4 Top Home Repairs You Should Never Attempt

“How hard can it be?” is the first question a daring do-it-yourselfer may ask when approaching perceivably easy home repairs. With the Internet as our guide, it seems as though no job is too large for our capable hands. This article lists 4 top home repairs you should never attempt to do.

Virtually all kind of home repairs or renovation is explained in full online, many times with step-by-step video to go along with it. And in a time the price of commodities have risen so high, now every penny counts. Paying a professional could mean not being able to afford tomatoes in the market. There are many home repairs and renovation jobs that someone with modest experience can try to tackle. So how do you know when you’re being penny-wise versus pound foolish?

Attempting certain home repairs can be dangerous to your house and harmful to yourself.

Here are four jobs that you’d be better off to leave to a professional.

1. Plumbing Repairs

One thing can be said about water — if there’s a way out, water will find it. The very smallest leak can lead to thousands of naira worth of damage if it’s not caught in time. If you’re a capable do-it-yourselfer and there’s existing plumbing in place, you can probably manage some minor repairs like changing a shower head or replacing a faucet. Where you can get into trouble is if you try to modify your plumbing system — extending hot water lines or re-routing your sewer pipes. Working with hot water means copper pipes, and that requires a blow torch. Unless you have some serious welding experience, it’s best to leave the torch jobs to the professionals. One website we think may be good to look at that offers professional plumbing services is Van Damme Projects. While it isn’t as dangerous as electric work, plumbing problems can get out of hand fast and lead to an expensive and wet future.

2. Electrical Repairs

Any projects involving electricity should be approached with extreme caution. Like plumbing, you may be able to pull off minor repairs like changing a light switch or installing a ceiling fan — as long as you make sure that your power is turned off before you start. You can test the switch against the breaker so you’re positive that there isn’t a current, or you can just turn off your master switch to be super sure. You should also invest in a decent volt meter so you can test wires for power. But if the repair goes beyond a simple fixture, it’s best to call a professional electrician. Extending or replacing circuits is dangerous business if you don’t know what you’re doing. One wrong move could burn your house down, and a shock could result in injury or death.

3. Asbestos Removal

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral and has been used for years in older homes and businesses for its insulating properties. It’s resistant to heat and electricity and is a good acoustic barrier as well. Unfortunately, asbestos has been found to be toxic.

Aside from the inherent dangers of toxicity, there are many laws that govern the removal of asbestos in developed parts of the world because it can pose a danger to those in close proximity — like your neighbors. So on account should you attempt to remove asbestos on your own instead call a professional.

4. Roofing Repairs

R­epairing a roof isn’t recommended for a do-it-yourselfer for one reason — it’s easy to fall off. Repairing a roof isn’t the toughest job in the world, but it’s getting up and down and carrying your tools with you that pose the risk of injury or death. It’s also very tiring work, and when you’re tired, you’re more prone to make a mistake. Just a quick slip is all it takes to send you over the edge of a second-story roof.

Your roof may even be low enough to do it from the ladder. But these minor fixes still can be dangerous, and you should never attempt any of them when you’re home alone. At the very least, you should have a spotter in place to hold the ladder and be there in case of an accident. Aside from the danger involved, roofing work also requires experience to get it right. If you bite off more than you can chew, you may end up with a leaky roof and expensive water damage.