When people think about their homes, most homeowners don’t think about things like the sewer system. Drains and toilets can seem like magical pipelines that take waste and debris away, never to be seen from again. This is why so many people dump things down their drains and flush things down their toilets that they never should. Paying attention to these two things can mean the difference between a healthy sewer system and an unexpected sewer line replacement cost. Here are some of the worst things you can put down a drain or toilet.
1. Flushable wipes.
Most people assume that flushable wipes are actually able to be flushed down a toilet since they’re marketed that way, but unfortunately that is not the case. These kinds of wipes are not made from the same material that toilet paper is made of and is not going to break down in sewer lines the same way — if at all. A wad of built up wipes can cause a clog and lead to a break and the need for sewer line repair.
2. Grease and oil.
Another one of the worst things to put down a toilet or drain is grease and oil. Many people think that running a little hot water will help oil go down the pipes, but this isn’t actually that helpful. Others know that drains can’t handle grease, so they flush it down the toilet. Both of these are mistakes, because grease and oil can build up inside pipes and catch debris, causing clogs and standing water, and the need for sewer line cleaning at the very least.
3. Bulky or fibrous foods.
Another bad item to put down drains is bulky or fibrous food items. These do not break down as well as you think they do, and again, will cause a clog which can lead to stopped drains and standing water in the home. Replacing sewer lines because you choose to dump food down the drain rather than the trash is a waste. A sewer line repair cost is going to be much more than the two seconds it takes to put food in the trash.
Have you had to invest in sewer line cleaning or repairs because of putting any of these items down your drains? Feel free to share your experience with us in the comments section below. Good references here.