Caring For Your Plumbing - 3 Repair Mistakes You Should Avoid
Homeowners need to be familiar with performing basic plumbing repairs. It’s one way for them to save money instead of contacting a professional plumber every time they have a plumbing issue. However, it’s important to know what practices will fix or damage your plumbing.
Why you shouldn’t always depend on online plumbing remedies
There’s a wide range of self-help material online for any house-related issue. Anything from handling asbestos to replacing pipes will have an instructional guide with pictures and videos on some website. However, not all these handy solutions can be beneficial to your home. Some of these remedies can do more harm than good, which is why you need to know when to avoid them.
The danger of doing DIY repairs is that you’ll be responsible for your own mistakes. Many homeowners who don’t have the proper training or insurance can end up making the wrong repairs. Plumbing isn’t as simple as replacing two pipes or applying sealant, especially if you’re dealing with severe problems with your pipeline.
If you want to avoid damaging your plumbing further, here are three mistakes you should avoid:
- Turn off the water before your repairs
You may get too excited to begin your plumbing repair with the simple trick you saw or read online. However, you shouldn’t forget to turn off the water unless you want to deal with indoor flooding. Leaky pipes are one thing; a flooded kitchen floor is another. Always begin your plumbing repairs by turning off your local shutoff valve. If you can’t find it outside, check on your home’s water main and turn it off instead. It’s best to hire a professional plumber to handle even minor issues if you’re not too familiar with where your pipelines run and go,
- Don’t rely on chemical drain cleaners
Liquid drain cleaners are standard household products that you can buy online or from the store. With just a few cups of it, your drain can unclog itself to bring any blockages down the drain. Although it’s a commercial product, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have harmful long-term effects. Homeowners who rely on drain cleaners too often will notice that their pipes tend to be loose and clunky. This is due to corrosion from the chemicals that can linger long after removing any soils in your drain.
- Be mindful of your pipe’s materials
Besides size and shape, your plumbing will also differ based on their materials. You may have plastic, galvanized, or copper pipes for your home. Mixing up the three is something that plumbers don’t tend to do, especially since some materials will have adverse effects on each other. For example, the intersection of galvanized and copper pipes can cause corrosion. Although they’re both metals, their chemical composition causes a harmful reaction through direct contact.
It’s still possible to connect these pipes by using a dielectric union. It’s a unique joint that connects the two pipes with a rubber washer to prevent them from touching directly. Keep this in mind the next time you want to mix and match your pipeline’s parts.
Conclusion
Maintaining your plumbing can be even more complicated than simple patchwork with a hammer and nails. Since it connects to your water amenities, it’s dangerous to leave any minor issues to turn into severe complications. It’s best to contact a professional plumber if you think you’re facing a problem you can’t handle independently.
At Nova Plumbing Fixtures, we ensure our clients in Vancouver that they receive professional plumbing services. We also provide a wide selection of plumbing fixtures and bathroom supplies to match your repair and replacement needs. Contact us today to let our professional plumbing experts handle your home’s plumbing issues!
