Hey folks, today I'm diving into some viral TikTok plumbing hacks, and trust me, not all of these are good. From clever tips to downright questionable tricks, let's talk about what’s worth trying and what you should probably avoid.

Hack #1: Toilet Brush as a Plunger The first hack claims you can clear a clogged toilet using a toilet brush instead of a plunger. The idea is to push the brush in and out quickly to create the same suction effect as a plunger. Honestly, this isn’t a terrible idea. The brush moves water a lot like a plunger, but let’s face it—plungers are designed for this exact job and will probably be quicker and less messy. So, I’d say stick with the plunger if you’ve got one handy.

Hack #2: Using Epoxy to Fix a Leak The next hack I watched showed using an epoxy ball to seal a leaking pipe. The epoxy is supposed to find the leak and seal it from the inside. Sounds like magic, right? But as a plumber, I’ve got to say, this feels a bit scammy. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is, and this is one of those things. You’re introducing chemicals into your water system, which could lead to who-knows-what issues down the line. Plus, it’s a temporary fix at best. If you’ve got a leak, turn off the water, cut the pipe, and repair it properly.

Hack #3: Screwing into a Pipe to Stop a Leak Another hack involves driving a screw into a leaking PVC pipe and then melting another section of pipe over it to seal the hole. While this might work in a pinch, it’s definitely not a professional fix. I’ve seen people stick toothpicks in holes to stop leaks, but why not just fix it right with a proper coupling or patch? It’s one thing to use this as a temporary solution, but don’t make it permanent. Actually, no, I wouldn’t even use it as a temporary fix.

Hack #4: Clearing a Clogged Drain with a Snake In this hack, a guy uses everything from a plunger to a hand snake to an electric auger to clear a stubborn shower drain. Now, this is more like it. If you’ve got a tough clog, starting with a plunger or a small snake is smart. Usually a good snake will clear most shower clogs. And if that doesn’t work, you might need to break out the big guns. I love those little sink snakes that attach to a drill—they’re great for getting into tight spots. If you’re dealing with a lot of clogs, having one of these handy can save you a call to the plumber.

Hack #5: Using Household Items to Clean a Garbage Disposal This hack involves cleaning a garbage disposal with ice, salt, lemon, and dish soap. Not a bad idea! The abrasive salt can scrub the inside, while the lemon helps with odors, and the soap gets rid of grease. Just be sure you’re not dumping a ton of stuff down there, or you might end up with a bigger problem than you started with.

Hack #6: Live Tie In This isn’t really a hack. This video showed a guy using his thumb to stop the water on a pipe while he attached a ball valve while the water was still running. I’ve done a live tie in before. Sometimes you just get wet. But he had a bucket to catch as much of the running water as he could. And overall he did a pretty good job. If for some reason you can’t turn the water off and have to do a live tie in, make sure you have what you need to not make a big mess.

Hack #7: Multi Heating Unit The next video showed a handy little tool. This is for heating PVC or Poly pipes. It’s adjustable, so if you need to heat two pipes at once, this makes it really easy. It’s pretty cool.

Hack #8: Cuttinging a Pipe to Fix a Pipe In this hack the person cuts off a broken spigot. He then uses a section of that hose, cuts a piece out so it will fit inside the existing hose, then uses just silicone to put it all together. First of all, this creates a flow restriction. You’ve just significantly reduced the size of the hose in that spot. Man, why not just get a coupling and do it right? I don’t like when I see people do stuff like this. This is not a good way to fix a problem like this.

Hack #6: Stretchy PEX Pipe A woman on TikTok showed how she’s redoing the plumbing in her house with PEX-A, also known as “stretchy pipes.” She explains what materials you need, and how to use an expansion tool to fit the connectors. I’m impressed—she’s got the right idea. She also put ball valves on every pipe, making sure she can always turn off the water. PEX-A is great for DIY plumbing because it’s durable and easy to work with. Just make sure you’ve got the right tools, and you’ll be set for most basic plumbing tasks.

So, there you have it—some hacks are worth a shot, while others are, well, not. If it’s going to cause you trouble in the future, if it seems like a temporary fix, or if you’re ever in doubt, remember that doing it right the first time saves you a lot of trouble down the road. That’s why I try to do it right each and every time.