, did you have a plan in place for such a disastrous thing to happen? Even worse, you could be working on the top of your house and a sudden storm hits. Please don’t risk it; call a team of professionals to handle any rooftop repairs you need doing.
A Loft Conversion
A loft conversion may not seem like a dangerous task, but certain aspects can be overlooked. For example, it’s vital that you call in the professionals to inspect your property for asbestos before you start anything. Not many properties these days have been built with the highly hazardous substance, but it’s just not a risk worth taking.
There’s also the risk of putting your foot in the wrong place and damaging a pipe. Even worse, you could end up going through the ceiling and severely injuring yourself and others.
Gas Appliance Repairs
Similar to electrics, you should never try to repair a gas appliance unless you’re fully qualified to do so. In other words, if you don’t fix them as a career, don’t even attempt it for your own safety. If you smell gas and suspect that it’s coming from your oven, you need to call a professional and then vacate your home immediately.
