7 common plumbing headaches: Call a pro or just do it yourself?

If your drain is blocked, pouring chemicals down it shouldn't be your first option. A good old plunger will often help. — Photo: Andrea Warnecke/dpa

Oh no, the toilet's clogged! Now what do you do - call a plumber or, to spare the expense, try to unclog it yourself?

Sometimes there's no getting around calling on professional help, "especially if the work involves the water pipes - the drinking water, in other words," says Jens J. Wischmann, a sanitary industry specialist. Only a registered plumber will do.