4 Home Maintenance Tasks to Never DIY

Gritty American homeowners often have a “Can Do!” attitude when it comes to home repairs and maintenance. From cleaning the gutters to painting the interior spaces and from power washing the deck to installing new window treatments, home tasks keep homeowners busy most weekends. 

According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, “nearly 80% of homeowners report that they’ve tackled a project themselves.” Ordinarily, this statistic would be a positive one that means American homeowners are innovative go-getters. But some home tasks are not meant to be DIY. 

Some home projects should be left to the professionals and should come with a warning of “Don’t try this at home, kids.” Let’s review some of the DIY projects that homeowners should call in a professional rather than attempt on their own. 

Anything Electrical 

Other than changing a lightbulb or switching out the outlet covers, inexperienced homeowners should steer clear of anything having to do with electricity. Inexperience and electricity can lead to disastrous outcomes. 

Electricians should handle the wiring, troubleshooting of electrical malfunctions, upgrading of electric boxes and installation of electric systems. Not only are licensed electricians experienced in these jobs but they are highly trained and certified in the local, state and national electric codes. This means that they are aware of the potential risks and physical hazards that exist in each electrical project. 

Avoid electric shock injury or potential fatality by relinquishing all electrical projects to the professionals. 

Anything Plumbing 

Any plumbing task other than attempting to unclog a toilet or sink should stay in the hands of the professionals. Plumbers go through extensive training, apprenticeships, and licensure processes before becoming a certified plumber. There is a reason for this. Plumbing work is complicated work. 

If you are hoping to save a little cash on your home repairs and maintenance, choose another area to save money because plumbing is not one that should be toyed with. One small error could lead to a catastrophic plumbing failure that could be costly to fix. 

Wall Removal or Addition 

If you’ve watched any home renovation television, you’ve seen how easy it seems to be to knock down a wall and make a space look and feel larger. Unfortunately, many steps happen before a saw or sledgehammer comes out. The first of which is a permit and an inspection that determines if a wall is load-bearing and could compromise the structure and balance of a home if taken down improperly. 

Leave the wall removal and additions to a professional contractor who knows how to safely take a wall down or add one in a space. 

Roofing Replacement

Roofs protect us from the elements and are an essential part of any home structure. It may seem like an easy task to pry up the old shingles and nail down new ones but much more goes into this process. From safety considerations to assessing the health of the underlying wood of a roof, there are many steps that roofing professionals take to make your installation safe and sound. 

Issues like rotting sublayers, improperly installed flashing and openings for vents are all considerations that make roofing a tricky task to attempt on your own. 

If you have just purchased a home and need assistance finding the proper expert needed to make needed changes in your home, talk to your real estate professional who can point you in the right direction and ensure that your improvements will be done the right way, the safe way, the first time.