Don’t use liquid plumbing products.

Don’t use liquid drain cleaners, they’re not miracle products. These caustic chemicals are known to corrode galvanized piping and to cause leaks. The heat that the product puts off can also damage your PVC piping. They may work on simple food and hair clogs but they don’t work on toilets or soild matter clogs. Additionally, drain cleaners are nasty to work with, they create noxious fumes and can cause chemical burns. The chemicals in the these cleaners pollute our waters and leave residue behind making them less and less effective over time.

Don’t forget to turn off the water.

Changing out a dishwasher? Turning off some old angle stops under the sink? Don’t forget to turn off the water before you start your project. Water pipes work at a very high PSI and failure to turn off the water before starting can lead to a big mess. A small house flood can appear within a few minutes of breaking a water line inside your home.

Pull a permit / the right permit.

Upgrading your home’s plumbing without the proper permits can lead to a major headache. It can actually de-value your home if it’s discovered during the selling process. States and cities all have their own rules and laws regarding permits. Check with your local jurisdiction if you have questions or concerns. Pulling a permit gives homeowners professional oversight on the project. In the end you’ll know the plumbing work was done properly.

Connecting galvanized piping to copper pipes.

If copper pipes and galavinized piping touch each other, they’ll start corroding. A lot of homeowners are unaware of this and they’ll start joining new copper pipes to old galvanized piping. A dielectric union needs to be placed between hte pipes to prevent the corrosion. This small plastic joiner will prevent the pipes from touching each other.

Disconnect your hose before the winter freeze.

If you leave your hose attached to a frost proof spigot and old man winter comes by, you’re gonna have a bad time. When you turn the spigot on next spring it may start pouring water down into your basement. This happens when the silcock pipe freezes and develops a crack. If your hosebib is behind finished drywall, you’ll need to cut an access panel to replace it. It’s best practice to have a sepearate shut off valve installed just before the spigot.