The Top 3 DIY Plumbing Projects

Plumbing issues and emergencies can be a major life stressor that can get in the way of your everyday tasks and responsibilities. Not only can a plumbing issue prevent you from using a room or appliance in your home, but it can also cause you to take time off of work while you wait for a plumber to come and repair the issue. 

Finding a plumber can also be a headache, especially if the company doesn’t offer 24-hour plumbing services. But what if these additional headaches could be avoided? What if you were able to fix your plumbing issue all on your own? You’re in luck, this post will briefly detail 3 DIY plumbing projects that you can take care of all by yourself instead of hiring a plumber. 

Plumbing Projects You Can Do On Your Own

Though serious plumbing issues require the expertise of a licensed plumber, you’re capable of handling less severe plumbing issues. Here are some DIY plumbing projects to learn how to do so you don’t have to hire a plumber for simple plumbing projects that aren’t overly involved. 

1. Turn Off Your Home’s Water Supply

This is a fairly straightforward task that you should know how to do if you own a home. To begin, you’ll need to locate where the main water line enters the home; it should be in one of the following:

• The crawlspace
• The basement
• In a utility room
• In a garage
• Outside near the street

After you have located where the water comes in, you will see a valve which will have a handle. When the water is on, the handle will be parallel to the pipe, to turn it off, turn the handle perpendicular to the pipe, about 90 degrees. Sound simple? That’s because it is, however many people will waste time and money hiring a plumber to do this for them instead of making the effort to learn how to do it themselves. For larger jobs or ongoing issues, consider hiring professionals who specialize in property maintenance in Utah for complex tasks. You can always get commercial plumbing services for your business for complicated plumbing issues.

1. Replace Shower Heads

Replacing showerheads is another DIY task that can ultimately save you time and money if you learn how to do it yourself. This task will take 30 minutes or less and could save you hundreds of dollars. The steps to replace a showerhead include:

1. Loosen the old head with a wrench and use a solvent solution to remove ruse and debris from the shower arm
2. Make sure the shower arm is dry and apply Teflon tape to the threads and press down
3. Screw in the new shower head and tighten with a wrench
4. Check for leaks; if there are any leaks, reapply the Teflon tape.

Like turning the water off in your home, this task is incredibly easy, yet many people choose to hire someone to do it rather than looking into the simple process of how to do it themselves.

1. Fix a Running Toilet

This DIY project is slightly more involved than the previous two, however, it is still straightforward, and as long as there isn’t anything seriously wrong, it should take less than an hour. The process to fix a running toilet is as follows:

• Test the flapper
• Check the fill valve for a leak
• Remove and replace the old toilet valve
• Install your new fill valve
• Connect the fill tube and test your toilet to make sure it flushes

Upon completion, check your work and make sure there are no leaks; this will ensure your DIY project is done correctly and will last.

Save Money and Time When You Do DIY Plumbing Projects

Learning how to deal with plumbing issues as they happen has the potential to save you time, money, and even stress. You won’t have to call a plumber when the slightest thing goes wrong, instead, you will be able to fix it right away and get back to living your life.  Use this post as a beginner’s guide to learning how to take care of plumbing issues around your home. 

About the Author

Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey