How many times have you attempted DIY projects around your home? Okay, now how many of those have gone off without a hitch? Yeah, that’s the fun part, right? Well, while some mistakes are alright to make when you are working on DIY projects, there are a few that you will want to avoid no matter what.
Here are 6 DIY plumbing mistakes to avoid at all costs:
- Not Turning Off the Water: Turning off the water should be your first step for any DIY plumbing project, and if you forget to do it, you will be looking at one huge disaster! Trust us when we say that spraying water or water that is flowing freely from a loose pipe is going to ruin your day!
- Not Knowing How to Put Everything Back Together: Your camera is your friend, as is a notebook and pen, so please use them wisely! We have seen homeowners like yourself get something torn apart and then have no idea how to put it all back together again. Before you start any project, take pictures, and then take more pictures and notes as you are progressing along. You will not regret taking the extra time to do these two things, because it will save you a ton of time and frustration later.
- Using Mismatched Pipes: You may be tempted to use mismatched pipes when you are fixing something in your house, simply because it is what you have available. After all, who wants to run to the store to pick up materials in the middle of a project? Well, using mismatched pipes can lead to trouble sooner than later including leaks.
- Putting the Toilet in Wrong: Replacing your toilet is a fairly easy job, as long as you take the time to ensure that you are placing it exactly where it needs to go. If you don’t, you may find that the water is not going to flow down the drain like it should and you may have more flooding than dry spots in your bathroom.
- Connecting Things Too Tightly: We understand that you want to make sure that everything is connected properly, but you need to be careful not to overtighten anything. If you do, you can damage the fittings and washers, creating a bigger problem than you had before.
- Using Too Much Drain Cleaner: We know that everyone uses drain cleaner in their pipes on occasion, but we want to caution you to not use too much. The chemicals can actually harm your pipes and fixtures, plus the fumes can linger in rooms causing breathing hazards. We recommend trying a mixture of vinegar, baking soda, and hot water to try to remove clogs. If those don’t work, a snake should be your next option before calling in a plumber.
These are six mistakes that you never want to make when dealing with plumbing DIY projects in your home. However, if you do make any one of them, you’ll at least know that help is only a phone call away.
