Why That Minor DIY Plumbing Repair You Did Is A Recipe For Disaster | Atlanta, GA
As a homeowner, it’s only natural that you want to save money wherever you can. So, when a minor plumbing issue arises, it may be tempting to take matters into your own hands and try to fix it yourself. However, we’re here to tell you that doing so is a recipe for disaster. Here’s why:
You Exposed the Piping to Corrosion
If you have metallic plumbing pipes, then they’re likely made of copper or galvanized steel. These materials are susceptible to corrosion, and once that process starts, it’s only a matter of time before your pipes start leaking. When you try DIY plumbing repairs, you will likely expose the piping to potential corrosion by breaking through the protective barrier to keep it safe. This is because most homeowners don’t have the proper tools or techniques to do repairs without causing damage. Therefore, you will likely scratch and dent the piping, creating an entry point for water and other corrosive materials. Corrosion is a slow process, so you may not see the effects of your handiwork for months or even years. But make no mistake, it will catch up to you eventually with costly repairs.
You Created a Weakened Joint
When you make a plumbing repair, you need to create a watertight seal to avoid leaks. This is done by soldering or welding the pipes together. However, most homeowners don’t have the skills or equipment to do this properly. As a result, the joint you create is likely weak and prone to leaks. It’s not uncommon for DIY plumbing repairs to cause more leaks than they fix. The average person doesn’t know how to properly solder or weld pipes together. Even if you think you’ve created a watertight seal, there’s a good chance that it won’t hold up over time.
You Risk Flooding Your Home
If you’re not careful, your DIY plumbing repair could end up causing a major disaster. If you make a mistake, it’s very easy to flood your home accidentally. Water damage is expensive to repair and can lead to mold and mildew growth. This is a serious health hazard, so you want to avoid it if possible. So, how can you trigger flooding with DIY plumbing repairs? You may inadvertently pierce a water line while trying to make a repair. Or, you could create a weak joint that gives way under the pressure of the water flowing through it.
Sometimes, the mistake may not appear immediately but could cause problems down the line. For example, if you don’t properly solder a pipe, it may hold up for a while but eventually, start to leak. If this happens when you’re not home or late at night when you’re asleep, the resulting flood could do a lot of damage before you can shut off the water. Therefore, regardless of how minor the repair may seem, it’s always best to leave it to plumbing professionals in Atlanta, GA.
You Cross-threaded the Pipes
You may have felt confident after completing a minor plumbing repair in your home, but if you cross-threaded the pipes when putting everything back together, you’re setting yourself up for a disaster. Cross-threading occurs when you try to screw a pipe into a fitting that is too small, damaging the threads. You may be wondering how this is an issue. After all, the pipes seem to be tightly fitted together. But, when you cross-thread the pipes, it creates a weak point that is susceptible to leaks. These leaks may not happen immediately, but they will eventually start to form and can cause extensive damage to your home. So, call a professional plumber to handle the repair instead of risking it.
You Could Void Your Homeowners Insurance Policy
Did you know that your homeowners’ insurance policy could be voided if you try to do your own plumbing and something goes wrong? That’s right—if it’s determined that your DIY plumbing repair was the cause of water damage in your home, your insurance company may refuse to pay for the damages.
Most insurance companies are always looking for a way to avoid paying out claims, which is one way they do it. They will argue that you should have known better than to try to do the repair yourself and that you should have called a professional instead. So, if you want to avoid having your claim denied, it’s best to call a plumber in Atlanta, GA, in the first place.
It’s Not as Easy as It Looks – You May Turn a Simple Repair Into a Replacement
Plumbing may seem like a fairly simple system of pipes and fixtures, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Without the proper training and experience, you could easily make a mistake leading to serious consequences. You could easily turn a simple repair into a replacement by not properly understanding how the system works.
For example, if you’re trying to repair a leaky faucet, you may think that all you need to do is tighten the fixture. However, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you could strip the threads or break the seal. This would require you to replace the entire fixture, which is much more expensive than fixing the leak. So, why take the risk? Call a professional to handle any plumbing repairs, regardless of how small they may seem.
Need a Repair Done On Your Plumbing System? Call Us
If you are a resident of Atlanta, GA, and need a plumbing repair, please call us at Peach Plumbing & Drain. We are experts in everything plumbing and will be happy to help you with any repair you may need. We offer a wide range of services to meet your needs, including drain cleaning, leak detection, water heater repair, and much more. Our licensed, highly trained, and experienced plumbers are available 24/7 to handle any repair you may need. So, don’t hesitate to give us a call today!