Family members do not automatically know what can be safely flushed down the toilet or poured down the drain. Plumbing clogs and water leaks can cause extensive and expensive damage to your home. The following tips offer a primer for what to avoid if you want to keep your plumbing bills low and enjoy clear, unplugged drains in your family residence.
Bathroom and Kitchen Plumbing Tips for Mom and Dad
Moms and dads do it all and can use a lot of wet wipes in the process. Wet wipes are not flushable, and they can cause toilet clogs because of their bulk, inability to break down quickly, and size. If your toilet pipes are already narrow due to other debris, wet wipes can bunch up and clog the remaining pipe opening. The same goes for feminine sanitary items and used baby diapers, so put all these items in the garbage instead.
Dads can also help by shaving or trimming facial hair over a towel instead of the bathroom sink. If the bathroom sink’s drain runs slow, those beard clippings can add to the problem and cause clogs.
Mom and dad can maintain clear drains in the kitchen by throwing the cooking grease into a metal can and placing it in the garbage. Additionally, compost or trash vegetable and fruit peels and put coffee grounds in the trash or garden instead of down the kitchen sink.
Plumbing Tips for the Whole Family
Believe it or not, plumbers have reported these less-common (but pretty funny) things causing clogs and backups in toilets, sometimes requiring the removal of the entire toilet to fix. Family members should beware of flushing any of the following items down your toilets. They most likely will cause a severe toilet backup.
- Dentures
- Electric razors
- Your kid’s dead hamster or gerbil
- Expired pet fish
- Handguns
- Jewelry
- Wine corks
- Mini-sized (airplane) alcohol bottles
Teen Tips for Plumbing Maintenance
Teenage girls often have long, silky locks of hair. These strands can cause severe clogs in the bathroom shower and sink drains. Since it is hard to keep hair from coming out, purchase screens or filters that fit over the drains to capture the hair and dump it safely in the trash can.
Your teen girls’ makeup and oily facial cleansers can also cause a buildup of product in the sink drain. Running hot water down the drain weekly for several minutes can help dissolve and move the oily gunk through the pipes. If teens use their bathroom sink to rinse off plates of food, wash muddy shoes, and perform other related tasks, the food particles, soil, and other debris are a clog waiting to happen.
Tips for Toddlers
Toddlers can cause toilet clogs in several different ways because they like to play in the water and love introducing their toys to the toilet water. Plumbers have found toilet clogs caused by barbie dolls, Legos, and other small to medium-sized toys.
AmPm Plumbing Is Your Answer for 24/7 Plumbing Needs
With its low cost of living and great outdoor attractions like Falls Park and Big Sioux State Recreation Area, Sioux Falls is an excellent place to live. Nothing can ruin your mood more quickly, however, than a plumbing issue. Fortunately, AmPM Plumbing is here any time of the day or night for major issues, minor plumbing problems, and anything in between. Call us today to set up an appointment.
