When it comes to day to day living, there are aspects of your home that often get ignored and taken for granted until something major occurs as the result of neglect. The most common aspect? Plumbing. While an overflowing toilet may come to mind when you think of “plumbing mistakes”, there are actually other areas in your home’s plumbing where simple mistakes can end up being quite costly in the long run.

These include:

Improper usage of your garbage disposal

It’s tempting while in the frenzy of trying to prepare dinner for your family to want to turn around and pour grease down the garbage disposal assuming this is safe. It’s not. Pouring grease, oil or fat into your garbage disposal or drain will cause the grease to accumulate over time and eventually impede proper flow through your garbage disposal or clog your drain. The same rule applies to coffee grounds, fibrous materials or even hot water following cooked food. You can, however, grind foods with scouring action like egg shells, small chicken or fish bones or small fruit pits. These will help clean some of the accumulated or sticky particles that may be built up in your disposal. Check out this blog from our friends at Pilgrim Plumbing up in Boston on What Not To Put In Your Garbage Disposal.

Using too much drain cleaner

When used conservatively and as directed for the specific kind of clog you’re attempting to clear, drain cleaners can be quite effective and relatively harmless to drains. When used with abandon, however, they can corrode some of the materials found in the drain, resulting in buildup and an even worse clog.

Pouring chemicals into the septic system

Naturally occurring waste eating bacteria are crucial to your septic system’s environment. Pouring bleach, ammonia, drain cleaner or other harsh chemicals into the septic system interrupts these natural bacteria resulting in chemical contamination of ground waters and even nearby ponds or lakes. Treatment chemicals designed specifically to treat septic systems should be okay, provided you specifically follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Flushing foreign objects down the toilet

While it’s fun to look back on childhood movies that taught us flushing anything down the toilet makes it disappear forever, it’s just not realistic. When you flush something down the toilet, instead of going out into oblivion somewhere, the object is sent into about a 3 inch pipe, which leads to another 3 inch pipe which leads to the drain pipe for your entire home. When something not designed to be flushed down the toilet is sent into this pipe, it can cause an obstruction that backs up the entire plumbing system in your home. It’s best to just throw it away.

Have any other plumbing problems that might need the attention of a professional? Contact Kost Plumbing today for a complete evaluation!