Remodeling Your Kitchen? Plumbing Emergencies to Avoid

5 April 2017
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Thinking of remodeling your kitchen on your own? Great idea. Just make sure you're keeping safety in mind, especially when it comes to your plumbing. Whether it's damage to a fixture, a busted pipe or some other issue, a mishap on your part can quickly escalate into a plumbing emergency. Make sure you're prepared.

Poor Fitting Matching

There is no rule that says you can't mismatch pipes. For instance, if you have three copper pipes and one is damaged, replacing it with a polyvinyl chloride pipe is something you can do. However, the problem arises when you attempt to put the same fitting you had on the original copper piping.

When you change the pipe material, you must also update the fitting. If you choose the wrong type of fitting, you could have flow issues, such as low water pressure and even worse, a significant water leak. You will need to do research to see what type of fitting is appropriate for your configuration.

Going Crazy During Demo

Once you're ready to embark on a remodel, getting started is the first thing on your mind. This eager attitude often leads to a crazy session with a hammer. Resist the urge. The pipes that flow behind the walls and under the floor might not be installed as deep as you think. In fact, in some instances, they rest just below the surface.

Hit the wall or floor too hard and you can also burst a pipe open, sending water flowing all over the place. Take your time to avoid a plumbing emergency. It might take longer, but you can avoid a mishap much easier.

Forgetting to Install a Vent

If a part of your remodel involves adding a new sink, ensure you aren't forgetting to also install a vent. A vent is a small pipe that is designed to create a portal for sewer gases and air to escape that is fitted just below the sink. If you don't have one installed, a couple of things can happen.

First, you could allow potentially harmful gases to entire inside your home or you could also be faced with a sink that backs up and won't drain, either one is a serious issue that can harm your health and cause significant damage.

If you're faced with a plumbing emergency, make sure you're not hesitating to contact a company like Ragan Mechanical Inc right away and make sure you're taking your time to help avoid an issue in the first place.