In the "10 DIY Plumbing Mistakes NOT To Make! | GOT2LEARN" YouTube video, the presenter offers crucial advice on avoiding common plumbing mistakes for beginners. Starting with the caution against gluing fittings onto painted pipes, the presenter highlights the risk of leaks due to the interference of paint with the glue. He recommends using paint thinner or varnish to remove paint before applying glue. Another key tip is to avoid using water to cool solder joints during soldering, as it can lead to cracking. Instead, allowing the joint to cool naturally for about 30 seconds is advised.
The video covers various mistakes, such as leaving hoses connected outside during winter and risking burst pipes from frozen water. Properly replacing leaky joints, installing P-traps in drains, and using fittings instead of laying pipes over each other are emphasized. The presenter also addresses the common error of using a sink plunger for a toilet and highlights the importance of not treating the toilet as a trash can.
In a subsequent section, the video introduces two additional mistakes: using the wrong glue or solvent for specific pipe types and the necessity of installing backflow preventers to prevent basement flooding during sewage backups. Each drain from a slab foundation should have an underground backflow preventer accessible for maintenance.
By providing practical tips and highlighting these common mistakes, the video empowers viewers with the essential knowledge to enhance their plumbing skills and ensure successful DIY projects, minimizing the frequency with which they need to hire plumbers.