Top Plumbing Mistakes You Should Avoid

Plumbing is a complex work and not everyone can do it. Though there are a lot of everyday small plumbing issues that you can handle by yourself when you DIY plumbing issues, then there are certain facts you must know about it or else you may end up committing a blunder and may have to pay a higher price for it.

So, here I am, listing down the top mistakes of DIY method plumbing that you must avoid.

Keeping a hose outside during winters

It's easy to leave a garden hose connected to an outside faucet during a hot summer, but if left connected during the winter months, it can cause your water lines to freeze and burst. If this happens in your house, you may have thousands of dollars in water damage before you notice any symptoms.

To avoid this problem, always disconnect your outside hoses before freezing temperatures arrive in winter, and if they have a shutoff, turn off the water supply to outside taps as well.

Not turning off the water before repair

If a pipe springs a leak or if you're pressed for time, it's easy to forget the first rule of DIY plumbing services in Los Angeles: Shut off the water. No matter how minor the repair, no matter where it is in a home, always shut off the water before attempting a repair.

At best, forgetting to shut off water lines means a mess on the floor and a little bit of extra damage to pipes as you struggle to reconnect them before more water escapes.

Using too much drain cleaner

While commercial drain cleaners are great at clearing away clogs and getting rid of built-up residue, using too much or using these products too often can damage your drains. Drain cleaners typically include harsh chemicals to break up solid waste and scour pipes clean; overuse can start to eat away the walls of both metal and PVC pipes.

Instead of using a heavy-duty product, consider an eco-friendly alternative such as 1/2 a cup of vinegar followed by 1/2 a cup of baking soda, and then follow that up with a pot of boiling water after an hour. You can also try using a pipe snake to clear out clogs and reduce the wear and tear on your pipes.

Not using drain cleaner at right place

Homeowners also need to be careful where they use drain cleaners, even if they rarely try commercial solutions. While most commercial drain cleaning products are safe to use on bathroom and kitchen sinks as well as tubs and showers, toilets can be damaged if you use the wrong type of cleaner.

You also need to be careful when cleaning a washing machine drain pipe; if you damage the pipe and cause a leak, it can result in serious water damage to your home.

Mismatching pipes

Minor, easily visible water leaks - such as those coming from under a sink or in a basement - often inspire a homeowner to try plumbing on their own. When replacing the leaky pipe, however, many DIY plumbers in Los Angeles choose the wrong size or type or try to make the right size fit with the wrong connectors.