Your Plumber Wants You to Discontinue Doing These 10 Things Now

Requiring a plumber in West Chester can be necessary if you are experiencing a drippy or broken pipe. But a lot of the time, you can avoid plugging your pipes or breaking your garbage disposal, both of which can be costly to repair.

Here are some of the most frequent troubles our pros get calls about at Wesley Wood Service Experts and how you can avoid them.

1. Flushing “Flushable” Wipes

Even though they might be called “flushable wipes,” the ideal spot for them is the waste bin. The only thing that should be flushed (apart from the obvious) is toilet paper and septic treatments, if you have a septic system.

A Canadian study that tested 101 such wipes discovered none of them passed a flushability test, according to Forbes. As flushable wipes don’t break down like toilet paper, they can clog your sewer line and lead to your toilet backing up.

They can also cause problems with city sewer systems or your septic tank. These wipes can conglomerate with other yucky things that shouldn’t go down the toilet, including cooking fat and hygienic products, to create a fatberg. Along with being dirty and just plain nasty, environmental nonprofit Green America says these blobs are pricey to repair. If you rely on a city sewer system, those are bills that could get passed on to you down the road.

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

2. Flushing Other Things That Belong in the Trash

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

Together with wipes, these things can plug your sewer line and back up your toilet, saddling you with an expensive (and icky) mess.

3. Relying on Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tabs

Relying on drop-in toilet fresheners might seem like a great way to keep your toilet bowl sanitary, but they may do more harm than good. These tablets often contain chemicals, including bleach, which can eat through rubber parts in the tank. And as the tablets dissolve, they can clog the toilet and stop it from flushing.

4. Buying Chemical Drain Cleaners

If your sink is plugged, your immediate reaction could be to buy a cheap liquid drain cleaner. However, there are several 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 produce severe fumes that can lead to respiratory irritation. 
2. They can eat through your pipes. If these cleaners can burn your skin, think about what they can do to your pipes: corrosion, breaks and even failure. 
3. They’re harmful to the environment. As you can imagine, these chemicals aren’t exactly good for the environment. 
4. They might not even work. Regardless of all the chemicals they pack, drain cleaners sometimes don’t even work or only work for a short time. That’s because they often push the clog deeper into your plumbing until it leads to a huge problem.

If you do require a drain cleaner, we suggest using an enzymatic cleaner. These chemical-free cleaners use bacteria and enzymes to break up clogs and unpleasant odors. While they might take more time than a chemical-based cleaner, they’re safer for you, your plumbing and the environment.

If you’re experiencing a difficult clog that just won’t go away, contacting a professional plumber like Wesley Wood Service Experts is your smartest option for drain cleaning. While you can rent a drain auger or plumbing snake, it’s easier to have an Expert finish the job. That way, you’ll also prevent breaking your pipes and many other troublesome issues including leaks, broken seals and troublesome odors.

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

5. Getting Rid of Grease Down Your Sink

It might seem like it’s not a issue to drain a tiny bit of oil down your drain. But over time, that grease can accumulate and clog your pipes. If the grease leaks into the sewer system, it can stick to flushable wipes and create a gross fatberg like we discussed previously.

To avoid plumbing issues, drain the fat into a bowl. After it cools, you can dump it in the trash.

6. Turning to Your Garbage Disposal for Everything

Your garbage disposal is a beneficial tool for eliminating small bits of food. But it can’t eliminate everything. To prevent problems or clogs, we advise not putting these things 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 has a bad smell, you can clean 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 requires regular maintenance. This service can help us find small issues before they lead to big problems, like a damaging water leak. Some of the troubles we are on the lookout for involve:

If you do notice a problem, such as a leaking sink or pipe, it’s critical to get it fixed without delay before it becomes bigger or results in damage.

8. Making an Attempt to Fix Your Plumbing Yourself

When you have a dripping pipe or a leaking washing machine, we recommend calling an Expert at Wesley Wood Service Experts for leak repair before it gets bigger or leads to damage.

Repairing plumbing is a detailed job that’s best done by specialists. There’s a reason why plumbers go through extensive certification and licensing. Don’t attempt water pipe repair without help or get a handyman, since you could end up wasting time and creating a pricier expensive problem.

9. Trying to Maintain Your Water Heater Yourself

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

Pro water heater maintenance provides peace of mind that your water heater is running properly. It also offers you advance notice when it’s time to start considering water heater replacement, because they often only operate for about 10 years.

10. Not Knowing Where the Water Main Shutoff Is

When your house has a big water leak, it’s essential to be aware of where the main water valve is and how to switch it off. This valve is typically found in a mechanical room near your water heater.

If you’re are unsure about where the valve is located, Wesley Wood Service Experts can help you find it.

It’s also a wise idea to have a water leak protection system that will sound the alarm and shut off the water if there’s trouble. You can even get a smart system to monitor water use and tell you through your phone if there’s a problem.

Whatever plumbing issue you’re experiencing, our Expert plumbers at Wesley Wood Service Experts are ready to provide support. And we’ll back our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year, so you’ll have peace of mind that your repairs were done correctly. Give us a call at 484-401-7577 to book your appointment today!