Can You Flush Cat Poop Down the Toilet?

Can You Flush Cat Poop Down the Toilet?

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Are you a cat person or a dog person? It’s a debate as old as time. Dogs are generally friendlier and more trainable than cats, while cats are more independent and self-sufficient than dogs. 

Another plus for dogs is that you can house train them (most of the time), while cats need a litter box. And let’s face it – no matter how much you may love cats, cleaning out the litter box is a gross job! Which leads us to ask the question – can you flush cat poop down the toilet?

Cat Poop & Public Health

You may think flushing your cat’s poop down the toilet is easier and more sanitary than throwing it away, but think again – cat feces has a lot of germs associated with it, not the least of which is a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii.

This parasite is capable of infecting virtually all warm-blooded animals, but members of the cat family (including domestic cats) are the only known definitive hosts in which the parasite may sexually reproduce.

Toxoplasma gondii can cause the disease toxoplasmosis. Symptoms of toxoplasmosis vary; most people who become infected show no symptoms at all, while some may develop swollen lymph glands or muscle aches and pains that may last for a month or more. 

The disease can cause serious health problems in pregnant women and individuals who have compromised immune systems – these people need to be cautious around cat feces, and avoid contact with it.

Because of the health hazards associated with cat poop, it’s important to avoid contaminating the public water system with it and ALWAYS bag it up and throw it away – NEVER flush it!

Cat Poop & Plumbing

Human waste and toilet paper are the only things that should be flushed down the toilet – flushing cat poop can result in clogged plumbing lines or even a backed-up sewer line. Nobody wants that!

And then there’s the matter of the cat litter. When you flush cat poop, some cat litter always comes along for the ride. Depending on the material it’s made out of, kitty litter can expand up to 15 times in size after coming into contact with water or other fluids – that will almost certainly clog up your plumbing!

And what if that kitty litter happens to dry out while in the plumbing lines? It will harden like cement, resulting in serious plumbing issues. 

What about brands of kitty litter that claim to be flushable? Better to be safe than sorry, and dispose of it properly by putting it into a biodegradable bag and throwing it away. 

Bottom line: Don’t flush cat poop. We know it’s tempting to do so, and you probably think a little bit can’t possibly hurt, but don’t do it. Trust us on this.

Schedule a Sewer Line Inspection Today

Wondering what’s in your sewer line (besides cat poop, that is)? You can find out with a sewer line camera inspection! This service will enable you to determine if there are issues with the sewer line, and should be performed if there have been repeated problems or if you’re buying a home. 

You can also prevent plumbing problems in the first place by performing regular sewer line cleaning. We’ve been providing both sewer line inspection and sewer line cleaning services in the Denver area for years, and have seen it all. If you’re having trouble with your sewer line, contact us today!

5 Toilet Troubles and Their Fixes

5 Toilet Troubles and Their Fixes

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Last week we received a few calls about toilet troubles, and I wanted to address some of them here for all of you wondering why you are struggling with recurring issues. There are five toilet troubles, in general, and knowing the culprit will have you clearing up the issue quickly.

Toilet Problem 1: Water won’t go down

If when you flush the water just comes up and then slowly drains back down over some time, you may have a partial clog in the line. Try using a plunger, and if that doesn’t work, give a plumber a call to clear the line further down.

Toilet Problem 2: Toilet backs up frequently

If you notice that you are having to plunge your toilet often, or that the toilet gets clogged frequently, this may be an issue of too much toilet paper. Or, it could be caused by the toilet paper being too thick and not flushing or breaking down well enough to move through the system.

Try using a non-plush style of toilet paper. This is especially true if you also have a low flush toilet. You may also want to try flushing more frequently to help push paper and waste through the line.

Toilet Problem 3: The toilet doesn’t flush everything through/ has a weak flush

If the toilet doesn’t seem to be flushing strong enough to push everything through, it is possible that the inner toilet “guts” aren’t functioning properly. A plumber can come and test the toilet to see what the problem is and make suggestions on a repair or replacement.

Toilet Problem 4: Toilet is wobbling or sits funny

If when you sit down on the toilet, you notice it wobble or is misaligned, it is a fairly easy fix. A plumber or handyman can usually pull up the toilet, readjust it, add a wax ring to help the wobble. Sometimes, however, when the toilet is pulled up, the flooring underneath can have water damage or rot. This may require additional repairs – but it’s a good thing you caught it before it became too dangerous!

Toilet Problem 5: Toilet is leaking

If you notice extra moisture or even puddles of water around the toilet base or tank base, you will want to have that looked at by a plumber to determine where the leak is coming from. You could have a leak in one of the water supply lines, a tank gasket, or in the toilet stub where it connects to the floor. Your plumber can test for a leak and make the suggested repairs quick and easy.

Another note about toilet replacement or repair:

It isn’t necessarily a problem, so I didn’t want to include it in the above list, but sometimes there is a desire to update a toilet. It may be a color, age, or style that no longer has aesthetic appeal, or it could be that a taller, easier-to-use- toilet style is a better fit for an aging parent or person with disability. Plumbers can help make that change as well, so you can have a throne worthy of royalty.

Toilet troubles are never fun to deal with, but are usually a quick and easy fit that shouldn’t be put off. Give Garvin’s Sewer Service a call today to get scheduled for toilet repairs and reduce the chance of water damage.

How to Check if Your Toilet Tank is Leaking

How to Check if Your Toilet Tank is Leaking

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While Americans use a lot of water every day for drinking and watering flowers and taking showers, a little over a quarter (27 percent) of the water we use comes from our toilets. That sounds like a lot, but that number can rise even higher if there is a leak in your toilet tank that allows wasted water to run for hours at a time. Nobody wants to waste that kind of water, whether that be for environmental or budgetary reasons. How does one make sure they don’t have a leak in their toilet tank? There’s a simple test you can conduct to know whether you’ll need plumbing leak repair in Denver.

Performing the Leak Test

The first sign that something may be wrong with your toilet is the persistent turning on and off of the water in the toilet tank, even when you aren’t using the commode. But even if you don’t hear that water running, you still can perform this test to be sure a leak isn’t running up your water bill.

To get started, you will need a packet of toilet leak detection dye tablets. They are very quick and easy to use and are available through your plumbing contractor in Englewood or at your local hardware store. Here’s how you use them to test your toilet for a leak:

  1. Remove the toilet tank lid.
  2. Remove the blue dye tablets from the package and drop them into the toilet tank. You will immediately find that the water in your tank has turned blue.
  3. Put the lid back onto the tank and give the tablets time to completely dissolve. This usually takes approximately 10-to-15 minutes.
  4. After that time, come back and check the bowl of your toilet. If the water there has turned any shade of blue, it means that your toilet tank is leaking and wasting water.

What to Do If Your Toilet Tank is Leaking

Toilet tank leaks are usually caused by an ineffective flush valve system or a fill valve problem, either of which is something best left to a professional plumber. While you likely don’t need to call emergency plumbing in Denver to correct the problem, it is something you’ll want to have taken care of to ensure the leak is repaired so you can stop wasting water and lower your monthly water bill.

Every day a silent leak goes undetected in your home can amount to as much as 300 gallons of wasted water, which is about three times what the average American uses in an entire day. Not only is that incredibly wasteful, but it can lead to hundreds of dollars flushed away each year for literally no good reason. A quick call to Garvin’s Sewer Service will cost much less than what you’d pay in wasted water, and you’ll be doing the environment a favor by conserving water.

If you’ve run the toilet tank test and need Garvin’s Sewer Service to help you repair it, give us a call and we’ll stop that leaking toilet tank at our earliest convenience.

Don’t Have Toilet Paper? Do THIS, not THAT

Don’t Have Toilet Paper? Do THIS, not THAT

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Well, as the Center for Disease Control is asking people to wash their hands, and stay home if they are showing signs of sickness, it seems that correlates to hoarding toilet paper and masks. While POTUS Trump puts a travel ban on Europe, we see people stealing gloves, and hand sanitizer from hospitals.

While this doesn’t quite seem logical, it is our reality today, and in a measure to continue to offer the valuable advice you have come to expect from Garvin’s Sewer Service, we want to give alternates for toilet paper in a THIS not THAT fashion:

Bidet NOT Toilet Paper

Europeans have made bidets popular, but we are seeing more and more installed in the states, as well as urinals in private homes (previously they were reserved for commercial use.) However, homeowners are wanting convenience and less water (and paper use) associated with full flush toilets, especially when they are only urinating.

Reusable Cloths NOT Flushable Wipes

While hygiene wipes say they are flushable, we find them clogging sewer lines all the time. They just don’t break down like toilet paper does. While they are ok for occasional use, they shouldn’t be used on a regular basis.

If you want to be a true hippie, use fabric scraps similar to cloth diapers made from 100% cotton t-shirts or flannel. Keep them in a bin and wash them in hot water before reusing them.

Trash NOT Toilet

If you are really out of toilet paper, you can use napkins, paper towel or tissue, but unless you are doing a solid waste #2, throw these in the trash rather than the toilet to prevent clogs. Like wipes, stronger napkins, paper towels and even facial tissue isn’t designed to break down as quickly or easily as toilet paper, so should only be flushed in low quantities. 

Flush more often if you are using these products and consider a preventative maintenance sewer cleaning to help push through any clogs and cut any roots out of the line that could catch the debris and hold it in place. 

If we can help you prevent clogs, in your sewer or toilet, give us a call at 303-571-5114 for same day service.