A problem with leaking water in your house can quickly turn into a nightmare scenario if you don’t get it sorted urgently, and this is one example of when you probably need to call a plumber to get you out of a fix.

Some jobs might not seem urgent and you might even be thinking about tackling a bathroom upgrade yourself, but when should you test your DIY skills and when should you definitely leave the task to a professional?

Here is a look at what plumbers actually do, what warning signs you shouldn’t ignore and when it is time to get help with your drains and sewage smells.

More useful than you might think

It is easy to make the assumption that a plumber is mainly the person you call when you have a leaking water issue or your drain is backing up, but the scope of their work is actually a lot wider than that.

As a typical example, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing will do a lot more than fixing a leaky faucet or clear a clogged up drain.

The most common rooms in the house where you are likely to find a plumber at work are in the kitchen or the bathroom but even in those rooms, they can help with a lot of other tasks beyond a leaking water problem.

Take your kitchen, for instance, a plumber can help with Installing water lines to your refrigerator, fitting a garbage disposal system and even suggest a water-saving system that will cut your home bills.

Whether you call a plumber for some of these jobs might depend on how competent and knowledgeable you are with a range of DIY tasks, but there are clearly some issues that require professional help to resolve a problem safely and efficiently.

No water could be a sign of a big problem

If you have no water supply to your home there could be a plausible explanation such as maintenance work in the neighborhood where they have had to shut off supply for a brief time.

But if you are not aware of any valid reason why you have no water coming out of the taps and the houses next door are fine with their water supply, this should be a big red flag warning that something might be going badly wrong.

The water has got to be going somewhere and when you consider how many hundreds of gallons of water that are used in the typical home each day, if you don’t get to the root of the problem leaking water can soon cause some major structural damage to your property.

This is a classic scenario where it would be prudent to call a plumber in, as you have no time to waste trying to identify the problem yourself.

Regular problem with drains

Clogs are a common plumbing problem and on the face of it, fixing a problem like this should be within the reach of many homeowners who have a plunger and some rods to clear the drains.

If it is an isolated incident then you would be absolutely fine giving it a go yourself and you are likely to be successful in clearing the blockage.

If clogs are a regular occurrence this could be a clue that something is not right with your drains and pipework, which you may not be able to see or identify on your own. A plumber will have cameras and other specialist tools that can not only clear the blockage but also identify what is causing the problem.

A repeat drain problem is something that is worth asking a plumber to investigate so that you can get it fixed rather than keep reaching for the plunger.

Something doesn’t smell right

The smell of sewage is unpleasant but it is particularly disturbing when that pungent aroma is permeating throughout your home.

A strong sewage smell needs to be tackled urgently as it could be potentially damaging to your health but it could also be a warning sign that there is an underlying plumbing problem in your home, such as a lack of proper ventilation. 

It isn’t always that easy to pinpoint what is calling the strong sewage smell but this is another of those plumbing problems that most likely needs professional intervention to solve successfully.

Know your DIY limits and when it comes to water problems in your home, is it really worth taking any chances?

Simon Harrison runs his own plumbing business but is off work at the moment with an injury. He enjoys sharing his insights online almost as much as he likes sharing his expertise to his apprentices.