A large number of people love doing simple home maintenance on their own. While we don’t really object when people decide to do household cleaning by themselves, we are a bit concerned when people do plumbing work on their own. This is why many people end up causing more problems in their house.
However, if you still believe that you don’t need any help of a professional, we advise you checkout some of the most common mistakes that people make while carrying out their household work.
The List of Common Plumbing Mistakes
In this section, we will have a look at the common mistakes that an unbelievably large number of people make when they are doing their plumbing work. If you are also considering doing such work on your own, you must read this to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
1. Not Turning Off the Water
Just like when you turn off the electricity when you are working on a power socket, you should turn off the water before starting work on a plumbing repair. Failure to do so will result in gushing pipes that will lead to a small flood. So turn off your home’s water shut-off valve before starting any plumbing project.
2. Performing Unpermitted Work
Who would have thought that the installation of a bathroom in the basement will end up decreasing the value of your house? Many states require homeowners to file for a permit if they are going to perform major work like repiping or the installation of a bathroom. Doing this will allow local building officials to supervise home improvement projects to ensure that no work is done in violation of the law. So, before you take up on plumbing improvement work, don’t forget to find out whether you need a permit for it.
3. Using a Chemical Drain Cleaner
Chemical drain cleaners are a miracle product for people as they open the clogged pipes in a short time. However, excess of anything is bad and the frequent use of drain cleaners can cause the pipes to corrode or leak. Always try out alternative methods to clean the clogs that don’t use harsh caustic materials. A natural product for unclogging the drains is baking soda. Sprinkle the soda on the drain and then pour vinegar. Leave the solution for a few hours and then flush it with hot water. You can also use manually powered devices like a drain snake that cleans the clogs without the help of a plumber of a caustic chemical.
4. Connecting Galvanized and Copper Pipes
If galvanized and copper pipes are connected together without a special joint called a dielectric union, the pipers are corroded in no time. Many homeowners don’t know that galvanized and copper pipers shouldn’t touch each other in any case.
Summary
Even though some plumbing work is not hard to perform, considering the consequences of the mistakes that you can make it is better that you call a professional plumber for help.