Your Plumber Wants You to Quit Doing These 10 Things Immediately

Needing a plumber in Indianapolis can be inevitable if you are experiencing a drippy or burst pipe. But the majority of times, you can stop clogging your pipes or requiring repairs for your garbage disposal, both of which can be costly to take care of.

Here are some of the most common problems our professionals field calls about at Broad Ripple Service Experts and how you can stop them.

1. Flushing “Flushable” Wipes

Although they might be known as “flushable wipes,” the best spot for them is the trash. The only thing that should be flushed (except for the obvious) is toilet paper and septic treatments, if you use a septic system.

A Canadian study that looked at 101 such wipes found they all didn’t pass a flushability test, according to Forbes. Because flushable wipes don’t disintegrate like toilet paper, they can plug 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 attach to other yucky things that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet, including cooking oil and hygienic products, to lead to a fatberg. As well as being dirty and just plain gross, environmental nonprofit Green America says these masses are pricey to repair. If you rely on a city sewer system, those are expenses that could get passed on to you down the road.

No matter what type of wipe you’re using—makeup remover, cleansing, baby or sanitizing—it should go in the trash once you’re done.

2. Flushing Other Things That Should Be Tossed in the Garbage

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

Along with wipes, these things can plug your sewer line and overflow your toilet, leaving you with a pricey (and gross) mess.

3. Dropping in Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tabs

Using drop-in toilet fresheners could seem like a good way to keep your toilet bowl fresh, but they might cause more trouble than good. These tablets usually contain chemicals, like bleach, which can wreck rubber parts in the tank. And as the tablets melt, they can clog the toilet and keep it from flushing.

4. Dumping Chemical Drain Cleaners

If your sink is clogged, your first response could be to get an inexpensive liquid drain cleaner. However, there are several things you should realize about these drain cleaners.

1. They’re toxic. Drain cleaners are a toxic mixture of chemicals that can burn your skin and eyes. They also create powerful fumes that can result in respiratory irritation. 
2. They can eat through your pipes. If these cleaners can burn your skin, imagine what they can do to your piping: corrosion, cracks and even failure. 
3. They’re harmful to the environment. As you can imagine, these chemicals aren’t very good for the environment. 
4. They might not even unclog your drain. Despite all the chemicals they have, drain cleaners sometimes don’t even work or only work for a little while. That’s since they often push the clog more into your plumbing until it leads to a big 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 foul odors. While they can require more time than a chemical-based cleaner, they’re better for you, your plumbing and the environment.

If you’re experiencing a strong clog that just won’t go away, getting in touch with a professional plumber like Broad Ripple Service Experts is your smartest option for drain cleaning. While you can rent a drain auger or plumbing snake, it’s easier to have a pro perform the job. That way, you’ll also prevent damaging your pipes and many other bad issues including leaks, damaged seals and troublesome odors.

After your drain is clear, keep it that way by using a screen to keep hair or food scraps from plugging it again.

5. Getting Rid of Grease Down Your Sink

It can seem like it’s not a issue to drain a small amount of fat down your pipes. But as the years go by, that grease can grow and plug your pipes. If the grease finds its way into the sewer system, it can stick to flushable wipes and create a gross fatberg like we discussed previously.

To skip plumbing troubles, drain the grease into a can. After it solidifies, you can throw it away in the trash.

6. Relying on Your Garbage Disposal for Everything

Your garbage disposal is a useful tool for getting rid of small amounts of food waste. But it can’t get rid of everything. To prevent malfunctions or clogs, we advise not putting these foods 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 is smelly, you can freshen it with citrus peels or a combination of baking soda and vinegar.

7. Avoiding Maintenance for Your Plumbing System

Just like your heating and cooling system, your plumbing also has to have regular maintenance. This service can help us discover little issues before they lead to expensive problems, like a damaging water leak. Some of the issues we are on the lookout for involve:

If you do spot trouble, like a dripping sink or pipe, it’s critical to get it repaired without delay before it gets larger or causes damage.

8. Making an Attempt to Fix Your Plumbing on Your Own

When you are dealing with a dripping pipe or a leaking washing machine, we suggest calling an Expert at Broad Ripple Service Experts for leak repair before it grows or leads to damage.

Fixing plumbing is a complex job that’s best left to specialists. There’s a reason why plumbers complete extensive certification and licensing. Don’t try to do water pipe repair yourself or call a handyman, because you could end up wasting time and making a more expensive problem.

9. Trying to Maintain Your Water Heater on Your Own

When it comes to your water heater, service and upkeep is best left to the professionals. This includes draining it or testing the temperature and pressure valve. If this isn’t performed right, you could burn yourself with hot water or flood your house.

Experienced water heater maintenance gives peace of mind that your water heater is operating right. It also provides you advance notice when it’s time to start planning for water heater replacement, as they often only run for about 10 years.

10. Not Realizing Where the Water Main Shutoff Is

If your home has a big water leak, it’s critical to be knowledgeable about 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 don’t know where the valve is located, Broad Ripple Service Experts can help you find it.

It’s also a smart idea to install a water leak protection system that will turn on an alarm and cut off the water if there’s trouble. You can even get a smart system to keep an eye on water use and tell you on your phone if there’s a problem.

Whatever plumbing trouble you’re faced with, our Expert plumbers at Broad Ripple Service Experts are ready to provide support. And we’ll back our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year, so you’ll be sure that your repairs were done right. Reach us at 317-527-0271 to request your appointment now!