Flushing is fun, until you flush the wrong thing (or too much of a flushable thing). We’ve all felt the panic that sets in when flushing goes wrong — the whole toilet experience goes right down the drain (see what we did there?).
To keep your toilet in good running order, below are 8 things to never flush, no matter how tempting it seems.
1. Litter box poop
Ever notice how it gets all dried out and hard from sitting in litter? That’s a poop format that’s real bad for your toilet pipes, which are design for soft, soluble poop. Instead of flushing solid animal waste, double-bag it and dispose of it in a waste can.
2. Grease
The last place grease or oil should go is down the toilet or any other household drain. Although it may be liquid going down, the grease will cool and turn into a solid mass. That’s the kind of blockage that can only be broken professional assistance.
3. “Flushable” wipes
The “flushable” moniker is 100% fake news. Only official toilet paper is built to disintegrate in toilets and septic/sewer systems. Wipes, although they are made of paper, are designed to be long-lasting and sturdy. Use enough flushable wipes over time and you will no longer be flushing.
4. Dental floss
Apparently, there are people in the world that actually floss, then toss the floss into the toilet. Floss never dissolves and can accumulate within your water pipes over time, creating an ad hoc fish-net that can trap the real flushables and cause problematic toilet clogs.
5. Hair
Think of hair as a more organic and furry version of dental floss. It doesn’t dissolve, sticks to everything, floats in water, and is a clog waiting to happen. Whether it’s a loose weave or a handful of used hair pieces from your hair brush, always toss excess hair into the trash can.
6. Hygiene products (including diapers of any kind)
The only paper product that should go down the toilet is toilet paper. Hygiene products are made to absorb rather than disintegrate.
7. Paper towels/Paper napkins/empty toilet paper tubes
See # 6. If it’s not TP, don’t flush it.
8. Dead fish, mice, other small critters
“Burials at sea” take place in the ocean, not the toilet. A dead animal in the toilet pipes can create a nasty and costly clog. Take a few minutes and have a real funeral or dispose of the deceased by double bagging it and placing it in a garbage receptacle.
8.5. Teddy Bears
Water You Waiting For? Most toilet clogs are easily fixed by handy DIY-ers with a plunger. But if you find that your toilet is clogging on a regular basis, it may be time to replace the toilet with a new model or have a visual inspection of your main drain line to determine if there is a blockage along the way. The professionals at Allied Reddi-Rooter are on call 24/7 to assist. Call or Contact us today for an over-the-phone quote: (513)396-5300. We always come highly recommended and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for our expert quality of service.
During the cold months, we love our layers. And we’re not just talking long johns, either. We’re talking about layering up our water pipes and water heaters with insulation to help them retain heat, prevent frozen pipes and reduce our water heating costs.
Why Worry about Frozen Pipes?
It’s not the frozen pipe that does damage, it’s the frozen pipe that bursts (frozen water expands and puts pressure on the copper or PVC piping). When thawing eventually occurs, the pipe leak at the burst point (frequently undetected), potentially creating thousands of dollars’ worth of damage in a short amount of time.
Water Pipe Insulation – It’s an Inside, DIY Job
Besides protection against water damage, insulating your pipes is a pretty straightforward effort – ideal for the novice DIY-er.
The experts at energy.gov offer the following thoughts on pipe insulation:
· Insulated hot water pipes reduce heat loss and can raise water temperature by 2°F–4°F hotter (as compared to uninsulated pipes), which allows consumers to lower the setting on their water heater.
· Insulating water pipes is an excellent DIY project (that’s the most cost-effective approach).
· Research your insulation needs – various insulation materials are available (pipe wrap, foam and fiberglass insulation are a few examples).
· Do some math – measure the length of the pipes to be insulated to determine how much insulation to purchase.
· Do a little more math — Measure the pipe diameter to ensure you purchase the right size
· When insulating water heater pipes, be aware of the different requirements for gas vs. electric water heaters. According to energy.gov, “for electric water heaters, pipe sleeves made with polyethylene or neoprene foam are the most commonly used insulation. For gas water heaters, insulation should be kept at least 6 inches from the flue. If pipes are within 8 inches of the flue, your safest choice is to use fiberglass pipe-wrap (at least 1-inch thick) without a facing. You can use either wire or aluminum foil tape to secure it to the pipe.”
Water You Waiting For? Talk to an expert about your frozen pipe concerns. Allied Reddi-Rooter’s team of experts can offer advice and insight on how to best protect your home or business from frozen or burst pipes. Give the team at Allied Reddi-Rooter a call or Contact us. We always come highly recommended and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for our expert quality of service.
When paying for water, a running toilet can sock it to your pocket book.
Toilets are the super-fantastic-bubble-plastic of modern plumbing. And when the toilet isn’t working properly, it’s a bad, bad, bad, bad world.
Our focus today is on fixing a toilet that runs constantly. A running toilet stealthily increases the water bill and jiggling the handle quickly wears thin.
How to Repair a Running Toilet
1. Determine the type of flush mechanism on your toilet – gravity flow or pressure-assisted. FWIW, most residential toilet are gravity-flow, where the water in the tank drives the toilet flush. If you have a pressure-assisted toilet, discuss your situation with a licensed plumber. In a gravity-flow toilet, there are two main parts: the fill valve and the flush valve. The fill valve enables the tank to fill with water, while the flush valve (a.k.a. the ‘flapper’) releases the water from the tank and into the toilet bowl.
2. Assuming you have a gravity-flow toilet, remove the tank lid, set it carefully aside and flush the toilet.
3. Observe the flush as it progresses through the tank. Keep an eye out for the flapper failing to seal properly while the tank refill takes places. Flappers don’t last forever.
4. Verify that no objects in the tank (a water-displacing brick, a cleaner tablet, or mineral deposits are blocking the valve’s ability to close.
5. The most pro-active approach to a flapper or fill valve problem is to replace the entire unit. The parts are inexpensive and widely available at any hardware store. Typically, the parts come as a kit.
To perform the replacement, follow these steps:
1. Shut off the water to the toilet tank.
2. Flush the toilet (to empty the tank).
3. Carefully remove the old parts.
4. Install the new parts, following manufacturer’s instructions. Adjust the pull chain as needed.
5. Turn the water back on.
6. Test by flushing and observing the water the tank refills. With a successful fix, the tank should refill and the water will clearly stop entering when the tank is full.
Water You Waiting For? If your toilet trouble is more serious than flapper or flush valve replacement, the trained professionals at Allied Reddi-Rooter are at your service within 2 hours of your call. Call Ray and his team today for a free over-the-phone quote. (513) 396-5300, or Contact us. We always come highly recommended and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for our expert quality of service.