We have seen them everywhere around the pharmacy or major retail store, and while the box may read flushable wipes, they are anything but flushable! You may feel confused about why flushable wipes are the bane of many plumber jobs, so we hope to shed some light on why. Here is why you should avoid flushing down those flushable wipes this season.
Flushable Wipes: An Oxymoron
Flushable wipes are intended to dissolve in water so that you can flush down items with little guilt of clogging your drains. The problem with many of these flushable wipes is that they often cause clogs that can be quite the hassle to clean up for many homeowners. Flushable wipes can still stay relatively solid when they go down your drains, which is where the problems begin.
The issue with flushable wipes not breaking down is that they can also snag other material on the way down your drains. Think of flushable wipes as a magnet for additional material that congeals into quite the nasty blockage over time. While you may not notice a clog initially on the first few flushes, do not tempt fate. Clogs from flushable wipes can take time, and when they pop up, they are a nuisance.
Signs Of A Clog
So how do you know if your toilet is clogged or just running a little slow today? Well, the best way to tell if your toilet is clogged is to notice slow or irregular draining that does not change throughout the day. Slow draining toilets are the most common sign of a clog, but you can also have a toilet that does not drain at all. With a lack of draining comes, you guessed it, overflows. Overflowing toilets are gross but a sure sign you have a clog.
If your drains seem to be not heavily impacted yet, but you can smell a foul odor coming from your drains, that can also be the sign of a clog. We know bathrooms can smell sometimes, but if you notice odd smells constantly coming from your drains, this can be the sign of blockages deep in your pipes.
Combatting The Clog
Put down that drain cleaner before you damage your plumbing, and hear us out. While drain cleaners may seem like the obvious choice for a clog, you actually can be doing more harm to your puppies by corroding them with harsh chemicals. A simple drain snake or plunger can often get the job done with little to no strain on your plumbing.
Want to avoid dealing with a clog altogether? At American Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning we know unclogging a toilet can be less than ideal, so let us take that dirty job off your plate. Call us today at (760) 906-9009, and our plumbers will make sure your toilet flushes in no time!