Flushing the “unflushable” presents a huge problem for your home plumbing over time, and an even bigger problem for the sewer line or septic system that serves your house. These items can clog your toilet and the sewer line, causing waste to drain slowly or not at all. If enough debris builds up in your plumbing, it could even send toxic gases back into your home. The best way to avoid this problem is to never flush the following common household items:
Wipes and towels
Paper towels are a big problem for your plumbing if they flush down your toilet. Wet wipes, even the ones labeled “flushable,” are another common problem – they can snag in the system and turn into a big unmoving ball very quickly.
Diapers and Feminine Hygiene Products
Baby diapers, tampons and menstrual pads are all designed to take on large amounts of moisture without breaking down. Within seconds of flushing any of these down a toilet, they can swell up to clog the line. These items are a persistent problem in sewer mains and pump stations.
Dental Floss
A little piece of floss may seem harmless and easy to pass, but dental floss is designed to collect debris. In your sewer line, this means that it could snag and allow clogs to slowly build up over time.
Cigarette Butts
Such a tiny thing may not seem like a problem, but cigarette butts have caused more than one major clog. They don’t disintegrate in water and take years to break down naturally, so they’ll stay in the lines once they flush down your toilet.
Cleaning Products
Despite company claims of flushable toilet cleaning pads or dust rags, these are always a bad idea to actually flush. Along with clogging potential, many of these products contain concentrated cleaning chemicals that can become problems in sewage treatment plants.
For more advice on how to protect your home plumbing health, or address other home comfort issues, please contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We’re your expert plumbing resource in Indianapolis and the surrounding area since 1970.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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