With expenses sky rocketing in every possible manner, many of us would obviously want to try and do minor home repair things ourselves instead of paying a professional to do it. However, when it comes to plumbing, a small mistake in your DIY attempt could lead to much bigger problems which will end up costing you more in terms of fees and materials used to fix the problem.
A common plumbing mistake when fixing the problem yourself is the incorrect selection of pipes for leak repairs. This includes the type of pipe as well as the size selection. As a result, the pipes fail to fit into each other. You will then put in extra force to try and join the pipes and may end up breaking the connectors or the pipes itself. Consequently, more leaks may develop or the pipes may burst due to excessive pressure. Professional plumbers will know in what situations galvanized or copper pipes should be used. Connecting two different types of pipes will result in corrosion and frequent replacement of pipes.
Another common mistake is to the use of makeshift tools rather than the actual tools used by a professional plumber. Instead of a level for example, people use ball bearings or marbles for repairing plumbing issues. A ball bearing does not work correctly for checking the level and you may end up doing unnecessary reworks. Also, when installing a toilet, the wrong level will result in slow flowing sewers. It is very important to use the right tools for the right job if you want to save time and extra unwanted expenses.
You need to have a good idea of how and where you will place the sewer pipes. Particularly when working on upper floors, this is important because placing the pipes in the wrong route could lead to interference with way of life of those living in lower floors. For example, imagine your daily alarm is the sound of a toilet flushing from the ceiling just above your bed! Professional plumbers usually design the entire drainage network on paper before implementing it.
One very silly DIY plumbing mistake is to forget to turn off the water valve before attempting to repair your sink or toilet. This is the first thing that should come to mind when solving even a minor plumbing issue. By doing so you will prevent flooding and damage to the interior of your house and not to mention the time saved in having to drain out the flooded water from your home.
Instead of making a small problem a big one and spending more on solving the bigger problem, it is best to hire a professional plumber and pay for fixing the small problem. Yet, if you are determined to DIY, be patient and avoid common mistakes. For any confusion, call a professional.
