3 Important Reasons To Not DIY Your Water Heater Replacement
Does your current water heater seem to be dying? Are you tired of turning on the faucet and little to no hot water will come out? Replacing a worn-out water heater is something that every homeowner will eventually need to do. With the average water heater's lifespan being between 8 and 12 years, the water heater will likely need to be replaced at least three times before you need to replace the roof on your house again. Since this is something that has to be done relatively often, you may think that you might as well do this yourself. But as tempting as that may be, it's actually a better idea to hire a professional from a place like Art Douglas Plumbing Inc. to handle the actual installation. Some of the reasons for doing so include:
Installing gas line: An amateur should never mess with gas lines, even if you do happen to be proficient at soldering water pipes. Without the proper knowledge of how to deal with gas lines, your water heater installation could result in an explosion during the soldering process or it could happen afterward due to an almost undetectable leak in the line. A professional will both know how to properly solder all of the pipes together and will have the equipment necessary to test for potential leaks so that they can be fixed before they cause any issues.
Choosing correct water heater: The best water heater isn't always the most obvious one. Your plan may be to simply go to the store and buy a model that is as similar to the one that you have now as is possible. However, you have no way of knowing whether the previous homeowner chose the right model for the last water heater installation. A professional plumber will assess the layout of your home to determine whether you need the same size unit or whether you might actually need one that is slightly larger or smaller.
Legal reasons: When repairing or renovating your home, it can be all too easy to fall afoul of local building code laws. If you then go to sell your home in the future, the potential buyers can insist that you fix any code violations before they'll sign on the house. Remedying the water heater installation and any other violations can be a lengthy and expensive process. A process that could have been avoided if a professional had been used in the first place. Since you can't always tell whether or not you'll need to move in the near future, it's a good idea to always do things according to local building regulations so that you can avoid delays if you do need to sell.