Things plumbers wish you knew
It’s sad but true that there are many, many, many ways to mess up your plumbing in Houston. That’s because the plumbing in your home, from disposals to showers to toilets to water heaters and faucets, is something you use all day, every day. Sometimes, the components of your plumbing system break down on their own, through wear and tear or a manufacturing defect; but the rest of the time, they break because you use them incorrectly or because you think they’re an easy DIY fix.
Even though your plumber loves his job and loves helping you with problems, there are some things he wishes you knew to keep your plumbing in good shape and to keep problems from getting worse before he can get there:
☛ You can’t flush everything down the toilet. Even if you have an older toilet, not the new low-flow kind, your toilet isn’t able to magically suck away everything you drop into it. Every plumber in Houston has a long list of items he’s retrieved from clogged toilets that shouldn’t have been there. Among the things you can’t flush are baby wipes, cotton balls, paper towels, cat litter and disposable diapers. And you should teach your children not to flush their toys, not even the ones they want to ‘set ’ into the public water system. If you have small children who don’t understand, get lid locks for all of your bowls.
☛ You shouldn’t put added weight on fixtures. If you’ve got a shower caddy that holds your shampoo and body wash, don’t overload it. In addition, don’t use your tub spout as a foot rest. Although these items seem sturdy, they’re not meant to hold a lot of weight.
☛ Your kitchen sink and disposal can’t process everything. As with toilets, people tend to assume that the kitchen sink can take everything you throw at it. After all, what’s a garbage disposal for? Your disposal can handle a lot; but there are some things like potato peels and watermelon rinds that it can’t grind down to a fine pulp for flushing through the pipes. In addition, other foods that swell and can expand in the pipes like rice and pasta, shouldn’t be put into the sink. If you’re doing a construction project at home that involves joint compound or paint, be sure that neither of those are washed down the drain even if you’re just washing out a bucket. These items can collect and harden in the pipes.
☛ Don’t DIY unless you know what you’re doing. You might think you’re saving yourself an expense if you attempt to fix plumbing problems without a plumber; but you may be creating an even bigger problem unless you’re very careful about what you’re doing. If you’re working with plastic and metal couplings, which are common, don’t over-tighten. You can either damage the material or cause a leak. If you’re disassembling some plumbing part, take pictures so you can accurately reassemble it. If you’re installing a garbage disposal or water heater, read the instructions carefully.
Learning what you should and shouldn’t do to your plumbing in Houston can keep your system running the way it should. When it stops working, call us at Daniels Plumbing Service at (281) 351-6661 for expert plumbing repair. To find out more about us and our services, visit www.danielsplumbing.com
Daniels Plumbing was founded in 1986 by Mike S. Daniels. Since its humble beginning over 25 years ago Daniels Plumbing has strived to be the best option for residential and commercial plumbing services in The Woodlands, Tomball, Spring and the surrounding areas. Thank you for choosing Daniels Plumbing. Call us today at (281) 351-6661 or contact us online for the best plumbing prices in The Woodlands, Tomball, and Spring and A+ rated customer services.