Your Plumber Wants You to Stop Doing These 10 Things Right Away

Requiring a plumber in Saint Charles can be necessary if you have a dripping or ruptured pipe. But many times, you can stop blocking your pipes or breaking your garbage disposal, both of which can be expensive to repair.

Here are some of the most frequent problems our pros receive calls about at Golden Seal Service Experts and how you can stop them.

1. Flushing “Flushable” Wipes

Although they might be called “flushable wipes,” the best spot for them is the trash. The only thing that should be flushed (other than the obvious) is toilet paper and septic treatments, if you rely on a septic system.

A Canadian study that examined 101 such wipes found none of them passed a flushability test, according to Forbes. Because flushable wipes don’t disintegrate like toilet paper, they can plug your sewer line and make your toilet back up.

They can also cause a lot of trouble to city sewer systems or your septic tank. These wipes can conglomerate with other nasty things that shouldn’t be disposed of down the toilet, such as cooking grease and hygienic products, to lead to a fatberg. In addition to being unsanitary and just plain yucky, environmental nonprofit Green America says these blobs are expensive to repair. If you rely on a city sewer system, those are costs that could get shuffled to you down the road.

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

2. Flushing Other Things That Should Be Tossed in the Garbage

In addition to flushable wipes, there are a couple other things that don’t belong in your toilet. These include:

In addition to wipes, these things can block your sewer line and overflow your toilet, saddling you with a costly (and icky) mess.

3. Relying on Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tabs

Relying on drop-in toilet fresheners may seem like a smart way to keep your toilet bowl fresh, but they can cause more trouble than good. These tablets typically contain chemicals, such as bleach, which can wreck rubber parts in the tank. And as the tablets dissolve, they can block the toilet and stop it from flushing.

4. Dumping Chemical Drain Cleaners

If your sink is clogged, your immediate reaction could be to purchase a low-priced liquid drain cleaner. However, there are a few things you should realize about these drain cleaners.

1. They’re toxic. Drain cleaners are a toxic blend of chemicals that can burn your skin and eyes. They also make severe fumes that can result in respiratory irritation. 
2. They can eat away at your pipes. If these cleaners can burn your skin, imagine what they can do to your piping: corrosion, cracks and even failure. 
3. They’re harmful to the environment. As you can imagine, these chemicals aren’t exactly environmentally friendly. 
4. They might not even unplug your drain. In spite of all the chemicals they have, drain cleaners sometimes don’t even work or only work for a limited time. That’s because they often push the clog deeper into your plumbing until it results in a huge problem.

If you do require a drain cleaner, we suggest using an enzymatic cleaner. These chemical-free cleaners have bacteria and enzymes to get rid of clogs and foul odors. While they may require more time than a chemical-based cleaner, they’re healthier for you, your plumbing and the environment.

If you’re dealing with a tough clog that just won’t break up, contacting a professional plumber like Golden Seal Service Experts is your wisest option for drain cleaning. While you can rent a drain auger or plumbing snake, it’s simpler to have an Expert finish the job. That way, you’ll also avoid damaging your pipes and many other troublesome issues like leaks, broken seals and unpleasant odors.

After your drain is working like it should, keep it that way by installing a screen to keep hair or food scraps from plugging it again.

5. Pouring Grease Down Your Sink

It can seem like it’s not a problem to drain a little bit of oil down your sink. But as time passes, that grease can build up and block your pipes. If the grease gets into the sewer system, it can build up with flushable wipes and create a gross fatberg like we talked about prior.

To prevent plumbing issues, drain the grease into a bowl. After it cools, you can dump it in the waste can.

6. Using Your Garbage Disposal for Everything

Your garbage disposal is a helpful tool for eliminating tiny bits of food. But it can’t eliminate everything. To avoid malfunctions or clogs, we suggest 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 revive it with citrus peels or a blend of baking soda and vinegar.

7. Ignoring Maintenance for Your Plumbing System

Just like your heating and cooling system, your plumbing also has to have routine tune-ups. This service can help us discover small issues before they result in huge problems, including a damaging water leak. Some of the problems we are on the lookout for involve:

If you do spot an issue, including a dripping sink or pipe, it’s important to get it fixed without delay before it gets worse or results in damage.

8. Attempting to Fix Your Plumbing Without Professional Help

When you are experiencing a dripping pipe or a leaking washing machine, we suggest calling an Expert at Golden Seal Service Experts for leak repair before it gets worse or results in damage.

Fixing plumbing is an in-depth job that’s best done by professionals. There’s a reason why plumbers complete extensive certification and licensing. Don’t attempt water pipe repair yourself or hire a handyman, since you could end up wasting time and having a pricier expensive problem.

9. Trying to Maintain Your Water Heater on Your Own

When it comes to your water heater, service and upkeep is best left to the specialists. This includes draining it or examining the temperature and pressure valve. If this isn’t done properly, you could burn yourself with boiling water or flood your home.

Experienced water heater maintenance provides peace of mind that your water heater is running properly. It also gives you a heads-up when it’s time to start planning for water heater replacement, as they typically only run for about 10 years.

10. Not Realizing Where the Water Main Shutoff Is

In the event 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 usually situated in a mechanical room near your water heater.

If you’re still not sure where the valve is located, Golden Seal Service Experts can help you find it.

It’s also a smart idea to get a water leak protection system that will sound the alarm and turn off the water if there’s an issue. You can even use a smart system to keep an eye on water use and tell you on your phone if there’s trouble.

Whatever plumbing issue you’re faced with, our Expert plumbers at Golden Seal Service Experts are here to help you. And we’ll back our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year, so you’ll be sure that your repairs were done correctly. Reach us at 630-246-2698 to book your appointment today!