Blocked Up: Straightforward Advice About Plumbing Issues

When it's the middle of the night and you're faced with a rather urgent plumbing matter, it's nice to know that there are emergency plumbers in your area who can solve the problem. They're quick and efficient, but will of course charge you for the privilege. Most plumbing emergencies can be headed off before they happen, since prevention is always better than a cure. You might think that your toilet has suddenly just blocked or your shower has mysteriously just broken, but the problem has probably been building up for some time. It's easy enough to avoid plumbing emergencies by taking a few extra steps to ensure that your fittings and fixtures never take more punishment than they can handle.

Your Toilet

Only human waste and toilet paper should ever be flushed. It can be easier to flush hygiene and contraceptive products than it is to dispose of them in the rubbish bin, but don't be tempted by the "once or twice won't hurt" mentality. These items can easily become trapped in the pipes, still allowing water to flow, but still impeding it. It can only take another offending item to clog the pipe completely. You also need to be cautious about supposedly flushable wipes. These items are designed to break down after being flushed, but this is sometimes not the case.

Your Kitchen

A garbage disposal unit can make cleaning up your kitchen easier, but it should not be used for every kitchen scrap. Large chunks of fruits and vegetables can be puréed into a thick paste which is difficult to shift, and melon skin is a particularly bad culprit. Since the mechanism of the garbage disposal unit is in the way, you can't just tip a drain unclogging solution in there, and the whole unit will need to be removed - a headache you'll want to avoid. Also be mindful of sliced luncheon meats and chicken skin. These items can become gelatinous after passing through a garbage disposal unit, also leading to a clog.

Your Shower

Rather than installing shelves in their shower, many homeowners will opt for a hanging shelf that hooks onto the showerhead. These can be fine - if they're small. A large hanging shelf that is then crammed with shampoo and lotions can put too much stress on the fixtures. All it takes is some extra pressure on the showerhead (such as adjusting its angle) for the showerhead to be ripped right off. This will then require an expensive repair, since a small amount of piping will also need to be replaced.  

There's always going to be a need for a plumber in even the most well-maintained of homes. With a little care, you can ensure that your friendly local plumber will not need to visit too frequently.