Common Fall Plumbing Mistakes

From pumpkin-spiced everything to family get-togethers and cooler air, there’s so much to love about the fall. However, many people make common plumbing mistakes during the fall.

Let’s look at the three common plumbing mistakes that homeowners make:

Don’t Put Pumpkin Guts in The Garbage Disposal

Fall is a great time for your family to carve pumpkins and enjoy the weather. Many homeowners like to carve pumpkins in the kitchen sink and push the pulp, guts, and seeds down into the garbage disposal, thinking the device will just grind everything up. At Neighborhood Plumbing, we have some advice for you: Do not put pumpkin pulp or pumpkin seeds down your disposal. Pumpkins and garbage disposals are not a good match. The pumpkin pulp is stringy and sticky, so it will dry up when the water stops running and harden like concrete. The pumpkin innards may end up clinging onto your blades and severely damaging your garbage disposal. Instead of throwing those pumpkin guts and seeds down the disposal, we suggest you carve your pumpkins on a thick bed of newspapers and toss the innards into a compost pile or trash can.

Don’t Put Fibrous Vegetables Peels and Fruit Skins Down the Garbage Disposal

Just like pumpkin innards, fibrous vegetable peels and fruit skins can wreak havoc on your garbage disposal. Fibrous foods such as celery, onion skins, corn husks, banana peels, asparagus, carrots, and artichokes can get caught up in the blades and clog your garbage disposal. If you end up with a clogged garbage disposal despite your best efforts, know that we at Neighborhood Plumbing are available to help.

Don’t Use Chemical Drain Cleaners

Some homeowners opt to use chemical drain cleaners to clear drain clogs. However, chemical drain cleaners are not the best approach to drain cleaning.

The following are some of the reasons why you should not use chemical drain cleaners:

• Chemical drain cleaners use a combination of harsh chemicals to dissolve clogs, so they can dissolve the lining of your pipes and cause corrosion over time.
• While chemical drain cleaners can clear minor clogs, they don’t work on stubborn clogs caused by pipe damage, intruding tree roots, and more.
• They are harmful to your septic system because they can kill organic bacteria present in your septic tank.
• They can cause serious chemical burns if they make contact with your skin.
• Drain cleaning chemicals produce fumes that are toxic to inhale.
• They are harmful to the environment.

When it comes to unblocking drains, opting for safer alternative options is always your best bet. You can use a plunger or a drain snake to clear drain clogs, or call a professional plumber to help you out.

Need Reliable Plumbing Service in Your Home? Call Neighborhood Plumbing Today

Neighborhood Plumbing is a full-service plumbing company that you can rely on for all of your plumbing service needs. Whether you’re in need of garbage disposal repair, drain cleaning, or pipe repair, our affordable plumbers have the skills, experience, and advanced tools to do a good job.