There are instances wherein you may be tempted to fix your plumbing problems yourself and this is alright if you have the right knowledge on how it can be fixed, as well as the proper tools that will help you. However, without sufficient knowledge, experience, or tools, you may only be making matters worse. This article lists down some of the plumbing mistakes that you should never, ever make.
Overtightening Connections
One of the most common plumbing mistakes that you should try not to make is overtightening connections in an attempt to secure any plumbing fixture. While it is a given that you need to tighten supply tubes, pipes, and fittings, overdoing it can cause a plumbing emergency that may warrant the services of a professional. Fortunately, there are already 24 hour plumber experts that you can rely on in case you encounter this kind of problem even in the middle of the night. Just keep in mind that when you tighten the hex nuts extremely, they will eventually break or leak. In the same manner, when you tighten toilet closet bolts too much, then you may damage the porcelain, destroying your toilet.
Using Store-bought Drain Cleaners
In an attempt to address a clogged drain, you may be tempted to buy a drain cleaner to release the blockage. However, when you rely on this solution and pour the chemical mixture into your drain, you may be causing further problems. The reason behind this is that these drain cleaners are often made of caustic chemicals that can damage your pipes. Thereby, instead of clearing the blockage, you may end up with various leaks or even rusty pipes.
Using the Wrong Tape
When you try to fix a plumbing issue by yourself, there is a great chance that you may need to use some Teflon tape. However, what you need to remember is to use the right kind of tapes such as a thin white or pink thread tape for fittings that carry water or a yellow gas-rated tape for threaded gas line connections. Make sure that you don’t use any thread tape on compression or flare fittings.
Apart from using the correct tape depending on the plumbing problem that you resolved, you also need to ensure that you implement the proper tape wrapping. In this case, it is a good practice to wrap three times around the threads. Try to make the last wrap face to the left as you screw the pipe into the fitting and re-wrap it accordingly if it is facing to the right. The reason behind this is that the tape may unwind from the threads as they tighten in case it is wrapped backward, defeating the whole purpose of using a thread tape for proper sealing.
Not Turning Off the Water
You may think that this is such a simple tip but many people forget to turn off the water before they head on and try to fix their plumbing issues. As a result, they experience excessive water damage brought about by a flooding floor for instance. Thus, make sure that before you proceed with any plumbing work, you turn off the water.
Final Word
The plumbing mistakes listed above are only some of the ones that you should exert an effort to avoid. Some of the other plumbing mistakes that you may want to be aware of for you to avoid include tackling a plumbing job without any spare parts or not wearing any safety equipment while you work on your plumbing tasks. As much as possible, seek the services of seasoned and reliable plumbers instead who will be able to help you with any plumbing problem that you can think of.
