Veteran plumbers like to think that they are immune to some of the basic problems that newbies report on the job, but in some cases, an old hand may really not be able to see the forest for the trees. Although they may be proficient in dealing with the major issues that they were sent to address, some basic issues can really trip them up, such as making sure that all of the water lines or turned off before starting the job.
Hazardous problems can sneak up on even the most seasoned plumbers because not all things are the same. An expert plumber may explain a elementary problem such as removing the temperature house off of the faucet. At a glance the job seems to be easy and does not need the water to be shut off. But if, when pressure is applied, the cheap PVC breaks, you may have water splashing all over an area that was not intended to support this kind of situation. That's why it's a good idea to look at shutting down all of the water lines related to an area of the home were commercial space before starting to unhook anything.
Another issue involves correctly locating all of the pressure points of a water system. You may think that you are unscrewing the correct valve apparatus, but if they plumber chooses unwisely, he or she may be allowing a water filled line to erupt into a living space. This situation can be made worse if the living spaces not set up to deal with a sudden water flow, which may damage materials such as carpet or upholstered furniture.
Plumbers have to be knowledgeable about pressure and its affects on water and pipes. The pressure can change when the line changes at its beginning or end which will spray water everywhere. Also, turning off the lines of water will not cause a bunch of problems that make the water come with contact with things it cannot support.
In summary, the first step of solving most problems is shutting off the water so a plumber can complete his work. For the absent-minded, a checklist is a great idea, and even today's high-tech tools, such as cell phones, PalmPilots and the like, can store some handy lists that a professional can use upon entering a job site to remind themselves of what needs to be done first before getting into the nuts and bolts of the job.
