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How to Avoid Costly (and Dangerous) Consequences of Playing Plumber!

With the dawn of YouTube and Pinterest, most of us have tried—and failed—at a DIY project or two (or 27). Regardless of our past “nailed it” moments, we’re nevertheless tempted to take DIY to a new level when we think it’ll save us serious cash – plumbing problems included.

OK, maybe you haven’t made that mistake, but plenty of your Calgary neighbors have – and we’d love to help you avoid doing the same. Here are eight of the worst plumbing mistakes DIYers make.

DIY Plumbing Mistake #1: Lack of Planning

Whether it’s an easy project that’s been on your to-do list for months or a large-scale bathroom renovation, you need to spend sufficient time in the planning phase. And there are a lot of factors to consider. For example:

  • Too many fixtures can lead to low water pressure.
  • Not enough space between the toilet and the bathtub creates some uncomfortable situations or Twister-worthy contortions.
  • Taking something apart without paying attention to how all the pieces fit together can lead to a frustrating jigsaw puzzle on the back end of your project. (Pro planning tip: Take a picture before you start disassembling anything.)

DIY Plumbing Mistake #2: Unpermitted Work

Sometimes your local government needs to be involved in your planning! Failing to obtain the proper permits for your fix-it adventures can devalue your home and lead to hefty fines. (And weren’t you trying to save money?) Permits help keep your family and your neighbors safe by allowing local building officials to oversee your home improvement projects. If you’re using a contractor, insist they pull permits, too. Cutting corners rarely cuts costs in the long run.

DIY Plumbing Mistake #3: Wrong Tools

So, you wouldn’t try to nail a screw right? (Well, maybe you would, but most people wouldn’t.) Using the wrong tool for a job can cause frustration, at best – and serious damage, at worst. Most plumbing jobs require basic tools like a plumber’s wrench, basin wrench, and plumber’s snake. Hand augers – long, stiff cables to remove clogs – are also a helpful tool. It’s important to do your research before adding these tools to your collection though, because there are various types of augers and snakes for different fixtures. Another pro tip: Some equipment is better rented than owned. Research and rent accordingly, so you get the most for your dollar.

DIY Plumbing Mistake #4: Mismatched Pipes

Many DIYers don’t know what kind of pipes they have, and they end up mixing galvanized and modern copper pipes. This leads to corrosion, leaks, and expensive future repairs. Matching the materials between existing and replacement pipes is necessary for a successful fix-it project. Researching what kind of pipe you need to replace and any needed connections is a good place to start. And don’t try to just “make it work” with tape, silicone, or other sealants (Pipe corrosion doesn’t care what kind of tape you have).

DIY Plumbing Mistake #5: Over-Tightening Connections

While you may want to show off your Hercules-like strength, making a tighter connection doesn’t prevent a leaky pipe. It actually creates them. Damaged fittings, broken plastic washers, stripped threads, and cracked fittings create these leaks rather quickly. Save your strength for opening those pesky pickle jars! Begin with hand-tightening your connections, then making small turns just until the connection is secure.

DIY Plumbing Mistake #6: Forgetting to Shut-Off the Water

Before attempting your plumbing project, turn off the water! Skipping this step could result in a surprise indoor swimming pool—and some major water damage. Turn off the water at the local shut off valve or to your entire house via the water main. It’s not a bad idea to drain the pipes, too. Flush water down the drain for a few seconds or give the toilet a final flush to ensure you won’t need floaties in your kitchen or bathroom.

DIY Plumbing Mistake #7: Too Much Drain Cleaner

We know drain cleaner seems like a quick fix for the standing water in your shower. However, overusing drain cleaners can severely damage your pipes. Instead of chemicals, try a more natural, less expensive solution: vinegar and baking soda. Or get your hands on a plunger or drain snake. A clean (and non-corroded) drain is a happy drain.

DIY Plumbing Mistake #8: Refusing to Admit Defeat

If you find yourself in over your head, give us a call. We have the knowledge, skills, licenses, tools, and experience to handle your DIY disasters. We’d been Calgary’s preferred plumber for years, and we’d love to serve you, too.

Call us now!

Serving Calgary, AB and surrounding areas

We take immense pride in providing Calgary, AB and surrounding areas with top-notch plumbing, heating, and cooling services, ensuring every home and business operates smoothly year-round. Our team’s expertise and dedication shine through in every project, earning the trust and satisfaction of our valued customers across the city. Serving you isn’t just a job for us; it’s a commitment to excellence and a testament to our passion for keeping our community comfortable and thriving.

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Jing Huang

John came out to review our heating and AC set-up. He was very knowledgeable and patient as he walked us through the various units and proposed maintenance program. Would highly recommend.

Lucus Tomei

We could not do the water valve replacement because the city could not shut the water off. I was warned ahead of time that this might happen so was not worried. Yamil was courteous and professional and I look forward to his return when the city can fulfill there end of the job. Justin and Sean were great with the furnace install. It went smoothly and Justin explained the new thermostat fully. The walk through on the furnace was useful and timely. Justin and Sean were friendly and professional and great to work with. John who came out for the initial inspection…

Paul Palardy

Heinz was professional and honest. He gave me options and the price. The price was the price and there were no extra charges. He worked on a boiler system that was having issues. He flushed and cleaned system and everything is back up and running. When he was finished he asked if I had any question. I look forward to him coming back to service this system again.

Curtis W.

I had furnace venting replaced. This company is efficient and very professional. You know who is coming to do the work and given notice of when they’ll arrive. Heinz was very knowledgeable, professional, was not bothered by all my questions. He gave full explanations, reasons why, and great advice on maintenance care. He showed that he cared about what he was doing and was very efficient in getting the work done quickly. I highly recommend this company and Heinz.

Elsa Krienke

Jon was on time and dispatch team did their best to get him to the property to do an inspection on leaking pipes and backup sewer system. Jon then immediately got another job into the system to have a deeper inspection of the entire system to determine where the blockage was.

David Crawford

Had them update and install our infloor heating two zones, and add tank less hot water on demand and install a water softener. Our technician was very professional kept his work area tidy, cleaned up after himself. He also wiped down all the equipment used including piping and tubing. He was friendly, kept us informed on his progress. You could tell he enjoys what he does… great job Thank you so much.

Carol Hill

The appointment to come to check my boiler was prompt and early I’m the day so I didn’t have to wait the whole day. I received a call 15mins before the arrival. An email and a text was sent earlier. Gerry introduced himself and told me his purpose. He checked my boiler for a while then explained clear to me what the problem was, it was relief to know that it is nit necessarily a serious one. He made further checks and made some recommendations for change of some worn out parts, the re-glycol – 10yrs overdue and some leak that…

Roland B.

Can’t say enough about the great service I received from Heinz regarding some concerning alerts we got on our Ecobee Smart Thermostat yesterday. I felt cared for and trusted that he was focused on the necessary followup to assure our safety. Heinz is very good at his job.

Kim Koch

Clearview was excellent to deal with. Very professional in their approach and the picture sent of the plumber before hand is an excellent idea. Richard was great to deal with. He gave me different options to resolve the problem.

Rick Pultz

Drake Ahern did an awesome job cleaning the ducts. Was very friendly and professional. Worked hard and paid attention to all the details. I’d definitely have him back next time.

David Dickinson

Arrived on time and did a quick and efficient replacement of my kitchen sink faucet. Also took the time to further explain the operation of the water softener installed on the last visit.
Richard was friendly and knowledgeable. Great service!

Marybeth Marrow

Our hot water tank blew and fortunately we noticed right away. We called Clearview Services late in the evening and we were answered right away. We were kept in the loop throughout the entire experience and Gabe Colpitts was the service technician who visited the next morning. He was very professional and spent the time to explain and educate the different options that were available. We were up and running with hot water the very next day.

Mike Mario

Barry did a great job in replacing a leaking Hot Water tank. Just a bit shocked at how much the cost of a new tank has increased over the years. We would certainly use ClearView for future jobs.

Ken Stowell

Thank you! Your service has always been reliable, professional,and friendly.
Rural folks can depend on you, as We have for more than 30 years, for both our property and others.
If you say you’re coming – you show up- or you promptly let us know of any delays! AND do a fantastic job. We’d asked for certain day & hours, as our neighbour has a B&B, didn’t want to cause issues with septic removal smells for them. YOU DELIVERED! Thank you. The Jackson’s.

Robert Jackson

Barry was fantastic. Explained the steps that would be required to detect the leak and then proceeded with the work. He was professional and managed to fix our issue same day. He left our home clean and tidy before leaving. Overall very happy.

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