Do you have a plumber on speed dial? If so, you’re not alone. It’s pretty common for homeowners to need a Plumber at one point or another. But before you call them up, there are some things that might be getting in the way of your plumbing problem being solved and costing you more money. This post will help identify some of these hurdles so that you can solve your plumbing problems without breaking the bank!
Why is DIY not a good option?
DIY plumbing usually ends up costing homeowners much more money than hiring a plumber. To begin with, you will spend time and energy . Even if you find the problem and fix it, you’ll need to hire a professional plumber to come out and ensure that all is working as it should be. That means additional time costs, which can really add up.
Someone who has been fixing plumbing problems for a long time is more likely to spot the problem at hand and have the tools, experience and knowledge to handle it quickly and efficiently. If you’ve ever had an issue with your hot water heater , then you probably know how important it is to get it fixed as soon as possible! There’s nothing worse than trying to take a warm shower only to find that there’s no hot water or that the bathroom floor is flooded from a burst pipe . A plumber can usually fix issues like this in a matter of hours, whereas if you try doing it yourself, you may spend days working on the problem before getting it solved.
THINGS TO STOP DOING BEFORE CALLING A PLUMBER
1) Don’t use a plunger to unclog your commode or tub.
- If you’ve tried plunging without success, don’t keep trying! In fact, unless you’re an experienced plumber, it’s best not to try at all. Plungers are often too big for toilet clogs and can cause more damage than good. It is best to reach out to a plumber and let them diagnose the problem and find a solution for you.
- For tub, shower, or sink clogs , it’s best just to leave it alone! You can try plunging if there is a small visible object blocking the drain but be careful that you do not cause any extra damage. The wiggle, pull and plunge method works best for commode clogs .
2) Don’t remove the P-trap from underneath your sink.
- The P-trap is a curved pipe that sits under any drain in your home, including your kitchen sink or bathroom tub/shower. It is there to catch grease and debris so that it does not clog your drain and cause a backup in your home. Unfortunately, this trap often gets clogged if you are using harsh chemicals while cleaning and can also get clogged from hair products and other additions to your soap or shampoo. It may look like something that can be easily removed with a pair of pliers but the trap is connected to the drain pipe underneath it. If you remove this P-trap, water from the entire house will no longer be able to flow through that section of plumbing. This can cause severe damages to your whole home and a costly plumber bill!
Additional Read –Basic Guide for Residential Plumbing
3) Don’t try fixing old galvanized pipes on your own.
- Galvanized pipes have been used for many years in the plumbing industry. They are made up of layers of steel that are then wrapped with a protective layer of zinc to prevent corrosion and rusting. These pipes can last for decades but they do begin to show wear and tear after about 20-30 years, which is when they need to be replaced.
4) Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals in your toilet.
These products can cause damage to the rubber parts inside of your toilet, which will then lead to leaks . You might not even realize that this is a problem until you have water coming up from below the bathroom floor! It’s best to stick with cleaners that are intended for use inside of toilets.
5) Don’t use drain cleaners or chemical pour-down on your drains.
Drain cleaners work by creating a reaction when they mix with the grease, hair and other particles in your drain line. The chemicals eat away at whatever is clogging the pipe which is great if it’s just a couple of things that are causing the backup. It can be a disaster if you’ve already tried plunging the clog or using a hose to snake it out. If that is the case, your drain line may have been damaged and you will need to replace it completely.
6) Don’t skip annual filter changes and inspections on older water heaters.
You probably first noticed that your water heater filters were dirty when you tried to take a shower and all of the sudden there was dirt everywhere in your tub or tank. If you’ve replaced them with every new filter that comes out, it’s time to schedule an inspection on your water heater .
7) Don’t hire anyone who has not been vetted by the community.
The Internet is a great tool for finding almost anything you need, including plumbers. It can be tempting to look for the cheapest option but this could come back to bite you later on down the road. When it comes to your plumbing system, you want someone who has been vetted by fellow homeowners and not just someone with a flashy website that offers a “lowest price guarantee”.
8) Don’t ignore dripping faucets.
It’s so easy to just ignore a dripping faucet and hope that it will fix itself. A leaky faucet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per year if left untreated, or about $20 per month! It is also possible
that the leak could damage your floor, cabinets or drywall if not addressed quickly, which is an even larger expense.
9) Don’t backflush your whole home plumbing system by yourself.
It’s easy to understand why homeowners try this because they have a clog somewhere in their pipes and they are fed up with it taking forever for them to fix it. They are so fed up that they try to take on the whole plumbing system at once where there is a possibility of breaking something or causing more damage.
10) Don’t allow your water pressure to go above 80 psi .
This may be one of the most important tips for homeowners because having too much water pressure can cause damages to your water heater, pipes and even your sinks or tubs. If you are having a lot of problems with leaky faucets or toilets, it could be that you have too much pressure and the fixtures are struggling to handle the stress .
Remember, these tips aren’t for just homeowners but also building managers! Don’t let tenants damage their units by ignoring the simple upkeep that needs to happen. Schedule maintenance and inspections and explain to your tenants why it is important.
Read this – How to Fix Choked Garbage Disposal Unit
Is it a good idea to Watch Tutorials for plumbing fixture on your own?
It’s not recommended to do that as you are going to be in need of expert opinion.
Even if you know how to turn off the water valve, it won’t help much. You’re likely to make more issues than solving them on your own.
But now with the internet at hand and hundreds of plumbing videos available it is not impossible to fix plumbing issues on your own.
However, you should always keep in mind that a lot of things can go wrong if you’re not familiar with the system and it’s better to avoid confusion by hiring an expert plumber.
What other Plumbing problems do people run into?
The problem might be easy for a professional plumber who knows what to do every time, but still there are many things you can’t count on.
You might be doing something wrong, or your pipe could also be too old to be fixed with such a simple method.
So it’s always better to contact an expert for advice before you start working on the problem.
You are going to have more than one plumbing issue in your life and you should get used to it now.
There is no getting around the fact that eventually, at some point in your life – you will need a professional plumber ! It’s better to deal with these issues a little earlier than later, and not spend thousands of dollars in repairs.
So once again our job is not only to give you ideas on how to save your time but also help you avoid more serious plumbing problems like floods and burst pipes before they happen.
Thank you for reading our guide and we hope it will be useful!