When kids are quiet it can be a scary thing. It usually means that they’re up to something. Water is fascinating for small children. It’s fun to watch things get flushed down the toilet or shove things down the sink to see if they will fit or come back up. If you have children in your home then you need to know how they can cause problems to your plumbing. The Original $49.95 Plumber outlines some of these issues to help you avoid them.
Plumbing Problems that Children Can Cause
Toilet clog problems. When toys get stuck in the toilet you may be dealing with an overflow. You will almost always find that the small object is found in the U bend so the next time you try and flush solid matter down the toilet it won’t be able to get past the object and the toilet will overflow. Little kids also love to overuse toilet paper. This is a fast way to block a toilet. Teach them how to use wipe properly so they don’t use too much. You can purchase toilet seat locks to prevent children from opening the lid unless you do it for them. It’s almost impossible for parents to be around every second and that is all it takes!
Clogged drains. Luckily, internal drains leading from the sink are usually too high for small children to reach but you can bet the if they come across outside drains they will be more than happy to put a bunch of sand or dirt from the garden down the drain which will inevitably clog it. You can purchase drain plugs for your sinks to prevent them from putting anything down there. Fitted drain covers or screens can be placed to keep unwanted items out. This will ensure your drains run freely.
Leaking taps & faucets. Taps can get leaky when little hands keep turning them on and off while they play in the tub. Taps that are continually twisted will get split and you’ll end up with dripping taps. To prevent problems and keep them safe, you can use a stair gate or lock to keep children out of the bathroom when you can’t supervise them.
Do It Yourself Plumbing Repairs
Prevention is best because these problems can lead to pipe damage, which later causes leaks and water damage. Luckily most of the time it’s something you can take care of. Using a plunger might be all you need. If the plunger doesn’t work you can remove the trap to see if you can find the blockage. Just make you have a bucket to catch any waste water. If you have a sewer snake you catch the clog and twist clockwise to pull the blockage out.
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Children are most often not trying to cause problems on purpose. These problems can occur through natural curiosity about how things work. Follow these simple steps to prevent children from causing plumbing problems or at least make it harder for them! Contact The Original $49.95 Plumber if you can’t fix the problem on your own and to make sure there’s been no permanent damage done to your pipes due to backups. We’ve seen it all and won’t be surprised!
