When it comes to your plumbing system, prevention is definitely the name of the game. Nothing can mess up your schedule like a major plumbing problem, especially if it prevents you from using your sinks or toilet. The best course of action is to establish good habits so that you won't have to deal with a plumbing emergency. Read through the information below and see which activities you can start incorporating into your routine.
Exercise Extreme Caution When Flushing Things Down Your Toilet
Regardless of whether or not a product that you use comes in packaging that reads, "flushable," you still need to be cautious. Some items are just not meant to go down the toilet because they can cause problems that you would rather avoid.
This means that those flushable wipes that you use to clean your hands after applying makeup, Q-tips, cotton balls, and a bunch of other things which are commonly found in bathrooms are better off being disposed of in a small wastebasket that is tucked away in a corner of the room. A good rule of thumb is to only flush regular waste, water, and tissue. Remember: It's better to be safe than sorry!
Select The Right Kind Of Tissue
Take a close look at the roll of tissue that is currently in your bathroom. Is it soft, thick and plush? If so, you might want to think about tossing it into the trash. That pillowy roll could be the source of a major problem in the future.
While you and your family may have become accustomed to the comfort of two or three-ply tissue, you have to also consider what that thickness is doing to your plumbing system. Once you've flushed it down the commode, it might be so thick that it doesn't dissolve as quickly as it needs to. If this type of situation persists, you could end up with a huge mass of tissue which is stuck in your pipes and won't allow you to get anything down the drain.
You can save yourself both money and the hassle by using a 1-ply tissue instead. It's just thin enough to almost completely disappear when it comes into contact with water.
Changing the way that you view your plumbing system can make a big difference. Do what you can to keep it working correctly so you can keep plumbing problems from plaguing your household. Contact a plumber for additional advice.
Share17 January 2018
My homes have always had either copper or PVC plumbing pipes. But when my plumbing system needed an overhaul last spring, I wanted a piping system for my home that I could work on myself when needed. There were a lot of good reasons to choose PEX piping, but my favorite thing about the PEX piping is that it's easy to work with, even if you're a beginner like me. Now I can make small repairs myself instead of calling the plumber every time I have a minor leak or other small problem. I still call the plumber for the big stuff, but it's more affordable now that I can take care of small issues myself. I started this blog to help others learn how they, too, can do DIY plumbing repairs at home.