Most people have a morning bathroom routine. After waking, they stumble to the bathroom to shower or wash their face, shave or put on makeup, and do their hair. At other times, people will look to their bathrooms as an escape. They enjoy the alone time spent luxuriating in a long, hot bath or shower to melt away tensions of the day. Regardless of what bathroom routines that you may have, Robinson Plumbing, a professional bathroom plumbing services Whitehall, PA expert, shares some habits that you might want to be more aware of.
Bad Bathroom Habits
Since the first days of indoor plumbing, people have depended on fully functioning bathrooms to get through the day. However, there are some very specific habits that plumbing professionals advise that you quit because they could result in some hefty plumbing bills. It is good to be aware bathroom habits need to be replaced with other ones.
Take The Pain Out Of The Drain
First and foremost, do not use your toilet as a trashcan. Parents of toddlers know the problems that can result when children try flushing their toys down the commode. Adults, too, can be guilty of causing clogs and toilet back-ups. Tampons, Band-Aids, cotton swabs, condoms, and other items should not be flushed down the toilet. The pipes are not designed to handle these types of objects. The only thing that should ever be flushed is toilet paper and human waste.
If something does go down that should not, a plunger may be able to solve the problem. A flange plunger, or one with a rubber lip that fits into the drain, is the best to use. With the flange fitted into the drain hole and enough water in the bowl to cover the plunger head, press down completely and repeat the process forcibly until the clog is dislodged.
Never use commercial drain cleaners. Instead, snakes are available at any hardware store. Simply thread the cable into the drain until it stops. Then tighten the lock and turn the handle clockwise. This will snag the clog and allow you to pull it out.
One major cause of drain clogs is human hair. To remove hair close to the top, use tweezers. For deeper clogs, you can use a metal hanger that it straightened out with the end curved into a “J.” Prevention of hair clogs is simply a matter of installing a hair guard, which are available at hardware or variety stores.
Steam Equals Mold
Those steamy showers may be great for your mood. Unfortunately, steamy showers also create the perfect environment for the growth of mold and mildew. Fungus can grow behind tiles, in grout, and on the ceiling. Some molds can cause respiratory problems, illness, headaches, and other conditions if left untreated.
The best defense is plumbing preventative care. This does not mean giving up your hot showers, however. Just be sure to run the exhaust fan as you bathe and crack a window if available to circulate air and keep the room drier. When you are done showering, be sure to shake out the curtain. Leave it half open to allow the air to move. Also, you can fight mold by using anti-fungal tea tree oil mixed with water to spray down the tiles after each shower.
For a preventative plumbing maintenance in your area, be sure to contact Robinson Plumbing. Our expert plumbers are professionally trained and will thoroughly address any questions that you might have. We are a local, family owned company that is known for trusted, quality service. Call us today at (610) 351-9889 or contact us for any questions that you might have!