Common Plumbing Mistakes to Avoid

You already know you must take good care of your home's plumbing system. But your actions may be the biggest threat to your home's plumbing system. A seemingly simple fix may result in significant problems for your home's plumbing system. Here are common mistakes to avoid.

Flushing Flushable Wipes

Putting flushable wipes down the drain can partially block your drains. Over time, the wipes will solidify and form a complete drain clog. The result will be water rising up the drains and other fixtures, such as washing machines, bathtubs, and toilets. Failure to fix the problem can cause the home's system to become completely backed up. 

Using Mismatched Threaded Fittings

Mismatching flare compression pipes and iron pipe threads is a common mistake during the installation of gas dryers and gas ranges. The mismatching can cause the gas to leak and be a fire hazard. A better alternative is to use a gas connector kit with specialty fittings. The specialty fittings help with the safe transfer of gas to the appliance.

Skipping the Primer

Before you glue fittings and PVC pipes together, prime the pieces. Priming strips away dirt and solvents while also softening the pipes. When you apply glue, plastic surfaces fuse to create a watertight joint. But before applying the primer, ask a professional plumber to determine whether the primer is ideal for your pipes. 

Overtightening Connections

Overtightened toilet bolts, fittings, pipes, and supply tubes are common plumbing mistakes. But overtightening can cause the fitting or tube to crack immediately or after a few weeks. The broken fittings may cause your home to flood. Also, overtightened toilet fixtures, especially between the tank and bowl, will cause the porcelain to crack. 

Misusing Thread Tape

For the plumbing thread to work correctly, the tape must run along the thread in a clockwise manner. But some people mistakenly wrap the tape in an anticlockwise manner so that the tape is actually unwinding instead of tightening the fixtures. Another mistake is using the wrong tape or using it on flare or compression fittings. Also, you may fail to wrap the tape the appropriate number of times. 

Prioritizing Drain Line Cleaners

When your kitchen sink or bathroom becomes clogged, the most straightforward solution is to use a snake or a drainage cleaning tool. You can also use a P-Trap to unclog the toilet and then pour out to material clogging the toilet. But some people make the mistake of using liquid drainers first. However, excessive use of drainers can corrode the drain trap arm. 

Using the Wrong Spare Parts

When the faucet gets worn out, some people buy a washer or cartridge to repair the faucet. But a worn-out cartridge or washer won't repair the faucet properly. Also, if you forget to replace the stem, gasket, or O-rings during the replacement of the washer or cartridge, you may have a leaking faucet on your hands. 

Failing to Manage Hard Water

Mineral deposits in hard water can attach to pipes and clog waterways. If the mineral deposit finds its way into fixtures, it can stain the fixtures and your dishes. In some cases, mineral deposits in hard water can discolor window glass and even lower the pressure of water in the pipes.

Some homeowners don't know the correct way to manage hard water. The result will be the narrowing of the interior of the pipes and staining of the shower glass. You might also notice stains on the bathtub faucet and coffee maker.

Ultimately, you can avoid most plumbing mistakes by avoiding doing plumbing repairs on your own. Instead, let a professional plumber, like Drain Right Services, handle all your plumbing problems. Contact us for all your plumbing, drain cleaning, heating, and air conditioning needs.