Many Austin homeowners troubleshoot and attempt minor plumbing fixes once they feel confident in their DIY capabilities. Before moving forward, it’s essential to understand the components and how they function together.  

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The plumbing system is intricate; you want to know which parts to use and what to refrain from to avoid a costly redo from a professional and experienced plumber.

Stay Ahead of These Common Plumbing Mistakes

Quality and qualified plumbing specialists in Texas encounter virtually any issue imaginable from clogged drains to burst pipes. In some cases, homeowners attempting DIY fixes leading to mistakes and plumbing disasters.

Companies like Rooter-Man Plumbing Austin TX educate and inform homeowners on proper care and upkeep of the plumbing system to prevent problems from recurring in the future and keep the plumbing running adequately. Consider these common mistakes when attempting DIY repairs.

Not turning the water off

It’s easy to forget to turn the water supply off; however, this should be the first thing you do before working on a plumbing project. A minor issue can quickly turn chaotic when water bursts from a loose connection or flows freely when removing a fixture.

A priority is to locate the valves, so you’re prepared when there’s problem. The time spent searching for valves when an issue develops, means more damage to the system.

Another thing to remember is that there can still be existing water left in the pipes despite shutting off the water supply. These need to be drained by running the taps for a few seconds.

Plumbing failure signs

Neglecting plumbing problems is the worst mistake a homeowner can make ignoring signs of issues like pipe failure. These problems can worsen, resulting in higher repair costs later. Signs of issue you need to immediately respond to include poor water pressure, lawn indents/moisture, and persistent clogs.

By reaching out to a plumbing professional right away, you can mitigate further damage and keep repair costs down. Major plumbing damage is often plainly due to ignoring warning signs of a minor issue and could otherwise be avoided with the right care and upkeep.

Poor drain usage

Most people commonly misuse their garbage disposals, waste pipes, and their drains by disposing of things they shouldn’t.  This contributes to a buildup that leads to clogs and long-term damage. The following items should under no circumstances be put in a garbage disposal.

• Cooking grease
• Fat
• Oils
• Garbage
• Animal bones
• Plastic or silverware

It’s further recommended that the disposal be cleaned on a semi-routine basis with running water and ice cubes. The ice will help break up food particles that might be causing issues. The disposal should run regularly; otherwise, rust can build up over time.

Mismatched pipes

With modern plumbing a vast range of materials are used for piping, such as copper, galvanized steel, plastic, brass, and on. It can be confusing for the average homeowner to know which to use. While it’s possible to use specialized connections to join different materials together, it’s not ideal and can pose a lea risk.

Some homeowners decide to make the combination work by cobbling mismatched pipes together and using silicone or tape to fill gaps.

These are pipe failure many plumbing professionals have had to repair along with friendly advice to simply have old pipes replaced instead of trying to connect them to different materials.

Over-tightening connections

A common mistake homeowners make is misunderstanding that plumbing connections are already made to have a watertight seal. So, they ultimately overtighten to create that seal.

This can damage the fittings and break the plastic or rubber washers creating the original seal. Overtightening the connection can crack plastic fittings or strip pipe threads for a useless connection.

You always want a snug connection but want to avoid forcing anything beyond that point. Regardless of whether overtightening causes damage, it can lead to problems for the plumbing professional when trying to loosen and replace the fitting.

That in itself can cause extensive damage. In some cases, the pipe needs to be cut to remove the fitting when it’s too tight. Read here for guidance on plumbing problems.

Final Thought

A primary issue many homeowners have is not knowing when to reach out for professional plumbing services when it’s warranted. Too often they attend difficult fixes without the proper tools or experience, worsening the damage and need for repairs.

Calling a local specialist for an expert inspection and maintenance is an investment, however, it can save much time, effort, and expense from DIY mistakes or major repairs when the plumbing system is neglected.

It’s recommended that a plumbing specialist in Austin, Texas, perform an inspection and maintenance at least once each year. They can catch troubling signs where the average homeowner might otherwise not notice until it becomes disastrous with extensive repair costs.