What Your Plumber Wants You to Know About Common Plumbing Fixes | Carrollton, TX
Have you heard a whole lot of DIY methods of ‘fixing’ your plumbing? Or maybe you’ve heard about different products that are supposed to help your plumbing in some way. Well, if you have then you absolutely need to take a look at these things that you may have been told. Your friends and family likely mean well, but if you talk with your plumber you’ll find that these are definitely things that you shouldn’t be doing (or using) in your Carrollton, TX home.
Bricks– Have you heard about putting a brick in the tank of your toilet to cut down on your water usage? While this is going to cut down on the amount of water, it is actually going to cause you a few problems. First, you may have to flush more than once to get enough water moving through the toilet to clear anything. Second, you’re going to have a brick in a tank of water, which means that it’s going to break down and you’ll end up with pieces of that brick in your septic system. That’s definitely going to be a big problem and a big mess to clean up for the plumber you call.
Flushable Wipes– The truth is that these wipes are not going to break down in your septic system. They’re not biodegradable and that means that they can actually clog your pipes. Not only that but if they do manage to get all the way through your system they’re really bad for the environment. That’s something you should keep in mind before you buy any kind of flushable wipes, no matter what they say. They’re definitely not going to do you any favors and if they get stuck in your plumbing system it’s going to cost you a lot to get a plumber to clear that line.
Tank Cleaning Tablets– These look like a great idea because you just put it into the toilet and then you don’t have to worry about anything. But … they generally have some form of bleach because that’s one of the ingredients that so many people think are good for cleaning. The problem with bleach is that it actually starts to corrode the toilet. And that is going to cause you a whole lot of more serious problems that require a plumber. It’s definitely a better idea to just clean the toilet the regular way.
Scrubbing the Faucets– You want to clean your faucets to make sure they look great, but the truth is that you could be causing more problems than you’re helping. Soap and water are actually bad for your faucet because they cause corrosion and they could even cause the faucet to rust over time. That’s definitely not something that you’re going to want to deal with. Wiping it down with a proper cleaner is the best way to go. That corrosion and rust could get inside the faucet as well as outside and that causes problems for your water and your pipes as well.
Your Disposal is a Garbage– Just because they call it a garbage disposal doesn’t mean that you should put just anything in there. In fact, you shouldn’t be putting anything in there but there are some things that are worse than others. Nuts, seeds and bones are definitely bad for your disposal. Anything stringy or gummy or sticky is also a problem. You want to avoid anything that won’t break down or anything that won’t get through the blades of the garbage disposal (which is a lot of things) and also anything that could get clogged or you’ll be calling a plumber real fast.
Lemons– You’ve probably heard about putting lemons in your garbage disposal to help clear out that awful smell, right? Well, the problem is that it’s going to clear out the smell and leave behind a big old mess. The rinds of your lemons don’t break down when you put them through the disposal and that could cause a clog, a jam or any other type of damage to the disposal itself. Not only that but it could clog further down the pipes if they do manage to get all the way through the disposal. Either way, it’s going to be a big mess.
Chemical Cleaners– These are actually a big mess for your septic system as well. Chemical cleaners can cause a whole lot of damage to your pipes when you use them. That’s because they contain harmful chemicals that aren’t just bad for you and your family. They’re bad for everyone involved. You want to make sure that you’re avoiding these completely and calling a plumber rather than trying to clear the pipes in your home on your own. A plumber will be able to take care of things without those harmful chemicals, which keeps your family safer and your pipes as well.
The best thing that you can do is call a plumber if you ever receive advice that you’re not sure about. They’re going to know what’s safe and what isn’t when it comes to your plumbing and when it comes to your septic system and your family. That way, you can make sure that you’re not causing bigger problems that could actually end up making a big mess in the long run. You don’t want to spend a lot of money to clean up after a mistake, so make sure you hire a professional to do it for you.
At bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas we can take care of anything related to your plumbing. All you need to do is give us a call and we’ll take care of answering your questions. We’ll also set you up an appointment to take care of anything that you might need with your plumbing. There’s nothing too big or too small for our plumbers to take care of in your Carrollton, TX home. We want to make sure that you can continue to live your life the way you would expect and we definitely want to make sure that you’re not going to have any plumbing problems.