10 Things Your Plumber Wants You to Discontinue Doing Now

Needing a plumber in the U.S. can be inevitable if you are dealing with a drippy or burst pipe. But a lot of the time, you can avoid blocking your pipes or needing repairs for your garbage disposal, both of which can be pricey to take care of.

Here are some of the most frequent troubles our Experts field calls about at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing and how you can stop them.

1. Flushing “Flushable” Wipes

Although they might be referred to as “flushable wipes,” the best place for them is the trash. The only thing that should be flushed (apart from the obvious) is toilet paper and septic treatments, if you rely on a septic system.

A Canadian study that examined 101 such wipes learned they all failed a flushability test, according to Forbes. Since flushable wipes don’t dissolve like toilet paper, they can clog your sewer line and make your toilet back up.

They can also wreak havoc on city sewer systems or your septic tank. These wipes can attach to other nasty things that shouldn’t go down the toilet, including cooking fat and hygienic products, to create a fatberg. In addition to being dirty and just plain yucky, environmental nonprofit Green America says these buildups are costly to fix. If you’re on a city sewer system, those are bills that could get assigned to you in the future.

No matter what style of wipe you’re using—makeup remover, cleansing, baby or sanitizing—it should go in the trash once you’re finished.

2. Flushing Other Things That Should Be Tossed in the Waste Bin

Other than flushable wipes, there are a couple other things that don’t belong in your toilet. These involve:

• • Feminine hygiene products

• • Makeup remover pads

• • Cat litter

Together with wipes, these things can block your sewer line and make your toilet run over, saddling you with a costly (and icky) mess.

3. Using Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tabs

Relying on drop-in toilet fresheners might seem like a good way to keep your toilet bowl clean, but they might do more damage than good. These tablets usually contain chemicals, such as bleach, which can wreck rubber parts in the tank. And as the tablets break down, they can clog the toilet and prevent it from flushing.

4. Buying Chemical Drain Cleaners

If your sink is plugged, your immediate answer might be to purchase a cheap liquid drain cleaner. However, there are several things you should be aware of when it involves these drain cleaners.

1. 1. They’re toxic. Drain cleaners are a toxic mixture of chemicals that can burn your skin and eyes. They also produce severe fumes that can result in respiratory irritation.

2. 2. They can eat through your pipes. If these cleaners can burn your skin, consider what they can do to your pipes: corrosion, fractures and even failure.

3. 3. They’re not good for the environment. As you can imagine, these formulas aren’t extremely good for the environment.

4. 4. They might not even unplug your drain. Regardless of all the chemicals they have, drain cleaners sometimes don’t even work or only work for a limited time. That’s due to the fact they often push the clog further into your plumbing until it results in a major problem.

If you do need to use a drain cleaner, we recommend using an enzymatic cleaner. These chemical-free cleaners have bacteria and enzymes to eliminate clogs and bad odors. While they may require more time than a chemical-based cleaner, they’re better for you, your plumbing and the environment.

If you have a difficult clog that just won’t dissolve, contacting a professional plumber like Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is your best option for drain cleaning. While you can rent a drain auger or plumbing snake, it’s easier to have a professional finish the job. That way, you’ll also prevent breaking your pipes and a host of horrible issues like leaks, nonworking seals and troublesome odors.

After your drain is flowing freely, keep it that way by using a screen to keep hair or food scraps from blocking it again.

5. Pouring Grease Down Your Sink

It may seem like it’s not a problem to pour a small amount of grease down your drain. But as time passes, that grease can grow and clog your pipes. If the grease finds its way into the sewer system, it can cling to flushable wipes and develop a nasty fatberg like we talked about previously.

To avoid plumbing woes, drain the oil into a bowl. After it cools, you can toss it in the waste can.

6. Relying on Your Garbage Disposal for Everything

Your garbage disposal is a useful tool for breaking up small amounts of food waste. But it can’t get rid of everything. To prevent issues or clogs, we recommend not putting these items down your garbage disposal:

• • Coffee grounds

• • Pasta, oats, rice and bread

• • Bones, nuts, pits and seeds

• • Eggshells

• • Onions and potato peels

• • Fibrous fruits and vegetables

• • Grease

If your garbage disposal is smelly, you can clean it with citrus peels or a blend of baking soda and vinegar.

7. Skipping Maintenance for Your Plumbing System

Just like your heating and cooling system, your plumbing also requires routine service. This service can help us spot minor issues before they lead to expensive problems, including a damaging water leak. Some of the problems we check for involve:

• • Proper water pressure

• • Leaky or clogged pipes

• • Correctly operating supply lines and plumbing fixtures like sinks, tubs, showers and toilets

If you do spot trouble, like a leaking sink or pipe, it’s critical to get it fixed right away before it gets worse or results in damage.

8. Making an Attempt to Fix Your Plumbing on Your Own

When you are dealing with a dripping pipe or a leaking washing machine, we suggest calling an Expert at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for leak repair before it gets bigger or results in damage.

Fixing plumbing is a detailed job that’s best done by specialists. There’s a reason why plumbers complete extensive certification and licensing. Don’t try to do water pipe repair without help or hire a handyman, as you could end up wasting time and creating a more expensive problem.

9. Trying to Service Your Water Heater on Your Own

When it comes to your water heater, service and maintenance is best left to the pros. This includes draining it or testing the temperature and pressure valve. If this isn’t done right, you could burn yourself with scalding water or flood your residence.

Pro water heater maintenance provides peace of mind that your water heater is operating like it should. It also offers you advance notice when it’s time to start thinking about water heater replacement, because they typically only work for about 10 years.

10. Not Realizing Where the Water Main Shutoff Is

When your house has a major water leak, it’s important to be knowledgeable about where the main water valve is and how to turn it off. This valve is often found in a mechanical room near your water heater.

Here’s how to turn off the main water valve in your home:

• • If it has a wheel: turn it clockwise until you can’t anymore.

• • If it has a lever: rotate it about a quarter of the way.

If you’re still not sure where the valve is located, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you find it.

It’s also a smart idea to install a water leak protection system that will alert you and turn off the water if there’s a problem. You can even use a smart system to watch water use and notify you through your phone if there’s trouble.

Whatever plumbing issue you’re experiencing, our Expert plumbers at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing are ready to help you. And we’ll stand behind our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year, so you’ll know that your repairs were completed correctly. Contact us at 866-397-3787 to book your appointment now!