Looking for DIY plumbing repair tips? Before you try to fix that leaky faucet or dripping pipe yourself, you may want to think twice.
We get it – no one really wants to call a plumber. And sometimes, a do-it-yourself quick-fix can take care of the problem. On the other hand, going the DIY route can quickly lead to disaster. Even the handiest homeowners can make plumbing mistakes that end up costing more money later on. And, if something goes really wrong, you could experience catastrophic flooding and expensive water damage throughout your home.
Sadly, some customers don’t call on us until after their do-it-yourself plumbing repair attempts have gone horribly wrong.
Mistake No. 1: Using Duct Tape to Stop Plumbing Leaks
Duct tape is a go-to product for any handy person, as it has a seemingly endless range of applications. This miracle worker is effective for home repairs all the time, both inside and out. In fact, you may even keep a roll in the trunk of your car for emergencies.
Is there anything that duct tape can’t handle? As it turns out, yes. Duct tape can’t be used for DIY plumbing leak repairs.
While it may seem like a no-brainer to slap some duct tape on a leaky pipe, doing so could actually make the problem worse. Leaving the water running without a proper seal on the pipe can cause a variety of damage to your plumbing system as well as the cabinets, walls and floors near the pipe.
Mistake No. 2: Using the Wrong Parts for Your DIY Plumbing Repair
So, you decide to go out and buy a new pipe and fittings to replace the ones that are leaking. You had to the hardware store or home improvement warehouse, armed with a dozen cellphone photos of the old pipe and some fuzzy memories of how it all went together.
But, when you get back home and start your DIY plumbing repair, you discover that you bought the wrong type of pipe. That’s ok, right, as long as you can cobble it together without leaking?
In almost every case, this is really not a good idea. Certain pipe materials and fittings can only be used for specific applications or projects. Those pipes and components used for plumbing are not the same as those designed to carry gas, for example, or electrical wiring.
One of the biggest DIY plumbing mistakes comes from mismatching the type of pipes you connect together. Attaching a galvanized metal pipe to a copper fitting, for example, will result in serious corrosion and, ultimately, pipe failure.
If the corrosion occurs inside a wall, you may not notice the problem until the leak works its way out, leaving an expensive, hard-to-reach mess in its wake.
Mistake No. 3: Not Knowing How to Put Your Plumbing Back Together
It may sound like the plot of a sitcom, but homeowners regularly take apart their plumbing, only to discover that they have no idea how to put it all back together properly. At that point, they have no choice but to call a plumber – and go without that fixture until the service call.
We often find, after an emergency call from a panic-stricken homeowner, that the repair job would have been simple and inexpensive – if only the homeowner had called us instead of trying the DIY plumbing repair route. Save yourself the time, hassle and extra costs that a do-it-yourself mistake can cause, and call us first to learn what’s required for us to fix the problem.
The experienced professionals at American Plumbing Services can handle any repair project, large or small. Call our Provo, Utah, office today to request your free estimate, and save yourself the heartache that can come from a DIY plumbing repair.
