Summer is when everybody becomes a DIY genius and begins working on their homes, specifically their backyards. While there’s nothing wrong with this, it’s important to avoid common mistakes because, otherwise, you may end up causing damage that you least expected at the beginning.

Therefore, in this article, we are going to look at the most common mistakes people make when plumbing on a DIY job. By the time you’ve finished reading, you’ll have a better understanding of what not to do.

Happy read!

Check Before You Dig

Some plumbing jobs require you to dig through the ground. If it does require digging, we advise leaving your DIY home renovation project to a professional. 

The reason for this is because there’s always a possibility that you’re going to dig into a gas pipe. If this happens, you may need to evacuate the house and pay additional money for a professional to correct the issue.

Not only that, but it’s also going to affect your neighbors. When gas leaks on a large scale, the surrounding area needs to be evacuated to minimize the possibility of an explosion.

Another possibility is hitting a power line. If this happens, you could end up electrocuting yourself.

Be Careful When You Dispose of Chemicals

Your backyard landscaping ideas may involve the use of some chemicals. If so, you need to make sure you’re discarding them correctly.

Incorrectly disposing of some chemicals, such as chucking them down the drain, can cause pollution and health problems. To find out how to dispose of chemical waste safely, you can look at the back of the container you’re trying to get rid of. There should be a warning and disposal instructions on it.

Check for Pipes Before Renovating

Before you even begin your backyard renovations for the summer, it’s super important to find out where your gas, phone, electrical, and water pipes are located. That way, you can carry out your plumbing work without any health and safety concerns.

If you don’t know where any of your pipes are located, you need to be careful when digging. We also recommend shutting off your water, gas, and electric supply from the valves.

That way, even if you do hit the main pipes, it isn’t going to be a major issue.

Turn Off Your Outdoor Water

We previously discussed the danger of cutting through electrical or gas pipes; moreover, you may accidentally dig through an outdoor water pipe. If this happens, your backyard will be flooded in a matter of minutes, depending on the size of the pipe.

Luckily, you can prevent this from happening by switching off the outdoor water valve.

Call in a Professional for Any Plumbing Problems

Plumbing isn’t easy and requires years of training before you can start carrying out jobs yourself. To keep yourself and others safe, we recommend hiring a professional plumber from the start.

It isn’t only cutting through pipes you need to be concerned with. Plumbing sometimes requires the use of toxic materials, which can be harmful to health and need to be handled with care.

A professional has come up against these issues time and time again. Therefore, they know how to operate in a way that’s going to prevent unnecessary accidents. You may believe that your DIY backyard landscaping ideas will save money, but one slight accident could cost a whole lot more in damages.

Get in Touch

If you are looking for an expert plumber to hire for your summer project, Wade Roberts Plumbing, located in Victoria, BC, is here for you! We have a team of professional plumbers on hand to tackle any job. 

Call us today at 250-883-7545 or fill out our online contact form.



We’re here for you!