Plumbing a home bathroom

When it comes to plumbing bathrooms at home, if we don’t have the experience, we see this as an opportunity to get our hands dirty, literally. Sometimes, though, consulting with a plumber could save you a lot of expensive hassles.

According to Tony Young of Young's Plumbing and Gas in Fremantle, Mondays are one of his busiest days, as he is inundated with calls to fix bathroom DIY problems caused by 'weekend warriors'. "It always amazes me how much potential there is for disaster, and it's usually silly things that go wrong, like scratching gold or chrome surfaces by using inappropriate tools," he says.

Despite this, he believes there is value in learning how to do small bathroom plumbing jobs. "These are things that our parents would traditionally have done themselves," he says. "And provided it's done safely and within the realms of your capability, it can be quite empowering."

Use the right plumbing tools for the job

Before starting out on any DIY bathroom plumbing, Tony advises that it's important to have the correct plumbing tools. This will prevent damaging any of the lovely shiny surfaces that are often found in bathrooms. When undoing taps, placing a soft cloth between the spanner and the metallic surface will prevent abrasion.

If you don't want to cause a flood, knowing where to turn off the hot and cold water is essential. Simple things such as changing a tap washer or investigating a blocked drain are achievable for a competent DIY plumber. "I'd have no problems encouraging someone to clear a waste pipe," says Tony. "But when it starts becoming a sewer blockage, then it's a job for an expert plumber."

So how can you tell the difference? Well there are a few things you can try before calling in the professionals.

Plumbing bathroom sinks to clear blockage

If the bathroom sink is blocked or slow to drain and waste water, first check the gully trap, which is usually located in the floor. If this is overflowing, you'll need a plumber, but if not, there's a chance the blockage is happening between the sink and the drain.

Try plunging the sink to see if you can dislodge whatever is down there. If that doesn't work, undo the outlet under the sink, making sure to place a bucket underneath to catch anything that may fall out. If there's still no visible problem, then it's time to call a plumber, as attempting work on the sewer yourself is actually illegal.

Knowing the law

It’s vital to remember that you are not entitled to do any plumbing work where you are altering water pipes, opening drains or where gas is involved. Those are all jobs for a licensed plumber. Besides being illegal, doing any work on the sewer drain also poses some health and safety issues, says Tony, and should be left to the professionals.

Contact a plumber in your area to discuss ways you can fix your bathroom: