Pets and plumbing don鈥檛 always mix. Here are a few tips to protect both!
Bath Time Tips
Human hair has nothing on animal hair when it comes to clogging drains. It may be shorter, but the sheer quantity of it may be more than your plumbing can handle. When possible, it鈥檚 best to try to avoid bathing furry friends in your sink or tub. If that鈥檚 not an option, try these tips for minimizing the risk of clogs:
- Brush your pet thoroughly before bathing. This will pick up a lot of loose and already-shed fur that could otherwise end up in your pipes.
- Pre-rinse especially muddy animals. If your dog has been digging, his fur could be carrying some substantial grit that doesn鈥檛 belong in your plumbing.
- Use a cover on your drain that鈥檚 made for catching pet hair. Your regular drain strainer may not be sufficient, since pet fur may be finer than human hair.
- Install a hand sprayer, if you don鈥檛 already have one. Better control of the water = a faster, better bath = less water waste.
The Scoop on Poop
While flushable cat litter and dog waste bags may sound like an attractive convenience, they might not be the best choice for your toilet plumbing. Oversized clumps, over-filled bags, low-flow flushes, septic systems, pre-existing plumbing faults鈥攖he various combinations could potentially factor into a messy situation. Why risk it?
Hopefully it goes without saying that you should never flush substrate from small animal habitats or newspaper from birdcages!
Chewing Hazards
You never know what may strike a pet鈥檚 fancy when it comes to nervous or boredom-based chewing. Walls, door frames, shoes, carpet鈥攖hey鈥檙e all common targets, so don鈥檛 imagine for a moment that your sprinklers, hoses, refrigerator water lines, and washing machine tubing are exempt. Make sure they are safely tucked away, and if you find evidence of damage, try spraying with bitter apple. If you still can鈥檛 keep your pets from chewing, you may need to restrict them from that part of the house or yard.
Found these tips too late? Call ARS庐/Rescue Rooter庐 at 866-399-2885 for plumbing service, installation, and repair!
