Every homeowner has heard their fair share of tips and tricks that can help them save money and avoid expensive repairs. Whether it’s running orange peels and cold water into your garbage disposal for cleaning or shutting off the water heater when you’re not home to conserve energy, these tricks may not be the best.
The same can be said for your toilet. While many people think it can handle just about anything, the truth is, that your toilet is sensitive. Certain items can cause blockages, deteriorate your plumbing, and eventually lead to emergency repairs. So what habits do you have currently that may be damaging your toilet?
5 Items You Should Never Flush
Contrary to popular belief, your toilet can’t handle everything you throw at it. Even items that are labeled as flushable, can still create blockages in your plumbing if flushed daily. Five items that are commonly flushed down the toilet, that shouldn’t be, include:
- Cat Liter: Waste is waste, right? Wrong! Although your fur babies may leave their waste in the cat litter, doesn’t mean you should flush it down the toilet. Most cat litter is clumped when in contact with water and can coat the bottom of your pipes.
- Hair: If your bathtub can’t handle it, neither can your toilet. If you clean your brush and throw excess hair down the toilet every morning, you may be opening yourself up to a clogged pipe.
- Baby Wipes: Many baby wipes are labeled as flushable, but they actually may take longer than standard toilet paper does disintegrate. They can also wreak havoc on septic tanks as well.
- Paper Towels: Paper towels are not toilet paper. They’re thicker and made to be absorbent. This makes it more difficult for them to break down in your plumbing and can easily stick to your pipe walls.
- Q-Tips: If your morning routine consists of cleaning your ears and throwing the swabs in the toilet, you could be opening your home to damage. Q-tips can lodge in your plumbing, damage your septic tank, and lead to emergency issues.
An easy way to avoid these issues is by having a garbage can near your toilet. Before you flush anything, consider throwing it in the trash first.
Toilet Damage is Avoidable
Treating your toilet as a garbage disposal can have its side effects. Not only are you running the risk that your pipes clog, but also you can be damaging your toilet as a whole.
In some instances, the wear and tear on your toilet may require a replacement. Similarly, for homeowners with septic tanks, you could be opening yourself up to an emergency.
When your septic tank is unable to break down an item, that material makes its way to the bottom of the tank. Eventually, you’ll need to pump the system more often than usual just to keep your home plumbing running effectively.
How Much Can Toilet Repairs
Cost
repair cost if there’s one thing homeowners can agree on, it’s wanting to avoid costly repairs.
Anytime you call a professional for drain cleaning or sewer line repairs, you’re looking at a cost of anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.
Not only is a plumber’s time expensive, but so are the tools and machinery they use.
For homeowners living in the Lincoln area, you can trust our plumbers atJohn Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical with all your plumbing and toilet needs. Not only do we offer emergency services, but also we can help educate you so you know the best ways to avoid damage in the future.
