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As with many things, it can be difficult to determine if you have a small or major plumbing problem. Trying to fix it on your own may or may not be a good idea.

The idea of "do it yourself" has a lot of appeal to homeowners. The reasons for this are many. It is possible to save the labor costs when you do the work yourself. There is a sense of pride and accomplishment. There are times when this is the right course of action, but there are times when it is not. When it comes to a plumbing issue it is important to have a good understanding of just what the problem is and the consequences of failure before you attempt any repair. One good idea is to have a good working relationship with a professional plumber. This relationship is good to establish before you need it.

If you are going to attempt to repair a plumbing problem on your own make sure you have a good idea of what you are capable of doing, and what you are not capable of doing. It is possible to do some research on most issues. The internet contains much advice and information. If you have established a good relationship with a plumber, it is also possible to contact him for some advice on how to proceed. The most critical issues will involve safety. This is especially true when the repair involves electricity or gas.

Understanding the consequences of failure involves knowing the impact on your household and the costs of fixing your mistake as well as the original problem. It is also important to understand the state and local codes that may apply to a repair project. These codes exist for a good reason, and mostly involve safety issues. Once again, your professional plumber could be a good source of information concerning code requirements. One last consideration is the availability of the proper tools. You should insure you have the right tools before the project is started. When you are half way through is a bad time to discover that you do not have the tools necessary to complete the job.

If you are going to do it yourself, troubleshooting involves the isolation of the problem based on physical clues. It may be the presence of water stains, or clogged up drains in sinks or toilets. The physical clues are often different from the true problem. Dealing merely with the external clue is akin to turning off a smoke detector without understanding why it is alarming and doing something about that. A plumbing trouble shooting guide can easily guide you through a list of clues and problems and give you suggested solutions.

Troubleshooting a plumbing problem is not unlike any other type of problem such as electrical or mechanical. It involves an evaluation of various clues, and a bit of trial and error. Yet it is always that essential first step in any repair process. Once you have a pretty good idea of just what the problem actually is, you can make the right decision. That decision might be to attempt the work yourself, or to call a professional plumber.

Fred Linson is with PlumbingStop.com - providing basic plumbing information and more resources.