The 5 Most Common DIY Plumbing Mistakes
And How to Prevent Them!
#1: Using Toxic Drain Cleaners
Got a clog? Just use a chemical drain cleaner right? Wrong! Chemical drain cleaners can do a lot of damage to your pipes and lead to costly repairs in the future. Drain cleaners are just not very effective. If the drain cleaner gets trapped behind a major blockage, it will just do damage to your pipes. The caustic chemical reactions that are meant to eat away at clogs generate a lot of heat. Enough to easily melt or soften metal or plastic piping.
Additionally, these chemicals are toxic and pose a danger to your family and the environment. Pipes can be replaced, but your family’s health might not be. If spilled or splashed on someone’s eyes, the chemical reactions can lead to a loss of vision.
If swallowed, the results could be fatal. You may think it won’t happen to you, but it only takes one spill to potentially cause a lot of damage. When the packaging gets thrown away there’s no guarantee that the drain cleaner won’t find its way into the water supply and damage wildlife.
We offer a better solution to your clogged drain. We use a green alternative made of bacteria called Bio-Ross. It’s completely safe and if it doesn’t clear the clog, we have a power rooter as well.
#2: Poor Installation Preparation
DIY plumbing construction can lead to a lot of problems down the road. Even if you figure out a way to get it working, that doesn’t mean you’ve set yourself up for long-term success. In our days in the industry, we’ve seen some plumbing setup that can be downright dangerous.
A lot of problems come from poor preparation. There are plumbing-specific tools that professional installers use to ensure the long-term health of the system that many homeowners may not know how to get.
#3: Not Turning Off the Water
If there was a rule #1 to plumbing it would be this: Turn off the water before you mess with any pipes or fixtures. You’d be surprised by how many people forget this crucial step. Many don’t even know how to shut off their water. You may have a shut-off valve in your basement or near your water heater.
If not have a shut-off valve, you can always go outside to your main access. It should be located outside your home near the curb and covered by a plastic or metal cover. Open it up and turn the valve clockwise (to the right) and you’ll be good to go.
#4: Mismatched Pipes
Here’s a scenario. There’s a small visible leak coming from under your sink. You knew the tip above, so you turn off your water line and go to a hardware store and by a pipe that seems like it will fit. You install the pipe in record time and when you go to turn the water main back on, your new pipe ruptures and makes a small flood in your bathroom. Where did you go wrong?
It all had to do with the mismatched pipes. You accidentally bought a galvanized pipe and connected it to a copper pipe without a proper fixture. It only takes one mistake to cause a major problem.
#5: Adding Too Many Fixtures
DIYers tend to constantly look for new renovation opportunities. It can be a fun project and a great investment if you do it right. Unfortunately, sometimes our eyes can be a bit big for our stomachs. You’ve followed all the tips above and did a great job installing a new sink in the kitchen, but now your other sinks have really low water pressure. Uh oh. What went wrong?
Your system simply might not be able to cope with the added demand that comes with additional fixtures. Your plumbing lines are designed to supply the right amount of water to your home and upsetting that balance may cause you water pressure issues.
We support the DIY mindset. We want people to be educated about their plumbing, but we also want their systems to function properly. If you want to add to your home and ensure it’s done properly, we’d love to help. Besides, if you’re still feeling that DIY itch, start a home garden or take up carpentry and build some awesome furniture. Just leave the plumbing to the pros.
Give Pride Plumbing of Rochester a call at (585) 271-7150 or fill out a form online.
