Home DIY is fun, more accessible and extensive than ever, and encouraged by reality renovation TV. But at the end of the day there are some jobs that you need to leave to the professionals no matter how keen you are to get your hands dirty! If not, you may end up in a sticky situation, a dangerous one, or a costly one in the long run. Keep you, your investment and your family safe by knowing when to draw the line and call in the pros!
Fixing Gas Leaks
If you smell gas in your property, then apart from checking you haven't left the stovetop or heater on, you should never try and take care of it yourself. Instead, your best bet is to turn off the gas at the meter, if you believe that it is safe for you to do so. You then need to call an emergency gas service. An operator will then be able to help you to take the next steps and you can also arrange for an engineer to be sent out to your home. Where possible, you need to make sure that you open up all of the doors and the windows so that you can let the gas escape. Avoid using light switches too as this could spark an explosion.
Removing Asbestos
Asbestos was once used to fireproof buildings and although considered hardy (cement-like), it's now understood how dangerous it can be to respiratory health. If your home was built or renovated before the year 2000 then there is a small chance that you have some in your home. If you suspect that there is asbestos in your property then never try to remove or repair it yourself. Please leave it to the professionals as it needs to be broken down and disposed of properly, as it is hazardous waste. If, however, you leave the asbestos alone and intact, it won’t be an immediate threat, but if it starts to deteriorate, contact the right environmental health tradespeople and stay well clear of your home until advised that it is safe to return.
Knocking Down Internal Walls
Although it can be fun and feel like great progress to go gung-ho on a demolition, it's imperative you seek a builders advice before knocking down any internal walls in your home. There are a huge range of things that you need to consider with this, such as whether or not the wall is load-bearing and if you need to take into account electrical wiring, gas connections or plumbing. It may add cost, but a professional builder can help you out here and potentially save you a lot of heartache and hazard over a mistake. And if you do need to make some changes to your wiring then consider hiring the professionals at smillieelectrical.com.au, as they can give you all of the support you need.
Fitting a New Bath
Did you know that if you try and do some simple plumbing jobs, such as fitting a new bath, you may not only be putting yourself at risk but you might also be breaking the law? You may be breaching building code and water regulations and this may result in you getting a fine or facing certification and insurance challenges. Leave jobs like this to professional plumbers and labourers as they can help you by completing the work properly the first time, on time and on budget! Apart from structurally sound flooring and waterproofing, there are many approved fittings which must be used and in some instances, you may need to discuss your specific bathroom's best options with your plumber before you even begin to plan changes.
Be safe, be smart. Research, plan, budget and know your limits!
Happy renovating.
x
Image Source: 1
