South Windsor Plumbers Share Common DIY Plumbing Mistakes
Yes, it’s October, which means dressing up like a clown can be a fun way to celebrate Halloween. But looking like a clown because you’ve made some DIY plumbing mistakes, well, that’s something any homeowner would like to avoid. To make sure you’re not a clown this October, check out these DIY Plumbing tips to avoid plumbing emergencies.
Drain Cleaners Are Bad News
It’s easy to reach for the drain cleaner when you have a sink with a clog in it. But did you know that drain cleaners often cause more problems than they solve? They do! The reason behind this is how drain cleaners work.
Drain cleaners use toxic chemicals, like bleach and lye, to create a chemical reaction in your pipes. This reaction generates heat and that heat works to dislodge and break down the clog, sending it further down the drain.
But this chemical reaction can also be bad news for your pipes. The heat can cause even PVC pipes to corrode or crack, and everyone can agree that cracked pipes are worse than a clog in a drain. The good news is you can make a drain cleaner at home that’s just as effective as the commercial options.
Boiling water followed by baking soda is the first step. After it sits for a few minutes pour some vinegar down the drain. This will create a much safer chemical reaction that’s just as effective as drain cleaner. If your sink is still clogged after this concoction it may be a sign that you need to use a snake or a plunger to solve your clogged drain.
Never Over Tighten Bolts
Over tightening bolts is a common misstep many DIY plumbers make. People tend to think that a tighter bolt is a safer bolt, or at least more waterproof. But that’s often far from the case.
A bolt needs to be tightened the right amount to function properly. Overtightening a bolt can cause the washer to crack, and a cracked washer can lead to further, or even new, leaks.
And everyone can agree that plumbing leaks are something to be avoided. So the next time you’re tightening a bolt, remember not to go too far.
Plumbing Tape Makes All the Difference
Most DIY plumbers either don’t know about plumbing tape or think it’s not worth the time and effort. But plumbing tape, sometimes called Teflon tape, is a gem of a tool and can make a world of difference on DIY plumbing jobs.
Plumbing tape wraps around the threads of pipes that join together. The tape works to create a stronger waterproof barrier, while also making the join smoother to fit together.
It’s an easy, cheap way to prevent small leaks. You’ll often see plumbing tape used when attaching a showerhead to a shower, or a hose to an outdoor faucet. You’ll be amazed at how it can help stop even the tiniest leak.
If you’re ready to give plumbing tape a try there’s a few things you need to know: make sure you get the kind that works for the job you’re doing (there’s a different type of tape for gas joins) and remember to wrap the threads in the opposite direction of how the pipe will turn into the fitting.
Water Heater Medic Can Help You with All Your Needs
Water Heater Medic has individually specialized technicians that are there to help you with any and every type of water heater there is. With 30 years of experience, they serve both residential and commercial clientele in the South Windsor area. Their quest for perfection means you’ll have a trustworthy contractor to help you with your issues.



Is Your Water Heater Due for a Cleaning?
The basic function of your hot water depends on whether you have a tankless or a conventional water heater. If you have a tankless water heater, you have hot water on demand.
Knowing some basics about taking care of your hot water heater can help to ensure that it works effectively and efficiently, doesn’t cause any plumbing emergencies and lasts as long as possible.
If you know what to look for, it can be easy to know if your hot water heater needs to be repaired. Identifying when there’s a problem can help to avoid both an outage and a plumbing emergency.
You may see weird stains show up in your sinks and showers and toilets.
Because unfiltered and untreated water can often carry minerals, toxins, and bacteria that are harmful to our bodies, it’s essential that any water that is brought into your home for drinking, cleaning or otherwise is treated before use.
UV water filters are a great and simple way to make sure enough clean and clear drinking water is available within your home.
Hoses and outdoor faucets that have been clogged can potentially cause cracks with improper water output
Maintaining your outdoor plumbing properly and regularly is not only essential to the overall functionality of your household (damaged sewer lines are no fun for anyone!).
Low faucet pressure can mean corrosion or rust and indicate a repair is needed right away.
Hot water heaters enable you to have the warm or hot water that you need in the bathroom in your bathtub, shower or sink. If you have a standard water heater, its tank heats and then stores hot water so it’s ready and waiting for you.
We all rely heavily on water heaters. Thankfully, you can have one in your home, no matter how big or small it is. Did you know that you can even install a hot water heater in your mobile home?
Whether you need to install a water heater in your mobile home or traditional home, we highly recommend that you don’t just go to Home Depot and purchase a water heater for self-installation. To be clear, we don’t have anything against Home Depot (in fact, we shop there some ourselves).
Rain Barrel – Before you use one of these, make sure they’re legal where you live. If they are, you can make it with a plastic trash can and a spigot.
5 Years Labor Warranty - We stand behind our work and offer a 5-year warranty for free.
How often do you think about your drains? If you are like most people, it isn’t very often. However, you won’t be able to avoid thinking about it if they stop working.
Few things in our house are as important as your sewer system. Carrying the soiled black and grey water from your house to the main sewer system, your sewer lines are absolutely critical to keep running at 100%.
By far the most pleasant of these checklist additions, saving money is really a byproduct of the other two items. Repairs to clogged drains and backed up sewer lines can easily cost hundreds of dollars. In addition, the livability of your house during the time of these repairs is severely diminished, if not completely obliterated.
Certain maintenance should not be undertaken or attempted by an untrained person who is not a professional. It doesn’t matter if you’re an engineer, a professor, or a doctor.

If hydrojetting is not for you, do not despair. There are other DIY projects you can attempt to keep your bathroom in nice shape without using harmful, toxic, damaging chemicals like Drano and Liquid Plumr.
Farmhouse
Just as there is a multitude of options when it comes to designs and materials, there is also a wide range of costs.
Ideally, you will speak with 3-4 stores before making your purchase.