When you discover a plumbing issue in your home, you will likely experience one of the following reactions. The first is to panic and watch as water continues to flood the floor or spray the wall and make a mess. The other is to jump into action and prepare for your next DIY plumbing repair. But what might surprise you is that both of these reactions can lead to some costly issues. So first, if you are not ready to take on the repair, call your licensed plumber immediately. And second, if you are a DIYer at heart, don’t let these three common plumbing mistakes trip you up.
Turn Off The Water
This mistake is so much more common than you might think. Some people will look at the issue and then head to the tool chest to grab the right tools for the job. But what they forget to do in their eagerness to grab their tools is swing by the water shut-off valve. Others don’t make that mistake. Instead, they turn off the water and grab everything they need to do the job. Then they turn the water on just a bit to get one last look at the leak to ensure they know what they are cutting out, repairing, or replacing. But they forget to turn the water back off.
Finally, there are the people who know that they need to turn the water off, but they have no idea how much water is in the piping of their home. So when they cut the pipe, water comes pouring out. Some panic and turn the water back on, thinking they turned the valve the wrong way, but the confident ones stand there and watch the water drain out of the pipe. The simple solution is to have a few buckets ready.
Don’t Be Too Proud To Ask For Help
Everyone gets in over their head at some point. And when that happens to be on a plumbing repair, there is no shame in calling a plumber for some legit and professional help. For example, you might have started with a project that you knew you could handle. But things got worse, or you found more damage that was unexpected. Or you might have even done some damage by accident. But the moment you know you are in over your head, make that call to a licensed plumber. The sooner they arrive, and you quit trying to figure out the problem, the cheaper the bill will be.
Sometimes It’s All About The Right Tool
Most plumbers are the envy of every tool guy because they have drawer after drawer of tools. But in most cases, those tools all have unique uses and are essential for specific projects and repairs. So if you watch a YouTube video that says you need a pipe wrench or a particular gizmo to make the repair you are studying, don’t try to find a substitute or wing the repair with a homemade version of a plumbing tool. You cannot make kitchen tongs work like needle-nosed pliers. All you will accomplish is making a mess and then paying a bigger plumbing repair bill because you tried to make do with the wrong tools.
Many plumbing repairs are great for DIYers of all levels. But when you get in over your head or don’t have the tools for the job, call (214) 388-8838 for help from the professionals at Flow Plumbing. The sooner we arrive and get to work, the less damage and mess you will have to clean up after the repair is finished.
