Making your own repairs, especially around the home, is a great way to feel empowered. You save money by not hiring help, expand your skill set and there’s nothing more victorious than conquering that self-assembled dresser that had you wanting to take a hammer to it out of frustration—we’ve all been there.

That sense of accomplishment is priceless, but sometimes you may want to leave things to the experts. Unless you’re as handy as Bob Villa, you may want to rethink some of the DIY repairs that come with renting an apartment—otherwise you could be paying for your mistakes.

Broken Appliances

It’s the dead of summer and the air conditioning went out. Or perhaps the refrigerator just stopped humming. There are a million and one nightmare scenarios that can come into play when an appliance stops working. As tempting as that DIY repair YouTube video tutorial might be, it’s best to bring in someone who knows what they’re doing. You don’t want to diagnose the wrong problem and damage the appliance you’re trying to fix. A professional will rule out all the problems you didn’t think of and know the way to repair it.

Damaged Electrical Sockets

They sound dangerous, right? That’s because they are dangerous. If the plastic face of an electrical socket is cracked, it may not appear threatening, but looks can be deceiving. The plastic can crack further and expose metal contact points. Those are shocking to the touch and potentially a fire hazard. Burning down your place is not something you want to deal with, and getting shocked isn’t much fun, either. A pro will know just how to handle any situation an electrical socket may throw your way.

Pests

Have you ever tried getting rid of ants? What about cockroaches? How about rats? Bed bugs? There are a lot of different pests out there, and chances are you’ll face them at some point or another.  It’s not fun and it’s not usually a simple fix. Traps will slow an infestation but seldom get the job done. Bombing can be a hazard to your health. Hoping the problem will go away isn’t likely to help.

The good news? This is probably your landlord’s responsibility, but make sure to check the lease just in case. And if it is rats you’re dealing with, let your landlord know ASAP because those little headaches can eat through the walls and wiring causing problems later on that you don’t want to be blamed for.

Leaky Roof

Using a bucket to catch water from a leaking roof is one thing, but attempting to perform a roof installation is obviously meant for the pros. Even trying to patch up a leaky roof is asking for trouble. Depending on the leak, you could be dealing with a barrage of issues—anything from mold and mildew build up to compromised structural integrity. These aren’t things your everyday person is qualified to handle properly, and like many other problems, mistakes could not only cost you, but also put you at risk.

Clogged Gutters

If you live in an apartment building, then you don’t even have to worry about this, but for those living in houses, clogged gutters are a very real problem. Leave those things clogged up with leaves and you could be facing those leaks we were talking about.

Yes, they need to be unclogged. But does standing on the top of a ladder scooping leaves out of your roof gutters sound safe? One false move and things can go south real quick. You might grab the gutter for purchase and rip the thing right off as you drop a good ten feet. That’s not only going to hurt you, but your lease as well. This is another situation you want a professional to handle.

You’re going to experience some wear and tear no matter where you live. Some of that is going to be on you to clean up after, but there will always be things that aren’t quite worth the risk and effort. Using good judgment will go a long way towards managing your home, so consider what you’re up against when those pesky problems do arise.