When it comes to toilet plumbing, there are a lot of myths that have grown in popularity over the years. You know how it goes; someone hears something from someone that they believe to be knowledgeable, then they tell someone else who tells someone else, and so on.
One such myth is that liquid drain cleaner can be used to unclog your toilet. The truth is that liquid drain cleaners are known to eat away at the inner walls of your pipes. Not to mention that some cleaners can leave a residue behind that will eventually cause the pipe to clog again!
If you’ve fallen prey to some plumbing myths in the past, you’re not alone; most people do! Read on to learn about some bad toilet habits you may be guilty of and why they cause damage.
Toilet Piping
Here are the top 5 bad toilet habits that most people aren’t aware they are doing:
- Flushing “unflushable” things down the drain- This includes “flushable” wipes, cat litter, and feminine hygiene products.
- Using too much toilet paper- If you feel the need to use an excessive amount of toilet paper, consider flushing multiple times to avoid causing a clog.
- Ignoring problems such as running or leaking- If you hear your toilet running water call your local plumber immediately. Ignoring this problem can cost you more money in the long run.
- Bad toilet piping- This falls more on the company that installed the toilet, but bad piping can cause a host of problems in your bathroom.
- Using liquid cleaners to unclog the toilet- We’ve been over this already. Just use a plunger.
Toilet Damage
You may think that some of the bad toilet habits listed above are not that big of a deal, but the fact is that any of them can cause severe damage to your toilet’s plumbing.
These can especially happen if they are repeated over an extended period of time. You may even be guilty of more than one of these habits, which can cause even more damage.
Flushing items down the toilet that you shouldn’t in combination with flushing too much toilet paper at once, for example, can lead to a severe toilet clog that, if serious enough, can cause a pipe to burst.
Repair Cost
Any severe damage to your toilet and piping that is caused by not using your toilet correctly can result in a need for pricey plumbing services. Depending on how severe the damage to your toilet is, some repairs can cost upwards of $500.
The cost to have a professional remove a significant clog- that can’t be removed with a plunger- can be anywhere from $85 all the way up to $600, depending on the severity of the clog and the damage it’s caused to the pipes.
A burst pipe caused by a significant clog can also create thousands of dollars worth of damage. Now that you know a bit more about how not to care for your toilets, continue your research to learn good toilet maintenance habits you can apply in your home! If you find yourself facing any severe plumbing issues, call Peterman Brothers.
