Homeowners today are often handling their own home repairs, including plumbing, as they can usually follow online videos for instructions and rent any tools they need but don't own. However, online videos may not cover every detail of the plumbing job you have at hand, and overlooking certain details can mean a disastrous plumbing job that will require the attention of a real professional. To ensure your work turns out as successful as possible, note a few mistakes you'll want to avoid when managing your own plumbing.
Not adjusting the thermostat in a hot water heater
When you buy a new hot water heater, you may be very careful about hooking it up to your home's plumbing and then either the gas or electrical lines. After that work is done, you may not realize that a hot water heater usually has a thermostat that needs adjusting and which controls the overall temperature of the water in the tank. If you fail to adjust this thermostat, your water may never get hot enough for you or it may come out scalding and so hot that it's unsafe. Note the manufacturer's instructions on how to adjust this thermostat before you start using a new hot water heater.
Not realizing there are male and female pipes and connectors
Male and female pipes and connectors refer to where the threads are located at the ends of those pipes; a female pipe, connector, or other such piece will have the threads on the inside, and male pieces will have the threads on the outside. Obviously trying to attach two female or two male pieces will be impossible, as the threads won't line up. If you do wind up with matching pipes that cannot be connected, purchase an adapter that has both a male and a female end, so you can use this to attach your two pipes.
Not connecting pipes securely to the floorboards above
When you are installing pipes under floorboards, you may use brackets on the crossbeams and assume these will be enough to keep the pipes in place. However, those pipes are under a tremendous amount of pressure from the water that runs through them, and this water and solid matter can also be very heavy. The pipes can easily pull away from those brackets and also bang around under the floorboards, causing noise and potential damage. You usually need to install hangers for the pipes every few feet or metres to keep them more secure, and don't rely on brackets on crossbeams alone.
