Three Things That Can Seriously Clog Your Sewer Main And How To Avoid It
When you are dealing with slow-draining toilets, sinks, and tubs simultaneously, there is a very good chance that your sewer main is a little clogged. When everything stops draining completely and you have standing-still water and a toilet full of -ahem!-, it is time to call in a plumber. A thorough sewer main cleaning will eliminate all of the above issues, while uncovering the source of your problems in the first place. Here are three things that could be the source of your plumbing issues.
Hair and Fur
Hair, especially long hair, accumulates in pipes and drains in clumps. Over time, the hair just continues to ball up and create an impassable mass. Worse still are the hair masses that are not just human hair, but animal fur too. Too many pet owners assume that you can bathe a dog or cat in the human tub and just wash it down. No, that is not how that works because fur is much thicker than hair. Clumps of fur clog up the drain faster than hair.
Menstrual Pads and Tampons
Stop and think about these products for just a second. Their primary purpose is to absorb heavy flowing bodily fluids. What do these products do when they absorb a ton of bodily fluid (or any fluid for that matter)?
They SWELL. That is how tampons stay in place and block blood from destroying clothes, and how pads expand to keep the blood from leaving the pads. When women flush these products down the toilet, the products swell up very fast and block everything coming behind it. Then you have very embarrassing moments and conversations with the plumber. Yikes.
Massive Wads of Toilet Paper
Potty-training a toddler often involves finding an entire roll (sometimes literally) of toilet paper in the toilet. Rather than fish it out, most parents attempt to flush it down. They keep flushing until they think they have made the wads of toilet paper go away. Months later, it comes back to haunt them.
How to Avoid This Plumbing Mess
The answers are simple, really. Use drain catchers to prevent hair from going into the drain pipes. Do NOT bathe your pets in the human tub. Do NOT flush feminine hygiene products just to hide them from others in the house (or hide the fact that you are having your period), Finally, pull on some gloves and fish that roll or wad of toilet paper out of the toilet after your kiddo threw it in there. Your plumbing will thank you by not needing quite so many repairs or cleanings.
Contact a plumbing service, like Young Plumbing Corporation, for more help.