Common DIY Plumbing Mistakes You Should Avoid

When it comes to small plumbing issues, many people choose to DIY a fix. This is a cost-effective quick solution as long as you know what you’re doing. If not, it’s easy to make small problems much worse and costly to fix. If you take the DIY route on plumbing problems, here are five common mistakes you need to avoid.

1. Using the wrong tools

Most homeowners have a few tools in a toolbox. Usually a tape measure, a screwdriver or two, a spanner, and perhaps more. The problem is, most plumbing issues require specific tools and without them, the simplest job can be incredibly difficult.

Whenever you encounter a problem, make sure you have the right tools for the job. You may find that you need to pick up a relatively cheap tool from your local hardware store, or you may discover you need to hire a professional with more specialist tools for the job.

2. Over tightening fittings

If you have a leak or you’re fitting a pipe, it’s easy to think you should tighten the fittings as much as you can to keep them sealed. The issue is this can cause the pipe to split or the nut to slip. Both of which will cause leaking. Instead, fittings should be tightened enough to give a good seal, without overtightening.

3. Using a chemical drain un-blocker

If your drain starts to gurgle or water won’t drain properly, many people reach for the bottle of chemical un-blocker or drain cleaner. But this isn’t usually the best way to unblock a drain. In fact, the most effective solution is a drain snake or plunger.

Not only are chemical cleaners bad for the environment, but they are also usually pretty ineffective against large clogs. So next time, grab a drain snake or a plunger and see if you see the difference.

4. Using inappropriate taping

If you’re using PTFE thread tape, it needs to be wrapped clockwise around the thread to work correctly. Most people wrap it the other way and it ends up unwinding as the fitting is tightened.

Bonus tip: If you have a compression olive joint, PTFE thread tape is useless. Instead, use joint compound or paste to give an effective seal.

5. Not calling a professional

Some plumbing problems simply need a professional to correct. Whether that’s a cracked, leaking pipe or an issue with a boiler, if you’re not confident you know how to fix it, you run the serious risk of making it worse. That’s what plumbers are for! If you have a plumbing problem, big or small, that you’re struggling to fix, give us a call. We’ll come to assess the issue and give you our advice on what needs to be done.