When something goes wrong at home, it's easy and can initially seem inexpensive to fix it yourself. But what about when your DIY job actually causes more harm than good? Let's take a look at common plumbing and HVAC mistakes that DIYers regularly get wrong:
Common DIY Plumbing Mistakes
- Installing a dishwasher and forgetting to remove the knockout plug in your garbage disposal, causing water to leak all over the place.
- Organizers that weigh down your fixtures and pipes. It's great to get your shower items organized, but not if it breaks the pipes or causes a leak by pulling a connection apart.
- Not using the right kind of connection between two different types of pipe. Combining two metallic pipes without the proper connection causes corrosion where they meet.
- Stripping threads on connections. Excessively cranking down on threaded connections can strip the threads and make a leaking connector leak even worse.
- Turning on a new water heater before it's ready. An electric water heater can burn up if it isn't allowed to fill with water before it's turned on.
- Reassembling fixtures the wrong way. It's easy to forget how fixtures go back together or forget to put a clip or screw back in place.
Common DIY HVAC Mistakes
- Hiding an outdoor HVAC unit. It's tempting to put a shrub or other decoration around your HVAC unit, but it can block air flow to your unit, causing it to break down or fail faster.
- Installing a thermostat. Professionals know what to look for in terms of thermostat location, calibration and similar concerns while installing it on your own may compromise the performance you expect to get out of it.
- DIYing your system's annual maintenance. Small changes or issues in your system may not seem important at the time, but a trained technician can pick up which of those changes may mean serious problems for your system.
- Installing other appliances or electronics near your thermostat. Because many of these items produce heat, it will affect how well your system works.
At Stahl Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, we've helped homeowners through a variety of DIY mistakes for over 50 years and have built a reputation for excellence during that time. We're always happy to help with your problems and offer 24/7 emergency services. Contact us today for more details on how we can help solve your problems.