DIY repairs may seem like the only viable option when money’s tight, but don’t let your small budget convince you to take on unsafe work. Online personal loans exist for homeowners just like you.
Many cash-strapped homeowners use lines of credit to handle unexpected household maintenance and repairs. These personal loans stay open long after you pay off your first repair, so you can draw against your limit when the next emergency arrives without having to reapply.
Before you apply the first time, it’s a good idea to learn more about personal loans online to ensure a line of credit is the right option.
5 Jobs Better Left for the Professionals
Borrowing is a big deal, so you’ll want to ensure your emergency is worthy of an online loan. Here are five of them that might suffice.
1. Installing Gas Appliances
One morning, you get up to shower before and the water never rises above ice cold. Turns out your decades-old water heater has finally thrown in the towel.
A brand-new tank costs around $500 to $800, and you can expect to pay twice that for a professional installation.
Don’t be tempted to save 50% by installing this appliance on your own. Installing it wrong can invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty and homeowner’s insurance, which means you’re unprotected should your heater break down later. Worse yet, incorrectly installing gas appliances (including ovens and furnaces) can lead to deadly accidents.
2. Electrical Rehab
Most homeowners might feel comfortable switching out a wall sconce to freshen up their space, but you should call a licensed electrician for anything more involved. Rewiring your home or rehabbing out-of-code wiring can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. There’s a real risk of electrocution, and your incorrect DIY efforts could cause a fire.
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, electrical fires account for $1.3 billion in property damage, and they kill nearly 500 people every year.
3. Asbestos Removal
Before the 1990s, asbestos was a fire-retardant building material used to insulate homes all over Canada and the USA. If you live in an older home, you might have asbestos in the attic or between your walls.
This hidden asbestos is not a safety hazard if left undisturbed. However, you’ll want to hang up your tools and call the professionals if a swing of your sledgehammer reveals this insulation. Asbestos is a carcinogen fibre that can irritate your lungs if you breathe it in, so you shouldn’t attempt to remove it yourself.
While abatement can be costly, it’s worth it for your health. Asbestos removal services can safely handle and dispose of this hazardous material in ways you can’t.
4. Roof Repairs
Not only are roof repairs hard to pull off for a novice, but they’re also incredibly dangerous. Your one-storey roof might not look high from the ground, but it’s a long way to fall.
Unlike the professionals, you don’t have any of the safety equipment that can prevent a life-altering fall from your roof. Leave it to a licensed and insured roofer to ensure your patch job or replacement gets done correctly and safely.
5. Plumbing Issues
Any kind of flooding issue is better left to a licensed and insured plumber. These professionals have the training and tools to get at pipes buried deep within your walls, floors, or even property.
If your neighbourhood is lined with mature trees, their roots may have broken through the sewer pipes connecting the municipality’s water source to your home. Only experienced plumbing companies can identify and repair this flooding properly.
