Can DIY Plumbing Invalidate or Impact Your Home Insurance?

This is a question we get asked a lot, and it’s one we aim to clear-up with this post. DIY plumbing and other general household tasks have become more popular than ever before.

With the rising number of DIY tutorials and support available online for various tasks around the house, it’s never been easier to try and tackle these jobs yourself. They are appealing to so many people because it gives them an affordable and often quicker solution to the issue. However, if things go wrong or there are unexpected complications, it could longer and cost much more money in the process.

However, there are certain DIY tasks that might impact your home insurance. For this reason, it’s always wise to check with your insurance company what coverage you have in place for any accidental damage and to verify they don’t require you to hire a professionally licensed plumber for the job.

What types of DIY plumbing jobs could impact your home insurance and leave you in hot water with the plumbing licensing board?

Fixing a Water Heater

Although it might seem like a relatively easy DIY plumbing task, and at first, it might appear to be straightforward, you need to hire in some help to get a water heater correctly repaired. Not only can it be quite dangerous to work on a water heating system if you’re not qualified to do so. But it can also be very costly if something goes wrong. From electrocutions to water pipe accidents, and even gas leaks, these can be easily avoided and managed by a qualified local plumber with ease.

Fixing an Issue with Low-Water Pressure

Again, it is something you might have seen being done in the past, and at first, it does appear to be straightforward. Although most issues with low water pressure can be resolved with the removal and cleaning of the tap aerator, there are other issues that are far more serious that could be the cause of the problem. If you have cleaned your spout aerator and the pressure is still low call a Perth Plumber.

Fixing a Sink Pipe

This is another easy job ‘on-the-surface’, and while it’s true that the pipes are most likely going to be visible from under the sink, you might not always know where the source of the problem is. In this instance, locating the exact area isn’t easy, and it can take time. You might need to disconnect the drains apart, and if not done correctly, this can be quite risky, and costly should you cause damage to the pipes.

Fixing a Broken Toilet

This is a very common type of at-home DIY task that so many people seem to struggle with.  If this toilet is your only one, then having it out of action can present major problems for the household. In this event, getting a professional plumber to fix the issue is a good idea.

Not all broken toilet repairs simple, and because they need to be fixed through the pipelines, it’s essential to make sure you do everything 100% by the book to prevent any further development of the issue.

Why some DIY jobs need to be done by a professional

With certain jobs, particularly where pipelines are concerned, a professional plumber should be used. Because this could impact the supply of drinking water, and potentially your general supply of water, it’s essential to use a qualified local plumbing service.

We’ve seen so many DIY projects that could have been quickly carried out by a professional plumber go wrong. Something as straightforward as forgetting to lower the water pressure can lead to burst pipes. With this, a job that could have cost just a few hundred dollars can easily escalate into the thousands.

A qualified plumber will carry their own insurance and will be certified to undertake the works they do on your property.

For local plumbing repairs and upgrades, you can trust our team to deliver outstanding services at affordable prices. Contact us today to find out more.

The Final Word

Most home insurance companies will investigate the root cause of any issues. If they were to establish that a failed DIY plumbing fix had compounded a problem and expert services were not consulted at the time, then this could lead to your insurance claim being refused.

You wouldn’t want anyone around you interfering with the plumbing or water supply to your home, and at-home plumbing efforts can and do impact upon a neighbourhood’s water supply.

Another reason we strongly recommend hiring a licensed tradesman is that in Western Australia it is actually illegal to work on your plumbing if you are not qualified to do so. Even hiring a handyman to repair your leaking taps is against the rules and can leave you in trouble with your insurance company. More info on what you can and can’t do read the plumbing licensing board website.

Keep it simple and hire a professional. Get peace of mind that the issue will be professionally diagnosed and treated, in the quickest and most cost-effective way.