Not every plumbing job requires a phone call to a local plumber in Toronto, but this all depends on what the homeowner thinks he can manage versus what he can actually manage. Plumbing is more than just fixing a leaking pipe or changing a dented tube for a new one; it requires careful calculation of water pressures, understanding hydraulic layouts and having the necessary skills to use the best materials to get the job done. While just about any skilled plumber in Toronto can handle most if not all plumbing jobs, homeowners can save time and money if they learn the nooks of the trade.
How then can you identify a DIY plumbing job compared to one that requires a real professional? The answer to this question is simple: any plumbing job that does NOT require the installation of special tubes, the use of certain types of tools, the breaking of walls or that will take less than a hour wont require a professional plumber in Toronto to handle it. Many would assume that with the right tools and using a little common sense that it will be easy to fix a leaking pipe or install certain facets throughout a house. However, this will depend on two factors: if the plumbing job in question is for a house that is being constructed or if it is for one that has already been constructed for some years.
The two scenarios above may seem similar, but they are quite different. A house that is being constructed will have to obey the hydraulic layout that has been prepared by the contractor and that adheres to certain norms by relevant Canadian bodies. Many homeowners are not equipped to look at a plan and execute the whole plumbing job for a house. They may be able to act on one that has already been done by a plumber in Toronto, but starting from scratch requires more skills. For the second situation above, the homeowner will have to know the age of the installation in question to be able to make an accurate conclusion about what has to be done. Any hydraulic installation that is more than 30 years old, may require changing the whole tube system instead of patching different parts as defects appear.
There is also the question about new materials that are constantly being placed on the market. While every plumber in Toronto should be abreast of new releases in the world of plumbing, such information may be readily available to just about every homeowner. The result of this is evident: new materials will require different skills and accessories to install that are different from the traditional pieces in question. In-depth knowledge of the material being used is also necessary from a chemical stand point. Copper with aluminum for example will not guarantee a stable installation as time passes due to the ions that the copper releases that eventually deteriorate the aluminum pieces.
There are also certain skills that are developed over time after repeating certain plumbing jobs. A typical example of this would be knowing the angle in which to place a certain tube or if a 45 degree accessory should be used instead of a 90 degree one.