Bad Toilet Habits And How They Affect Your Plumbing

We all have our bad habits. Some people bite their nails, and some chew loudly. A lot of people also have lousy toilet care habits, though they don't realize it. You may not know that you have bad toilet habits.

Unfortunately, those habits might be damaging your toilet and piping system right now. That's why it is so important to take good care of your toilet- to prevent the need for expensive plumbing repairs.

Bad Toilet Piping & Other Habits

One bad habit people have is skimping on plumbing work. They find the cheapest plumbing service and get stuck with poorly installed pipes.

Remember that you get what you pay for and faulty piping can end up costing you far more in the future.

Another common bad toilet habit is using your toilet to dispose of things that don't belong in the toilet at all. This could include wet wipes, hair, feminine products, hard plastics, napkins or paper towels, and more.

The only item that should be disposed of in a toilet, aside from human waste, of course, is toilet paper. On that topic, be careful that you are not in the habit of flushing too much toilet paper down the toilet at one time. When you use too much toilet paper at once, it has a harder time breaking apart, which can cause a clog to form in your toilet drain.

Speaking of clogs in the drain, are you in the habit of pouring liquid drain cleaners down the toilet to unclog it? If so, this is another bad habit of yours. Contrary to what you may think, drain cleaners can actually gunk up your pipes even more.

Finally, one of the worst habits you could have when it comes to plumbing is ignoring problems that seem harmless. What you may not see is that your running or leaking toilet could be a sign of a weak flush, which could lead to a clog in the drain.

These May Cause Toilet Damage

Any of these bad habits can lead to significant damage to your plumbing system and your toilet.

Most of the damage associated with toilets has to do with them becoming clogged.

This is because clogs in any pipe make the pipe susceptible to breaking due to a build-up of pressure.

Clogs can also lead to the very sewage you are trying to flush away backing up into your home.

Protect Yourself From Excessive Repair Costs

Changing your bad toilet habits is important because correcting your behavior could prevent a clogged toilet, and thus, the damage that would cost hundreds of dollars to repair.

In the best case, hiring a plumber to unclog a toilet may cost as little as about $80. In the worst case, a burst pipe caused by a severe clog can cost upwards of $600 to repair or replace.

Feel free to do some more research to look into what else you can do to keep your toilet operating in peak condition. Call Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical in East Lansing for any plumbing services you may need, including repairs on a toilet (caused by bad toilet habits). Call (517) 339-6300 to speak with one of our trusted plumbing contractors today!