10 Awful DIY Plumbing Disasters
Plumbers can be expensive, which is why many people are tempted to try to fix a plumbing issue on their own. However, it can be very simple to make a mistake if you do not have the required skills. It may easily end up costing you a lot more in the long run, compared to what you would have paid a pro to simply fix the problem. The following are 10 awful DIY plumbing disasters you may want to avoid.
- The most obvious mistake of all time, but yet still frequently committed, is the case of forgetting to turn off the water at the main or the outlet valve. For some reason, people think that they can simply get to work on pipes – and then disaster in the form of massive water damage ensues, when it turns out the water is still on.
- If placing fixtures in a home, make sure not to go crazy. Sure, it can be tempting to put in a lot of fixtures for convenience, but if there is no water pressure in the house then you will end up with fixtures that don’t work or no water pressure while showering. Neither of these situations ends up being convenient in the long run.
- Make sure that you never place mismatched pipes together. For some reason people think that if they look right, they are right. However, this guideline does not hold up once they start leaking, causing loss of water pressure, water damage, and a slew of other issues.
- Disaster comes in the form of custom made items that aren’t as custom as they seem. A lot of people select the fixtures they want in their bathroom only to find out they won’t actually fit properly. Before spending all of that money, consult a plumber so you don’t have an expensive toilet as a new ornamental piece.
- Duct tape does NOT fix everything. Many people try to fix a leaky pipe with duct tape, electrical tape, or some similar form of tape. The idea is logical, but eventually the tape is going to fail and the leak is going to continue. Water damage and loss of water pressure just aren’t worth it.
- Ignoring a blocked toilet. A lot of people think that a little “liquid plumber” will be enough to clean out their toilet, so they pour some in and ignore the blockage. The only issue of course is the fact that the toilet continues to clog. Eventually, if a major issue is causing the clog, you could end up with sewage all over your bathroom floor.
- Over-tightening a joint is a simple way to cause a leak. Refuse the urge to strong-man it, or better yet call a plumber to install the new joint.
- Mixing up the sewage pipes and the freshwater pipes. Not much explanation needed on this one…
- Breaking your wall tiles, plaster, or anything else in the way of a pipe. A lot of people, in their frustration, get a bit aggressive when attempting to get to pipes, and the result is less than pretty.
- Not calling the plumber in the first place. If you had just called a plumber to begin with, any issues would be properly dealt with – and now you wouldn’t be paying more to clean up a mess!