Let’s face it. When it comes to plumbing there are myriad of problems that could potentially pop up. Some of these are major issues, like total home or commercial repiping or even main sewer line replacements. These sorts of jobs are certainly best left to the professionals.

However, as Nashville’s trusted professional plumbers, we understand there’s a lot of smaller issues that can be tackled on a do-it-yourself basis. In order to help you protect your plumbing systems, and save you from costly mistakes, we’re going to walk you through some of the most common plumbing mistakes people make.

Trust us, you’re going to want to check this out before attempting to do your own plumbing job.

Leaving Your Water On Before You Start The Job

This is an easy one to avoid, but it’s absolutely critical you take this step before you begin working on faucets, valves, or anything to do with your water piping system. 

Professional plumbers will always start by doing this. This prevents floods and costly water damage if the repair goes wrong.

So if you remember anything we’ve written in this post, it’s this tip. TURN THE WATER OFF before you begin.

Putting Your Trust In Drain Cleaners

While it may be easy to stop by the store and pick up a bottle of drain cleaner and pour it down the sink, the truth is drain cleaners can actually lead to more problems than they claim to fix.

When using excessive amounts of drain cleaner, especially if it doesn’t fix the problem and simply sits along with the rest of the clog, it can actually do more damage in the long run. Drain cleaners are corrosive and destroy rubber gaskets and eventually cause leaks in metal pipes and traps.

The truth is, you’re much better off using a barbed drain cleaning tool or a plumbing snake. P-trap removal is also an effective option if the clog is located there.

Using Too Much Force When Tightening Your Connections

While any sort of work requires some amount of elbow grease, the truth is using too much can have negative effects on your plumbing.

One of the most common mistakes DIYers make is using too much force when tightening placid fittings or supply tube connections. Overtightening can crack fittings and the porcelain on toilets, leading to more leaking in the future.

Plumbing Solutions Can Tackle Any Issue, Big Or Small

At Plumbing Solutions, our team is equipped to handle any plumbing problems you bring our way. Whether your problem requires the expertise of a trained professional, or you simply don’t want to risk making any of the mistakes that we mentioned above, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We offer affordable plumbing services as well as 24/7 availability for those plumbing emergencies that just can’t wait.

And we’re not done yet — be sure to check out part 2 of this blog series so you can learn even more plumbing mistakes you’ll want to avoid. See you soon!