When it comes to homeowner mistakes, we all make them:
- We don’t empty the snowblower’s gas tank when we store it for the summer.
- We don’t coil and store outdoor garden hoses for the winter.
- We don’t know where the water shutoff valve is.
- We ignore small faucet leaks.
All of these can end up costing time and money we otherwise could have saved.
But there are a few big mistakes you may be making that can cost you big time.
Take a look below for five of them.
Not turning the water off when you’re about to make a repair.
Has this happened to you? You’re under the kitchen sink trying to remove the pipe to find the clog and when you open the pipe…WHOOSH! Water soaks you, the sink’s cabinet, the floor, and possibly more. And then you need to scramble to turn the water off while the water continues to goosh, soaking your floor…and possibly causing so much water damage you need to replace the flooring.
Instead, before working on any appliance in your home, turn off the water!
Not insulating exposed plumbing pipes for winter.
If a pipe freezes in winter, it could break or crack, possibly leading to flooding….and more repairs. Pipes that run through unheated/cold areas of your home also could freeze/break. If you’re not sure how to properly insulate exposed pipes, or pipes that run through unheated areas of your home, call a professional plumbing company to help you.
Overloading your shower head’s caddy.
Do you hang a shower caddy on your shower head? Do you, your spouse and your children then pile on the shampoos, conditioners, soaps, loofahs, etc.? You could be setting the shower head up for a literal fall. Shower heads and tub faucets aren’t made to withstand too much weight. Don’t sit on the tub faucet and be careful that you don’t overload any caddies with “the essentials,” only to see it break the shower head – and possibly the pipe to which it attaches – right off.
Tightening a faucet or other plumbing fixture too hard.
Keep tightening and grunting and you could break the faucet (or handle) right off, requiring a replacement (and possibly time spent cleaning up considerable water spillage as it gushes out of the broken spigot).
Turning on a new water heater on right away.
It may be plugged in. It may have all its connections ready, but if the water heater’s tank isn’t yet filled with water, you run the risk of burning it up. Instead, fill it up with water first, take any air bubbles out by running water and then turn the water heater on.
Save yourself the cost of an emergency visit by Plumbing Dynamics and be very careful when you work on your plumbing. Give us a call at 214-929-3431 whenever you feel uncertain that you’re up to a DIY plumbing task. You can also get a hold of us by sending us a message via our online contact us form.
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