In my mind I’m a one trip guy. In reality I’m a 3-4 trip guy. I’ve got enough unreturned wrong pieces to stock a small hardware store.
DIY Home Plumbing
- Thread starter ChazzMo
- Start date
That usually just makes me consider purchasing something I really don't need. LOL
I only go once because that's the extent of my plumbing skills - if it's something that requires more than two trips, I'm calling a plumber. You have to understand your limitations. Too many people are watching these shows like the Property Brothers or Fixer Upper and think they can do the work, only to be putting themselves in a hole for thousands of unnecessary repairs.
Yes, I basically retired from DIY plumbing after a long career some wins some losses, the real problem is that scoring a 99% or 98% still doesn't cut it in plumbing.
Soldering is a pain. I use shark bite and Zurn connectors when possible. They are amazing. I solder only when I have to.
just go with pex man... way easier
My old pipe fitter friend wouldn’t recommend using shark bites on any crucial plumbing
They are fine for ancillary pipes
I had a plumber tell me he wouldn't use shark bite behind walls only visible areas. I was curious one day at Lowe's and tried a shark bite fitting on a pipe. I couldn't get it off without the Shark bite clip.
I just completed a small plumbing job in the laundry room and when I went to Lowes the person that helped me told me It is not a plumbing job unless you go to the store twice.
Copper pipes are definitely a solid choice, but I've had success with PEX for repiping jobs—much easier to work with, especially in tight spaces. Soldering is fine, but one small mistake can lead to leaks later. If you're stuck on a tricky fix or just need some expert guidance, pm247.co.uk has been a useful resource. Also, always double-check local code before making major changes so you don’t run into issues later.
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I had a sharkbite fail on my hot water tank. I had 2” of water on my lower level. Water was gushing out of the failed connector.
Came home from golf to water running down my driveway. Tank installed 2019, and failed 2022.
Plumber said they let the tech go who used them, and they do not recommend using them at all.
Over $15k in damage..
Yeah - that makes sense
I’ve used them replace old turn valves for copper pipes running out to our detached garage .
Having a plumber use them , especially on a water tank line, is malpractice .
We had a filtered water line that was leaking last week , it was all polyvinyl and push-to-connect adapters.
That’s about the extent of my home plumbing skills .
That and garbage disposal replacement . Just picked up one of those plumber third hand things to make it easier
Plumbing and electricity are two things I don't mess with (other than small projects, such installing a light/connecting some piping beneath a sink, etc.).
Sure, I could watch a YouTube video where everything is plumb/square/otherwise perfectly poised for success. But in my experience, at least one nuance always pops up that leads down a rabbit hole of frustration.
I've done more home projects in the last 5+ years than I'd have ever envisioned myself doing. But most of them have been ones where even if I had to do it over five times it would still have been cheaper than to call a professional. Plumbing and electricity, however? Nah, too messy.
Sure, I could watch a YouTube video where everything is plumb/square/otherwise perfectly poised for success. But in my experience, at least one nuance always pops up that leads down a rabbit hole of frustration.
I've done more home projects in the last 5+ years than I'd have ever envisioned myself doing. But most of them have been ones where even if I had to do it over five times it would still have been cheaper than to call a professional. Plumbing and electricity, however? Nah, too messy.
I’ve been squeamish on electrical work - and certainly won’t touch any 220v circuits or lines -
I want to replace some light fixtures and remove the dimmer switches in a couple rooms from when we moved in .
Getting my wife to agree on the replacements is the hard part .
Of course we have a really old house , so there’s still some
Knob and tube which gives me pause to mess with .
I've looked at those and have been skeptical so at Lowe's, I attached one of those Shark bite fittings on a pipe. I couldn't budge it without the little tool to release it. I asked a plumber what he thought and he said he'd never use any behind a wall.
I don't like messing with solder. My son prefers solder. I prefer the compression fittings tighten those things till they squeal and no flames.
I'm pretty handy, but do very little with plumbing or electrical. A problem with it here is voiding your insurance cover.
We have a big job coming up soon. New gutters for entire house. We use roof collected water as our sole source. Collecting it efficiently is critical. We're adding a 30000 litre water tank so connecting it to the pump/house and the downspout is above my pay grade. 30000 litres gushing out at once from a failed joint would suck, so using a professional for that.
We have a big job coming up soon. New gutters for entire house. We use roof collected water as our sole source. Collecting it efficiently is critical. We're adding a 30000 litre water tank so connecting it to the pump/house and the downspout is above my pay grade. 30000 litres gushing out at once from a failed joint would suck, so using a professional for that.
