Everyone loves to get into DIY projects because it is fun and money-saving. But you cannot do everything independently, requiring much knowledge, skills, and tools. One such DIY project could be fixing your plumbing system. Plumbing systems are essential yet tricky systems in the house, making them prone to damage, issues, and other problems.
Minor repairs and fixing can be done by homeowners, like clearing out the clogging and blockages. Still, there are certainly more significant problems than this, which require the attention of a qualified professionals from Yates Plumbing & Gas.
However, if the projects are small and you feel you can do it yourself, you need to ensure to avoid some mistakes. So continue reading as we guide you through some common plumbing mistakes in the following sections.
Plumbing Mistakes That You Must Avoid
1. Overtightening Fitings: Overtightening pipes, fittings, supply tubes, and toilet bolts is one of the most common mistakes people make. Cracking too hard on the black or galvanized pipe, tee, or elbow coupling increases the risk of cracking the fittings. Although the crack might not happen immediately, you will soon see it due to the excessive force of water, which can also cause a flood.
2. Wrong Wrapping: Using the wrong tape for wrapping or sealing it backward can fail the entire purpose of wrapping. Instead, you should use PTFE thread tape and wrap it clockwise to make it work properly. It is recommended to wrap three times; the last wrap should be facing to the left. Also, use pink or white tape for fittings that carry water and yellow one that carries gas.
3. Missing Tools: Sometimes DIY plumbing projects lead to failures because people don’t have enough tools and equipment or search for them while in the middle of the task. You should have all the necessary tools and equipment around you and also a person who can assist you. If you don’t have all the tools or the right ones, get them from stores like Plumber Capabala.
4. Keeping The Water On For Long: Most DIYers think they can quickly switch new valves while the water is on. However, if anything goes wrong, you may lose a lot of water, the pipes can break, or the connections may fall loose; anything can happen. So, make sure to switch off the water, all the sinks, and faucets so that you don’t waste any water or there’s no chance of flood in the house.
5. Sweating Pipes While The Water Is Line: Fittings, pipes, and other connections must be completely dry before you sweat the copper pipes. If there’s water nearby, it can cause leaks and even breakage. If you let the water remain in line, you may not be able to finish the job, and you might have to redo the task. Plug the pipe or fittings with white bread before working on it.
Wrapping Up
Not everyone has the skills and knowledge to get their hands on DIY plumbing projects; they just follow their common sense and instincts. However, a lot of things can go wrong if you don’t follow the proper rules and methods. It can break pipes and other connections, waste water, cause floods, etc. Therefore, you can seek the help of professionals from Plumbing Capabala if you are not confident enough or lack skills.
