Last Updated on April 17, 2024 by Jawad Ali

DIY projects are always very popular. That is if nothing terrible happens. Even though it’s a good idea to take preventative steps to fix small plumbing problems or make small installations by  Emergency Plumber in Mission Viejo around the house, many do-it-yourselfers make small but important mistakes that could cost them a lot of money to fix.

Poor Bathroom Location:

Putting in a new toilet may seem like a simple job, and most of the time, it is. The process is easy to do yourself, as long as you remember to turn off the water supply pipes (more on that in a minute) and flush the toilet to get rid of any water already there. But sometimes you may find that the new toilet doesn’t fit as well as the old one.

Often, the problem is with the “rough-in,” which is the space between a finished wall and the closest floor bolt of a toilet. In the past, it could be anywhere from 10 to 14 inches. It’s important to find a toilet that fits in this space because moving the drain is a big and expensive job if you can’t find one that does.

Before you buy a new toilet, it’s also a good idea to measure the depth and width of the bowl. If you replace a round bowl with a long one, you will get tired of telling people why the door to the bathroom bangs against the edge of the toilet when they come in.

The Shower Floor Should Not Be Slanted:

Even though plumbing technology has come a long way, it’s easy to forget that most plumbing tasks are done by letting gravity do the work. When water doesn’t drain away, it stays in one place, making it easy for bacteria, mold, and other microorganisms to grow. The slope of a shower stall’s tiled floor has to be just right to keep water from building up and getting into the grout. If this slope isn’t taken into account during installation, there could be problems in the future that cost a lot of money to fix.

Mismatched Pipes:

Different materials can be used to make pipes in plumbing systems today. There are many different kinds of pipes that a do-it-yourselfer can choose from, including galvanized steel, copper, brass, plastic, and everything in between. Some of these pipes can be joined with special connectors, but this is rarely the best way to do it, and there is always the risk of a leak. Other things do not belong together. People often choose to “make it work” anyway by splicing together connections that aren’t meant to work together and filling in the gaps with tape or silicone.

Most Emergency Plumbers in Mission Viejo have at least one scary story about a customer who found a mess of leaking pipes under the sink or a bad repair job behind the wall. If unnecessary, pipes should be replaced instead of joined to other pipes.

It is another issue that often comes up and doesn’t make sense. It is well known that plumbing connections need to be waterproof. They tighten the connection to make it “waterproof,” but they don’t realize that most connections already make a seal that keeps water out. If you tighten them too much, pipe threads can be stripped, or plastic fittings can crack, making the connection useless.

Even though it’s important to ensure something fits well, you shouldn’t try to force it. Even if over-tightening doesn’t directly damage the fitting, it could cause a lot of trouble if it needs to be replaced. If you try to loosen a connection that is too tight, you might break the pipe or wear out the fittings so much that you have to cut the pipe to get them out.

Forgetting How Things Reassemble:

It may seem obvious, but if the parts of your drain trap are all over the kitchen floor, it’s easy to forget how they fit together. However, putting your drain back together after clearing a clog may be hard without a visual guide.

It’s also important to put things back the way they were. Even though a drain trap doesn’t look like much, it keeps sewer gas from getting into your house through the pipes. If you lose a toilet seal or don’t replace a broken fixture part, it could lead to leaks that cost a lot to fix.

Adversely Using Drain Cleaner Too Often:

Chemical drain cleaners can get the job done, but they often cause more problems than they solve. Some of the chemicals in these cleaners have been shown to rust metals, which can lead to expensive repairs in the future. When used too much, they can build up around the blockages they are meant to break up and become a poisonous risk for anyone who touches them. Unfortunately, the fumes from these chemicals can go back up the drain and pose a health risk to everyone nearby.

Water Leak:

Even though turning off the water is the first step in every plumbing project, it is often forgotten. Many “simple” DIY projects go wrong and cost a lot of money because water sprays out of a loose connection or pours freely after removing a fixture. If you turn it off as soon as you notice a problem, the water damage might be less, but if water is already leaking into the floor or walls, every second you spend looking for the shut-off valve is a minute you don’t have.

Remember that even if you turn off the main water supply, there will still be water in the pipes. Make sure to run the taps in the kitchen and bathroom for a few seconds to get the water out of the pipes. Some plumbing jobs may seem easy at first, but they can quickly become hard and complicated. If the thought of fixing something yourself is too scary, you can always ask a licensed Emergency Plumber, Mission Viejo, for help to make sure the job is done right.

Apart from this, if you are interested to know more about Top 5 Plumbing Problems then visit our Home improvement category.