DON'T MAKE THESE PLUMBING MISTAKES WHEN REMODELING YOUR BATHROOM

By Admin
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22 Jan, 2018
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Remodeling a bathroom isn't just a great way to make it more pleasant -- it's also one of the best ways to improve the value of your home. If you want to maximize your ROI, you might be tempted to do a few things on your own, but the electrical work and the plumbing work tend to be among the most challenging. In fact, there are several common plumbing mistakes made during DIY remodels.

SKIPPING STEPS WITH WATERPROOFING

When it comes to a bathroom, it can be difficult to understand just how important waterproofing is. After all, water evaporates eventually -- doesn't it? But showers, sinks and toilets all need to be properly waterproofed. Otherwise, all that exposure to water and moisture in the bathroom will lead to rot. In showers, rotting backer boards will eventually lead to falling tiles, cracked surfaces, and mildew. For sinks and toilets, it will lead to damage to floors and walls.

GETTING THE LAYOUT WRONG

Different sinks and toilets will hook up in different places and may extend further than previous ones did. It's very common for a homeowner to find that they've installed a sink or a toilet that now blocks off a door -- simply because it extends an extra inch or two outward. It's important to always take measurements and (perhaps most importantly) have an expert who can adjust plumbing hookups as needed.

CHOOSING A CABINET BEFORE A SINK

Though it may seem obvious to choose your cabinets first, you should actually choose your sink first. Why? Because the cabinets are actually cut to fit the sink, not the other way around -- and they aren't standard. It's easier to install the pipes to a cabinet that has been fitted to the sink rather than the other way around.

FORGETTING TO MATCH THE PIPES

Pipes need to be matched up; otherwise they will eventually leak and cause problems. It can be easy for a homeowner to assume that, because a pipe fits in, it's going to be fine. However, poorly matched pipes will probably lead to leaks later on. There are special fittings that are designed to match up different types of pipes, but these need to be selected by an expert; otherwise issues with water pressure could arise.

NOT SLOPING THE SHOWER

Tiled showers are now an exceptionally popular fad, but there's one problem that many people encounter when they try to install their own: not sloping it. Tiled showers need to be gently sloped towards the drain. It is not enough to simply have a drain. Without the slope, the shower will simply fill with water and a certain amount of standing water is always going to remain. This water may leak into the flooring and may cause issues with mold and mildew.

FAILING TO VENT THE SINK

A sink vent is intended to ensure that your sink is always draining properly. It also prevents your sink from back flow, which could include pests as well as unpleasant smells. It's easy for DIY renovators to forget to vent the sink, as some older homes do not have a vent at all. But venting your sink is an excellent way to reduce draining issues and ensure that your sink doesn't take in pests and air from other areas.

If you want to save money on your bathroom remodel, it's often worth it to hire a professional to do the plumbing work -- otherwise you're just going to have to pay for it to get fixed later on. Stuart Plumbing & Sheet Metal Inc. can provide you with a quote to start your bathroom remodel today.