Top 5 Most Common Plumbing Mistakes
Everybody makes mistakes. Smart people will learn from the mistakes of others instead of repeating them. When it comes to plumbing, there are a lot of mistakes that people make time and again, and the best way to avoid them yourself is to know what they are. With that in mind, below are five common plumbing mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Not Leaving Enough Space Around the Toilet
Have you ever gone to the washroom on a plane or train and been surprised by how cramped it was? This same thing can happen in your home if you don’t leave enough clearance around the toilet when installing it. To avoid this, you’ll need to leave plenty of space between the toilet and the surrounding walls. Leave at least 15 inches between the toilet and the side wall and 18 inches between the toilet and the front wall.
2. Crowding Your Toilet, Sink, and Shower
Another common plumbing mistake people make is installing fixtures too close together, which can make it nearly impossible to move around the bathroom comfortably. If your bathroom is very small, consider smaller or modified fixtures that will not leave you feeling crowded and claustrophobic every time you wash your hands.
3. Dealing with Clogs the Wrong Way
Most DIY plumbers deal with clogs in one of two ways: with a plunger or chemical drain cleaner. The problem is that both these solutions can be done the wrong way and the consequences can be dire. For instance, misusing a plunger can create too much pressure in your pipes, this could lead to damage that requires serious professional repairs. Similarly, if you use chemical drain cleaners too often or not according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then you risk damaging or corroding your pipes.
4. Choosing the Wrong Piping
Mixing and matching different piping materials might seem like a cosmetic no-no, but there are more serious reasons why you should keep consistency when it comes to plumbing. For instance, if you have a leak in galvanized metal piping and try to replace it with copper, then the two metals will cause each other to corrode very quickly.
5. Going DIY When You Should Call a Professional
The number one plumbing mistake people make is trying to complete a job on their own when they are not adequately equipped. You should call a pro instead of attempting a DIY fix in any of the following situations:
- You do not have the proper tools
- You do not understand what the job entails
- You do not have the skills or knowledge to do the job properly
- The job involves your sewer line, main water, a water heater installation, or a pipe installation or relocation
There are plenty of plumbing jobs you can perform at home safely, but it is important to learn from the common plumbing mistakes that people often make so you do not repeat them. To prevent these mistakes, always plan properly and leave space when installing toilets and other fixtures, be careful when dealing with clogs, do your research before choosing piping, and call in a professional to deal with projects you shouldn’t handle yourself.
Contact the trained and professional plumbers at Drain Rescue Plumbers for all your plumbing needs!