Cutting corners is a bad idea when it comes to important things like your plumbing. In our DIY culture, where you can learn anything online, everyone thinks they can do what plumbers do. In reality, plumbing is quite complicated, and it’s one area of construction where many technicians consistently fail standards. Plumbing is a messy job, and not all plumbers are created equal. Where some plumbers cut corners, others go above and beyond to get the job done right. In the quest to save money on home improvement projects and simple repairs, many homeowners allow inexperienced or unscrupulous technicians handle their plumbing installations, repairs, and maintenance. If you don’t know what to look for, you may not know you’ve been the victim of shoddy plumbing. Homeowners could be left with thousands of dollars of household damage from flooding due to incorrect placement. These damages can require tear-out of damaged fixtures and major home restorations.

4 Signs of You’ve Experienced Substandard Plumbing

There are signs your plumbing repairs are substandard, and you should consider bringing in another plumbing professional.

Unsecured Fixtures: If your shower head wobbles, your faucets jiggle, or your drains shift around, you’re seeing the signs your plumbing is not secured. Your pipes should be mounted and attached to the wall, and if your fixtures attached to your pipes are moving around, something is not secured behind your walls. Plumbing fixtures shouldn’t move around when you open and close valves.

Sloppy Caulking and Measurements: When you see large amounts of caulk, it’s a sign of poor measuring and piping. When the pipe connected to a fixture is too long, a plumber cutting corners will try to hide the problem by over caulking the area. The final product will look shoddy and unprofessional. Caulking can mold and begin to look unkempt and require immediate replacement.

Low-Quality Fixtures: When you hire a plumber to replace your fixtures, you trust them to source quality products and goods. Disreputable technicians will cut corners on the quality of your fixtures adding the expenses to labor costs. Cheap plumbing fixtures will give you more problems than they will solve. A good and reputable plumber will find the best quality fixtures within your price point and install your new plumbing using best practices.

Sloppy Work; Poor Attention to Details: Professional work should look like it. When a plumber is gluing and sealing your pipes, and the work looks shabby, it’s liable to haunt you later. Shaving money off the final bill is not worth cutting corners on the details. All it takes for your home to flood from shoddy plumbing is poorly glued angled joints or a missing seal. Quality plumbers understand the importance of protecting your pipes, which is why sealing, gluing, and plating is a priority. Protecting your pipes is critical to ensuring you don’t end up with water damage and a flooded home.

How Bargain Plumbing Can Lead to Major Damages

A plumber who cuts corners and forgets the details can make a mistake working on your pipes and cause thousands of dollars in damages. A careless plumber trying to save you money by doing the bare minimum can leave your home open to every type of calamity, from floods to fires.

Looking for savings is not a bad thing. Most people have budgets, and new plumbing can be an expensive household repair or upgrade to your home. While looking for a bargain, don’t make the mistake of allowing an inexperienced or disreputable plumber to convince you that the details don’t matter. Good and reliable plumbing is in the details.

Some other dangers from poor plumbing include:

Faulty Wiring (Electrocution)
Poisoning (Gas or Chemical Leaks)
Biohazards (Sewage Spills/Leaks)

If you recently had plumbing work completed that wasn’t up to quality standards, don’t sit around waiting for it to fail. Your home and the safety of your family are worth it! Your first concern when hiring a plumber should be the quality of services received and their reputation in the community. At Watermen Plumbing, we can help repair any substandard plumbing work installed in your home. Call in our plumbing experts at (954) 800-6364 or contact us online.