Don’t Flush Feminine Products (or Other “Flushables”)

Don’t Flush Feminine Products (or Other “Flushables”)

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

There’s a lot of confusion out there when it comes to what exactly you can flush down the toilet. Take feminine products, for example: some products will say on the package that they are flushable, but take it from us – it’s best not to flush them down the toilet. Let’s take a closer look and find out why.

Feminine Products: Made to Absorb Moisture

Sanitary pads and tampons are designed to absorb moisture. If you flush them, they’ll end up absorbing water and expanding in size – in fact, tampons can expand to about 10 times their original size as they absorb water. The water-logged pads and tampons may end up clogging your toilet, causing it to overflow. Even if they manage to make it past the toilet, they may end up causing a blockage elsewhere in the plumbing system. 

If you have an older sewer system, it’s possible that you have tree roots infiltrating your sewer pipes. Flushed tampons and sanitary pads can get caught in the roots, creating blockages in your pipes and leading to a sewer backup. Gross!

Feminine Products: Not Biodegradable

One myth that prevails is that tampons are biodegradable and will simply break down after you flush them. This is false; unlike toilet paper, which does disintegrate, the cotton and/or rayon material used in tampons won’t break down, and will instead remain in a solid lump. Flush multiple tampons down the toilet, and you could have a major plumbing blockage on your hands!

Sewage Treatment Plant Problems

If the sanitary pads or tampons make it past your plumbing and sewer lines, there’s still the issue of the sewage treatment plant, where they may affect the pumping station or clog the filters. Generally sewage treatment plants break down items in the wastewater with strong chemicals; these chemicals can have adverse effects on the plant employees. Public wastewater treatment costs the U.S. billions of dollars each year; this cost could be reduced in part by not flushing feminine products down the toilet.

Septic Tank Issues

If you have a septic tank, feminine products can sit in the tank and take up space, causing the liquid levels to rise as a result. Human waste may end up blocking the distribution pipes, and you could experience a sewage back-up. If you see sewage or wastewater collecting around the tank, you’ve got a blockage somewhere in your system! 

What About “Flushable” Personal Wipes?

We’ve seen them at the store – those personal wipes next to the toilet paper that promise to get you extra clean. They are also supposedly flushable, but it’s best not to take the chance. While they don’t absorb water like sanitary pads and tampons do, they don’t break down like toilet paper, and clogs in your pipes are a possibility, especially if you use them often.

What Can I Flush?

Here’s what you can flush down your toilet: human waste and toilet paper. That’s it. Flushing anything else – including feminine products or so-called “flushable” wipes – puts you at risk for clogs in your plumbing system. Avoid plumbing problems and throw these products in the wastebasket!

If you’re experiencing sewer line backups or overflowing toilets as a result of clogs caused by feminine products or other items, contact us – we’re sewer line experts, and can fix the problem fast. We can handle other plumbing repairs, as well, and we offer preventative maintenance to prevent sewer line backups. If you’re in the greater Denver area and are in need of a plumber, call us!

Can You Flush Cat Poop Down the Toilet?

Can You Flush Cat Poop Down the Toilet?

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

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!

Plumbing Tips Every Homeowner Should Know: Part 2

Plumbing Tips Every Homeowner Should Know: Part 2

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

Welcome back! If you missed the first part of this blog, read it here. We promise, it’s worth it!

Let’s continue, without further ado, to our final three handy tips for keeping your home’s plumbing in fantastic shape.

Find Lovely Rita meter

We know the old Beatle’s song referenced a different type of meter. But, we’re going to ask you to go on a treasure hunt again and you’ll need a tune to hum as you look. Do you know where your water meter is? It could be inside your house, outside the perimeter, or in your front yard. 

If you have an outdoor water meter pit, you may need to remove a nut to loosen the lid on the cover and remove the cover to look at the meter. 

Once you’ve located your meter and can see the dial, consider running a water leak test to see if you have any slow leaks in your house. Read this blog for instructions. Call Garvin’s if you need help or have any kind of leak.

Push the red button

Someday you may flip the switch on your garbage disposal and nothing will happen. No grinding or usual disposal noises—you’ll hear… nothing instead. You may even have a nasty sink clog to go with it and wonder what to do. 

If that happens, you’ll have at least one trick up your sleeve. You’ll be able to press the reset button. To locate this tiny, red button, look on the bottom of your disposal unit. Once you find the button, pushing it will reset your disposal. See this video for a demo.

The button is like a circuit breaker. It pops out of your disposal unit to cut off the electricity and prevent the unit from overheating.

If you’re in luck and you just tripped overload protector, all could be well again with the reset. If not, your disposal could need fixing or replacing. Call Garvin’s if you need help.

Ditch the drain debris

Drain blockages happen all the time. Dirt, grease, waste and other debris gradually collect and block drains as sure as we all have to pay taxes every year. Blockages are annoying and can be disgusting. They may eventually cause your sewer to back up too.

If that happens, you can call Garvin’s, or you can be proactive and schedule routine sewer maintenance.

There are actually four ways to access your sewer line: An outside pipe (aka riser); a basement or crawlspace cleanout cap; a toilet, or a vent on your roof. Knowing where your access point is will help your technician to help you. Discover which one you have before you have an emergency.

Still not sure? Give us a call. Garvin’s Sewer Service has been the Denver-Metro area’s drain cleaning expert since 1940, the year color TV was invented! 

We clean drains with a blade-tipped cable. The blade spins through the drain line, quickly cleaning the full circumference of the line and pushing out and/or destroying the blockage.

Contact us online or by phone to schedule cleaning and set up routine sewer cleaning service.

Sewer service in Denver and Englewood

The professionals at Garvin’s Sewer Service are fast, reliable and can respond to a wide variety of plumbing and sewer problems. Call today, or fill out our online form.

Sources

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/fix-garbage-disposal-reset-button-doesnt-work-68212.html

What are the Most Cost-Effective Plumbing Upgrades?

What are the Most Cost-Effective Plumbing Upgrades?

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Whether you’re planning to sell your home or just want to make it more livable, there are a variety of cost-effective plumbing upgrades to consider. Garvin’s Sewer Service covers some of the top choices here, each one well within the scope of expertise of our plumbing contractors serving Englewood.

Double Sinks

If your kitchen and/or master bathroom has the space to accommodate it, consider installing a double sink. If you plan on staying in your house and adding to your family, you’ll welcome a second sink. And if you’re thinking of selling your house, a double sink is a great value-add – especially for large and/or multi-generational families. 

Tankless Water Heater

Upgrading to a tankless water heater delivers big advantages. For one, you’ll enjoy an unlimited supply of hot water, no matter how many people are showering while the dishwasher is running. It’s important to match the tank size to the size of your home and the number of occupants, and our plumbing service near Englewood can help you out with this. Another big benefit offered by a tankless water heater is energy savings, which translates to a lower monthly heating bill. Rather than the traditional approach, which consists of a huge tank of water that is perpetually heated, with a tankless water heater the water is only heated as it passes through the unit.

Low Flow Toilets

A low flow toilet does exactly what the name implies – it uses less water than a traditional toilet, but still gets rid of the same amount of waste. If a full bathroom renovation isn’t in the cards, installing a low flow toilet is a good compromise and certain to appeal to homebuyers, especially those prioritizing sustainable features.

Low Flow and Luxury Showerheads

Even though a low-flow luxury showerhead might command a premium price, the money you’ll save on your monthly water bill makes it more than worth it in the long run. Moreover, a master bathroom with a rain or massage showerhead in the shower is something virtually every homebuyer can get excited about.

Drain Repair/Replacement

Not only is it a good idea to have your drains inspected periodically but depending on the age of your home you might also consider having them replaced. Few home repairs are more scarier than clogged pipes in the kitchen or bathroom – but with new drains in place, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that everything is running smoothly. 

New Pipes

If you intend on fully renovating your kitchen or bathroom and you anticipate a repositioning of the toilet, sink, shower, etc., it’s a smart move to have our nearby plumbers inspect the existing pipes. If the pipes are old/worn to a point where we recommend replacing them, be assured that this will be an invaluable update when the time comes to sell your home.

Upgrade Today with Garvin’s Sewer Service

Contact Garvin’s Sewer Service today to learn more about cost-effective plumbing upgrades that will make your home more livable and maximize your return on investment. We carry a large selection of top-quality plumbing fixtures, and our expert plumbers serving Englewood will ensure that everything is professionally installed and looks great. 

5 Toilet Troubles and Their Fixes

5 Toilet Troubles and Their Fixes

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

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

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , , /by

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

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

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.

Why You Can’t Ignore Drainage Issues in Your Restaurant

Why You Can’t Ignore Drainage Issues in Your Restaurant

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

It’s one thing to experience drainage issues at home, when you have a good sense of where the problem may be located and who may have caused it, but if you’re the owner of a restaurant, that often goes straight out the window. There are so many moving parts in a restaurant business —and so many people who work there dine there—that it can be hard sometimes to determine who or what exactly caused the drainage problem.

Here at Garvin’s Sewer Service, we have seen our fair share of clogs and leaks in restaurants throughout the Denver area, and unfortunately, many of the most severe problems occur because the business owner, or GM, leaves them untended for too long. Put simply, restaurant owners cannot afford to ignore any drainage issues they have in their building, as the long-term impact can be enough to close down your restaurant business for a time while the fixes are underway.

In an ideal world, business owners would be able to identify what’s wrong with their drainage early enough to identify the problem and call a commercial drain cleaner to make sure everything works as it should. There are several things that could go wrong with a restaurant’s drainage, but the following are the most common:

Grease Clogs

The most dangerous of restaurant drainage issues is grease buildup. For places that sell burgers and fried foods, the grease will be worse, but all restaurants can see grease build up in their drains. The worse this gets, the bigger the drainage problems can be throughout the building. If you’re concerned grease is a problem for you, Garvin’s can help.

Sink Clogs

Grease isn’t the only thing that can get washed down a drain. With food prep comes a lot of food debris, and if employees are washing too much of that debris down the sink, they can clog up, too. Frankly, the sinks in customer restrooms can end up with foreign objects in the pipes, too.

Toilet Problems

Another problem that can come courtesy of customers is the toilets. The biggest difference in your home is that you control what goes into your toilets, yet you have no control over that at your restaurant. Customers can be a little absent-minded when it comes to this, so even if you have signs about where certain types of waste goes, you may still end up with overflowing toilets and clogged plumbing.

Sewer System Issues

Sometimes, the problem is under the surface and has to do with the sewer system as a whole. If you are operating in a new suburb, the sewer lines are likely fine, but restaurants in older buildings might see problems that can only be caused by years of use and can only be fixed by professionals like those at Garvin’s Sewer Service.

Contact an Experienced Plumber

Of course, no matter how well you take care of your kitchen and its drainage system, problems are almost sure to arise. When they do, don’t hesitate to reach out to the professionals at Garvin Sewer Service. We’ll make sure small problems don’t turn into bigger problems so your business can run the way it was intended without any unexpected major expenses or, worse, temporary business shutdowns.

Flushable not flushable

Why Only Flush Toilet Paper?

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Like most women, you have been to a bathroom, whether private or public, and a sign has been prominently displayed in the stall that reads: “Please don’t flush anything but toilet paper”. While this seems straightforward, it is still confusing, especially because we are told certain products are “flushable”, including tampon cores, wipes, and paper towel. So, what’s the deal?

If you’ve ever owned a home, you have likely had the unpleasant experience of a sewer line back up. It may have started with a toilet gurgle, or may have just surprised you with a basement puddle of sewage. You likely contacted a sewer cleaning company and had them take care of the problem. Often, but not always, the sewer technician will let you know what caused the problem – tree root overgrowth, tampons, and too much paper tend to be the biggest culprits. Let’s talk more about each so you can understand why just because something says it’s flushable, it doesn’t mean it is wise to do so.

Tree Root Overgrowth

The trees in your yard, or even your neighbor’s yard, can grow into the porous material of your sewer line, especially at sewer line joints. These roots act as a strainer, capturing debris and usually letting water pass. Of course, water won’t be able to flow through once too much debris has collected. This is why what you flush matters – anything that doesn’t quickly and easily break down runs the risk of being grabbed and held onto including…

Toilet Paper

All toilet papers are designed to break down in sewer and septic systems. Plush and ultra types of toilet paper tend to take longer to disintegrate and often absorb water, turning them into globs of paper before they hit the city sewer main. Clumps of this toilet paper don’t pass as easily through your home’s pipes and sit in your line like spit wads on elementary school ceilings. Add sewer roots to the mix and you can see why the wrong toilet paper can be a problem.

Tampons

Tampons, not the applicators (which most women know are not flushable), but the cotton/rayon tampon itself, is not to be flushed. Yes, they are small enough to make it through the waste lines, but don’t dissolve or breakdown like paper products do. Instead, wrap them in toilet paper like you do feminine pads and dispose of them in the trash. Again, if roots are in the line, they will grab the tampons and cause a clog. Without roots, tampons can still sit in the line, catch other debris, and prevent water from passing through.

Other Items

Other items that say they are flushable, but really can cause problems in your sewer include wipes and paper towels. They are both made out of paper, so will dissolve, but they don’t do it quickly. Instead, they are more cloth like, creating large clogs.

Overall, if it can go in the trash, rather than down the drain, it’s better to throw it away. This includes items like dental floss, cotton balls/swabs and similar items.

Bottom Line

Whether or not is says it is flushable, do your best to limit toilet waste to septic friendly paper and human waste. Anything more can result in messy sewer line back-ups and unneeded frustrations. If you experience recurring clogs or back-ups, ask your sewer line technician what steps you can take to reduce them.

Garvin’s Sewer Service has been serving the Greater Denver and Boulder resident’s home and business plumbing drain cleaning needs for over 75 years! Give us a call today if we can help you with your sewer or plumbing needs at 303-571-5114.