If you are like most people, your bathroom is probably one of the busiest rooms in your house. Making your bathroom layout efficient can save you time and help your entire family get a good start to the day. But before you decide to tackle a remodel, take the time to plan ahead so you can avoid these common bathroom 26plumbing mistakes:
If you are the do-it-yourself kind, you may think you can install a shower yourself. While it is possible, you need to be aware of the proper slope for the base of the shower so that the water will drain properly. An improper slope may cause standing water to remain in the shower and create the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. You will need to remove the old flooring all the way to the masonry and maintain a slope of 1/4 inch per foot. If you aren’t sure how to accomplish this, consider the services of a professional.
While it may seem easier to run a straight pipe from your sinks and drains, this can lead to health risks in your home. Your sinks and drains need a P-trap to prevent sewer gases from re-entering your home. These work to trap a small amount of water in the pipe after each use. The water in the trap creates a barrier and keeps the dangerous sewer gases out of your home. Installing a P-trap when you remodel is vital.
Installing a P-trap won’t do you much good if you forget to vent the sink to the outside. An unvented sink can cause a number of issues from failing to drain properly, gurgling sounds in the drain, P-traps running dry and methane gas from the sewer entering your home. While slow or noisy drains are only an annoyance, sewer gases entering your home can be a serious health risk. If you are unsure how to vent your sink drain properly, contact a professional.
The “rough-in” of your toilet refers to the distance between the wall and the pipe for the toilet drain. If you are replacing an existing toilet, measure the distance from the wall to the point in the center of the bolt caps on the base of the existing toilet. The drain pipe sits directly under this point. Make sure you purchase a new toilet that will fit these measurements so that you can install it properly.
There are many things you can do yourself when it comes to remodeling your bathroom, but if you feel uncomfortable with any of these tasks, Crawford Mechanical Services can do the job for you and may even save you from costly repairs in the future. Contact us today for all your plumbing needs. We also provide 24-hour emergency plumbing services.
