7 Mistakes To Avoid When Doing Your Plumbing Repair

When it comes to plumbing you have two options; calling a professional or doing it yourself. With the latter, it is most likely that you will face several challenges that might lead to mistakes and especially if you don’t have prior knowledge. Some of those mistakes might end up requiring you to seek the help of a professional, which can even result in more expenses than you had initially planned. Basic knowledge on plumbing helps you minimize the following common mistakes.

Mistakes to Avoid When Doing Plumbing Repair

1. Excessive use of drain cleaner
Drain cleaner is made of strong chemicals that facilitate the effective clearing of residual build up and clogs in drain pipes. However, using too much of the drain cleaner can “eat up” your metal or PVC pipes leading to leakage. When using these chemicals for cleaning your drainage, it is highly advisable that you call a professional maybe once in a while for they know the right amount of cleaner to use. Other times you can settle for more eco-friendly and simple drain cleaners that pose no harm to your drain pipes such as vinegar and baking soda solution. Finally, you should clear the solution from your pipes using hot water. Alternatively, you can use a pipe snake to clear clogs on your drainage.

2. Connecting different types of pipes
There are many types of plumbing pipes available in the market today. A common plumbing mistake that you are likely to do when doing your conducting your repairs is mismatching the pipes. For instance, connecting copper pipe with galvanized metal pipes might lead to corrosion and hence cause a leakage. Always ensure you are aware of the type of pipes used in your drainage system to avoid the effects of mismatching pipes.

3. Ignoring water flow during repair
No matter how minor a repair is, it requires that you shut down all the water taps to prevent water from flowing during the repair. Wet pipes are hard to repair and even get torn over and over, and this might become a major problem. You should therefore ensure you have closed all the taps over night so that by morning, they will be completely dry.

4. Wrong application of drain cleaner
Drain cleaners are very effective for unblocking clogged pipes; however, you are advised to be very careful where you apply them. They are highly recommended in the kitchen, bathroom and for washing machines. Toilets usually have a specific type of drainage cleaner and you should therefore ensure when purchasing the product. To ensure you are buying the right drain cleaner for a specific task, carefully read the labels and the instruction of use.

5. Exposing your open drainage pipes to harsh weather
It is possible for you to forget to cover up your outside pipes after installation or repairs. When this happens, the drainage pipes get exposed to harsh weather leading to damage. This mistake can be easily avoided by remembering to cover them up, and if you have trouble remembering, always make sure you check the installed or repaired pipes after the work is over. Improper drain slopes also expose your pipes to regular blocking. This usually occurs if you put the pipes in a higher slope which causes swift flow of water the leaves behind residue. If you are not sure about the best slope, call a professional to do the pipe installation for you.

6. Not hiring a professional plumber
It is easy to think that a problem is minor and ignore calling a professional to check it up. This can end up being a very serious issue, especially if you don’t have enough the skills and knowledge to repair the problem yourself. Hiring a professional is much expensive when compared to DIY in terms of material and repair cost, however, it might end up being cheaper in the long run. It is important to call a professional if you feel the problem is too complicated for you.

7. Dismantling the pipe threads during installation
It is possible to apply too much strength while connecting the pipes, causing stripping of the pipe threads. This usually leads to the weakening of the pipes and future leaks. It also shortens the life span of your PVC pipes. To avoid this mistake, avoid using too much pressure and just connect as far as the pipes they are supposed to go.

The above common plumbing mistakes can be avoided if you teach yourself some basic plumbing skills. Possessing these skills actually makes the handling of different plumbing issues very simple, which will help you to avoid unnecessary expenses.

At times, simple plumbing repairs might incur a lot of expenses and especially if you fail to call a professional and try to do them yourself without knowledge of some basic skills. Plumbing problems and especially leakages are quite common and therefore and homeowner in Singapore has to understand some basics of plumbing as well as own a few plumbing tools.

Instead of using unprofessional tools such as butter knife and wires, ensure you buy tools which are fortunately affordable and available in hardware shops all over Singapore. Some of these common tools include;
-Screw driver
-Safety goggles
-Hammer
-Tape measure
-Gloves
-Plumbing tool box
-Pliers for tightening for loosening tight spots
-Plumbers tape
-Plumbers putty for creating water resisting seal
The above tools and others not listed are essential for every family that desires to save on plumbing repairs. Being prepared for an emergency is necessary as you never know when one might occur plus it won’t cost you anything. It isn’t a good image to keep on asking for help from your neighbours yet the tools are very affordable and readily available. Owning and knowing how to use the above tools properly will help you avoid some common plumbing mistakes

There are some plumbing problems that don’t necessarily require a professional; however, others are a little complicated to do your own. In such cases, you can seek the help of a qualified plumber. In addition, it is important to note that there are a lot of benefits associated with calling a professional as opposed to DIY.