A “Snake the Drain” Strategy Does Not Always Fix the Problem

The toilet is easily one of the hardest working fixtures inside a house. However, if the wrong items are flushed the whole system begins to break down. The Ben Franklin team has sometimes had to snake the drain on area toilets to keep them working correctly. Though this story from Jacksonville, FL, is certainly a unique one, we wanted our customers to know that this scenario is not very far from ordinary.

Small Products Can Cause Big Problems

The plumbing inside the house of an elderly Florida woman became seriously compromised after solid waste overflows backed up into the laundry room and yard. The plumbing breakdown required the woman to do laundry and bathe elsewhere during repairs. Municipal water and sewer agents checked the point where the home’s outflow pipes entered city pipes, but they could not identify the problem. Area plumbers were asked to snake the drain but the problem persisted. After extensive investigation flushable hygiene wipes were finally identified as the cause of the problem.

Even though the homeowner was told not to flush these personal wipes, the packaging informed her otherwise. Gradually the thin wipes collected in the pipes and caused the catastrophic waste water backup. Plumbers that snake the drain do not always catch these small items because they travel so far into a home’s sewer line. Unfortunately, the problems caused by these so-called flushable wipes cost the homeowner a lot of money to correct.

Preventing a Similar Situation

Though plumbing service providers clear a lot of accidentally dropped items out of toilets, it’s very important that you only flush toilet paper down the toilet. Also, don’t try to snake the drain on your own – leave that to a professional.  If you have concerns about the function of your home’s toilet, do not hesitate to call one of our friendly representatives at Ben Franklin.