DIY Gone Wrong

Using Material That Doesn’t Match

If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, then you may be trying to save money. Many people who do plumbing fixtures on their own, are trying to save money, instead of going to a professional.

The problem is, without professional knowledge, you may make costly mistakes, that will end up costing you more in the long run. One common mistake, is using materials that don’t match, and not using the proper fitting between the two.

If you have one fixture that is made from copper, and the other is made from galvanized steel, they both may work together, but there needs to be a fitting between the two pipes.

Using different types of pipes can cause corrosion very quickly, and you’ll have to redo the work again in the near future. The two different metals may not fit together properly, so having a fitting between the two pipes, is the best way to avoid mismatched materials not fitting correctly.

Accepting Mistakes As “Good Enough”

Suppose you make a mistake when it comes to plumbing, and you use the wrong pipe, or there’s a small leak, and you simply do a quick patch, then you may say that it’s good enough. Many people suffer from the “good enough syndrome,” and the fact is, when it comes to plumbing, nothing is good enough.

Plumbing needs to be precise, and done correctly, or you can experience leaks, faulty plumbing, or other serious problems. If you are not familiar with the plumbing work that you’re doing, you need to leave it to a professional.

Imagine that you say your plumbing work is good enough, and you end up with a flooded kitchen or bathroom, within a week? Then obviously, the work was not good enough!

Don’t Forget The Tape

Teflon tape is used in plumbing, whenever it’s necessary. Teflon tape can be used on faucets, shower heads, toilets, as well as any type of plumbing that has a thread in it.

You need to remember to use Teflon tape, as it helps to keep the fittings from leaking, which can then lead to more problems in the future.

Teflon tape is low in cost, and easy to find, but many do not remember this when they put fittings together. Just consider that Teflon tape can end up saving you a lot of time, money, and effort in the future.

We’ve seen too many DIY disasters. Save yourself the headache and call the professionals of Greenlee Plumbing at (678) 386-7513 for service in the Atlanta area!