DIY Common Plumbing Mistakes

Commonly Made Plumbing Mistakes

• Misuse of vent pipes. Vent pipes are for venting. They are not for running cables, or any other purpose. These pipes are intended to give air to drains in your home, so that the plumbing can flow and the sewer gases do not penetrate your home. If you cut into these vents to run cables, you will notice a definite nasty smell in your house.
• Removing the drain from a sink. In an effort to make their homes more green, some homeowners are taking out parts of their sink drains so they can collect drain water to water their plants. This creates a similar problem as cutting into vents. Again, it allows bad gases into your home.
• Hitting plumbing pipes with a nail. When you are going to nail something into the wall, make sure you know what is behind it. Trying to do a job too quickly can result in a surprise in the form of a hole in a pipe.
• The use of drain cleaner. Drain cleaners are very corrosive chemicals. They have been known to eat through plumbing tools, gloves, and pipes! When they start to corrode the drain itself, they can make the clog worse while compromising the walls of your pipes. 
• Flushing away your garbage. Toilet paper is the only thing that should be flushed. That magical black hole actually leads to a three-inch drain pipe, and it can only handle so much. Flushing everything will back up the pipes, causing costly plumbing repairs.
• Adding chemicals to the septic system. If you have a septic system, you should take the time to learn what you should not send down the drain. Chemicals, like drain cleaner, chlorine bleach can mess up the bacteria in the system. 
• Sending grease down the kitchen drain. Grease will clog your kitchen drain. Let your grease cool and then throw it in the garbage. Your pipes will thank you for it. 

If you need help undoing any of these commonly made plumbing mistakes, contact
Paul Vadnais Plumbing for assistance.
651-231-0944
 Licensed Bonded Insured Plumber Servicing the Twin Cities Metro Area.