What You Flush Matters

What’s okay to flush down your toilet?  The simple answer is as little as possible.  When it comes to worry-free flushability, stick to the basics:  human waste and toilet paper only. 

Any solid matter that you put down the toilet has the potential to cause blockages in both the public sewer and/or your own private drain.  This can lead to a number of issues, including:

·      Raw sewage overflowing in your home or your neighbor’s home

·      An expensive and unpleasant cleanup

·      Raw sewage overflowing into yards and streets

·      Potential contact with disease-causing organisms

·      Increase in operation and maintenance costs for local sewer departments, which in return can cause higher bills for customers

Private drain systems (the part of the drainage network between your home and the public sewer) use narrow pipework and sometimes have bends in them where solid objects can lodge and cause blockages.  It is the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain private drainage systems if there is no approved cleanout at the front of the property line.

The list of what can be flushed is very short, however the list of things that are frequently flushed down toilets that definitely shouldn’t be is much longer!  In order to prevent blockages, refrain from dumping the following items down your toilet:

·      Tampons or sanitary napkins

·      Bathroom wipes/Baby wipes/Disinfectant wipes

·      Cotton balls and swabs

·      Facial tissues

·      Paper towels

·      Prescription medication

·      Condoms

·      Dental floss

·      Cigarette butts

·      Band-Aids

·      Cat litter

·      Fats, oils and greases

·      Hair

·      Diapers

Putting the wrong things down the drain can damage the sewer system and cause sewer backups in your home.  Anyone using the city sewer system is responsible for what they flush or pour down the drains.  Everything that is flushed down the toilet that doesn’t dissolve ends up at wastewater treatment facilities.  Workers end up sifting through what’s left in the water, including tampons, condoms, wipes and more.  The trash in the water ends up where the trash always does:  in the landfill.  Save everyone from future headaches by disposing of things where they end up anyway:  in the trash.

Still not convinced?  Try the “flushability test”!  Fill two bowls with water.  Place toilet paper in one, and place one of the above items in the other.  Swish both items in the water.  Wait an hour, and then swish again.  The toilet paper should have significantly disintegrated by then, while the other item (example, Kleenex, wipes, napkins, etc.) will likely remain intact.  Unless the item disintegrates at the rate of toilet paper, it should be placed in the garbage and not down your toilet.  Otherwise, you risk a blockage in your pipes. 

Of course, should you encounter a clogged toilet or other clogged drain, you know what to do:   call Carter’s My Plumber!

Carter’s My Plumber is a local, family-owned plumbing contractor located in Greenwood, Indiana, providing plumbing service to the Indianapolis, Greenwood, Whiteland, Franklin, Bargersville, Trafalgar, Mooresville, Wanamaker, Beech Grove and Southport areas.  Carter’s My Plumber has a special menu of services designed to meet the needs of every homeowner to provide a complete solution to their home’s plumbing system.  With over 30 years of plumbing experience, their trained plumbers meet the plumbing need of every residential and light commercial need.

Do You Know If Your Sump Pump Is Working Properly?

Don’t Wait for a Failure During a Rainstorm to Find Out Your Sump Pump Doesn’t Work

If your sump pump fails during a rainstorm, hundreds of gallons of water can flood your basement in a matter of minutes.  It doesn’t take much water to cause thousands of dollars in damage.  Play it safe and check your sump pump regularly to ensure it’s working properly.

What is a sump pump?

Sitting down in the basement or crawlspace, out of sight and out of mind, we don’t often think about our sump pump.  In reality though it’s one of the hardest working pieces of equipment in your house.  Sump pumps are available in two basic models:  upright (commonly called a pedestal) and submersible.  With pedestal types, the motor is located above the floor near the sump pit.  Submersible types will be bound at the bottom of the sump pit.

Understanding how a sump pump works can help you identify any issues that may arise in the future.  The sump is a pit where the pump sits.  A sump pump removes the water that drains into the sump.  It has a floating switch activation system where the switch is normally off and in a lowered position.  When rising water levels push the floatation device on the switch upward, it sends a signal for the pump to activate.  The pump then drains the water, which in turn lowers the floatation device on the switch until it reaches its initial position, thereby turning off the pump. 

Backup systems

Sump pumps are mechanical and will eventually fail.  The most common reason for failure is the sump pump switch.  Protect your home and make sure to have a battery backup sump pump.  When you have a power failure, the backup will automatically kick in should your primary water pump fail.  Often home insurance policies will cover water damage to a home if the pump suffers a mechanical failure, but won’t cover damage if an electrically powered pump stops working because of a power failure.  The backup needs to be plugged into a charger to make sure the battery is fully charged.  It’s also important that the backup system have the capacity to pump out the same amount of gallons as your standard pump.

Testing your sump pump

Testing your sump pump regularly can help protect your home against water damage.  There are simple steps a homeowner can perform to see if their sump pump is working as it should be.  One way is to lift the float arm on the side of the pump.  If you hear the pump running, it’s working.  If the pump doesn’t run, it’s not working.  Even backup pumps can be tested this way. 

Another easy way to test your sump pump is to pour water in!  Take a five-gallon bucket of water and slowly (about the rate rain water might enter) pour the water in until the float triggers your pump to activate. Hopefully you are watching the water level drop and the pump successfully shut back off when your float drops back below the shutoff level.  You should also remove the lid (if it has one) and use a flashlight to check if the sump is clean and the pump inlet screens are not plugged.

Sump pumps generally last about five to seven years before needing replaced.  Homeowners should test their pump's operation every month or two.  Then, if you feel the pump is not operating as it should, you can contact a licensed plumber, Carter’s My Plumber, to check it out and replace it if necessary.

Be careful not to make these sump pump mistakes!

·      Lost Power:  sump pumps run on electricity.  Lightning and wind during a storm can knock out power, thus your pump stops working.  Make sure to have a battery backup pump so it can kick on when your primary source of power is killed.  As silly as it sounds, also check to make sure the pump is plugged in.  Someone may have unplugged it to use the power outlet and forgot to plug it back in; check it!

·      Bad Discharge Pipe:  Inspect your discharge pipe (the outside pipe that catches the water as it drains from the pump) while testing your sump pump.  It should be located on the side of the house.  Make sure it’s not frozen shut or clogged with debris. It should be directing water away from the house and emptying onto a downslope so water doesn’t flow back toward the house.

·      Backup Battery Not Charged:  Make sure the backup battery is always fully charged.  Also, don’t install the battery on the floor.   It would be bad if the power goes out and the battery isn’t charged … or sitting on the floor for water to ruin!

·      Not Testing the Pump Regularly:  This is a mistake that can easily be avoided.  Follow the steps listed above to make sure your pump is always working correctly.  If you find any issues with your main sump pump or your backup, call a local licensed plumber to take a look at the situation.

Carter’s My Plumber is a local, family-owned plumbing contractor located in Greenwood, Indiana, providing plumbing service to the Indianapolis, Greenwood, Whiteland, Franklin, Bargersville, Trafalgar, Mooresville, Wanamaker, Beech Grove and Southport areas.  Carter’s My Plumber has a special menu of services designed to meet the needs of every homeowner to provide a complete solution to their home’s plumbing system.  With over 30 years of plumbing experience, their trained plumbers meet the plumbing need of every residential and light commercial need.