Your Plumber Wants You to Discontinue Doing These 10 Things Right Away

Needing a plumber in Tulsa can be inevitable if you have a leaky or ruptured pipe. But a lot of the time, you can avoid clogging your pipes or needing repairs for your garbage disposal, both of which can be pricey to fix.

Here are some of the most common problems we get calls about at Jack Nelson Service Experts and how you can stop them.

1. Flushing “Flushable” Wipes

Even though they might be known as “flushable wipes,” the best place for them is the garbage. The only thing that should be flushed (apart from the obvious) is toilet paper and septic treatments, if you rely on a septic system.

A Canadian study that tested 101 such wipes learned none of them passed a flushability test, according to Forbes. As flushable wipes don’t dissolve like toilet paper, they can plug your sewer line and lead to your toilet backing up.

They can also cause a lot of trouble to city sewer systems or your septic tank. These wipes can attach to other gross things that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet, including cooking oil and hygienic products, to create a fatberg. As well as being dirty and just plain nasty, environmental nonprofit Green America says these buildups are pricey to get rid of. If you rely on a city sewer system, those are expenses that could get passed on to you down the road.

Whichever type of wipe you’re using—makeup remover, cleansing, baby or sanitizing—it should be thrown in the trash once you’re done.

2. Flushing Other Things That Belong in the Trash

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

Together with wipes, these things can clog your sewer line and overflow your toilet, sticking you with an expensive (and gross) mess.

3. Dropping in Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tabs

Relying on drop-in toilet fresheners might seem like a great way to keep your toilet bowl sanitary, but they can cause more trouble than good. These tablets typically contain chemicals, such as bleach, which can eat through rubber parts in the tank. And as the tablets melt, they can clog the toilet and stop it from flushing.

4. Dumping Chemical Drain Cleaners

If your sink is clogged, your first response may be to purchase an inexpensive liquid drain cleaner. However, there are some things you should know about these drain cleaners.

1. They’re poisonous. Drain cleaners are a toxic blend of chemicals that can burn your skin and eyes. They also produce severe fumes that can lead to respiratory irritation. 
2. They can corrode your pipes. If these cleaners can burn your skin, think about what they can do to your piping: corrosion, fractures and even failure. 
3. They’re not good for the environment. As you can imagine, these substances aren’t extremely good for the environment. 
4. They might not even unplug your drain. In spite of all the chemicals they pack, drain cleaners sometimes don’t even work or only work for a little while. That’s since they often push the clog deeper into your plumbing until it leads to a major problem.

If you do require a drain cleaner, we suggest using an enzymatic cleaner. These chemical-free cleaners rely on bacteria and enzymes to eliminate clogs and bad odors. While they might work more slowly than a chemical-based cleaner, they’re healthier for you, your plumbing and the environment.

If you have a tough clog that just won’t go away, getting in touch with a professional plumber like Jack Nelson 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 professional perform the job. That way, you’ll also avoid causing damage to your pipes and a wide variety of bad issues like leaks, damaged seals and horrible odors.

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

5. Pouring Grease Down Your Sink

It can seem like it’s not a issue to dump a tiny bit of grease down your drain. But as the years go by, that grease can grow and block your pipes. If the grease finds its way into the sewer system, it can cling to flushable wipes and create a nasty fatberg like we discussed previously.

To avoid plumbing issues, drain the oil into a can. After it cools, you can dump it in the waste can.

6. Turning to Your Garbage Disposal for Everything

Your garbage disposal is a beneficial tool for breaking up tiny amounts of food waste. But it can’t break up everything. To avoid problems or clogs, we recommend not putting these items 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 smells bad, you can freshen it with citrus peels or a mix of baking soda and vinegar.

7. Skipping Maintenance for Your Plumbing System

Just like your heating and cooling system, your plumbing also has to have annual tune-ups. This service can help us spot minor issues before they result in huge problems, including a damaging water leak. Some of the issues we check for involve:

If you do find trouble, including a leaky sink or pipe, it’s critical to get it repaired immediately before it becomes worse or leads to damage.

8. Making an Attempt to Fix Your Plumbing Without Professional Help

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

Repairing plumbing is an in-depth job that’s best left to professionals. There’s a reason why plumbers finish extensive certification and licensing. Don’t try water pipe repair without help or hire a handyman, because you could end up wasting time and making a more expensive problem.

9. Trying to Maintain Your Water Heater Yourself

When it comes to your water heater, service and maintenance is best left to the specialists. This includes draining it or checking the temperature and pressure valve. If this isn’t done properly, you could burn yourself with scalding water or flood your house.

Professional water heater maintenance provides peace of mind that your water heater is running like it should. It also gives you advance notice when it’s time to start considering water heater replacement, since they usually only last for about 10 years.

10. Not Knowing Where the Water Main Shutoff Is

In the event your residence has a major water leak, it’s critical to be knowledgeable about where the main water valve is and how to shut it off. This valve is typically situated in a mechanical room near your water heater.

If you’re are unsure about where the valve is located, Jack Nelson Service Experts can help you find it.

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

Whatever plumbing trouble you’re faced with, our Expert plumbers at Jack Nelson Service Experts are here to help you. And we’ll back our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year, so you’ll know that your repairs were finished right. Reach us at 918-212-8927 to schedule your appointment now!