When should I call a professional instead of fixing it myself?

Whenever a mistake could hurt someone, flood the house, or break rules about who may do the work. Being handy does not change that.

Always call a professional for

• Anything involving gas appliances, pipes or a smell of gas
• Fixed mains wiring, the consumer unit or repeated tripping with nothing plugged in
• Removing walls or anything structural
• Swollen, leaking or overheating batteries
• Work your local rules say needs a licensed trade

Probably call one if

• You have tried the simple checks and the fault keeps returning.
• The item is under warranty and opening it would void the cover.
• You need a specialist tool you would use only once.

Write down the symptoms and what you have tried; it speeds up any repair visit. Our guides are general information and do not replace a qualified tradesperson. Back to the fix-it guides.

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