“Flushable” Wipes Can Be Dangerous for Your Plumbing System
June 13, 2019
“Flushable” wipes have become increasingly common in bathrooms around the world as an alternative to toilet paper. The problem is that while these wipes are marketed as flushable, doing so is in fact a very bad habit, both at home your home’s bathroom and in any other bathroom. There is a wide variety of reasons that these flushable wipes —while marketed as flushable —can in fact cause considerable damage to both home and civic plumbing systems. Here’s why flushing those wipes can be dangerous for your plumbing system — and why using them may result in a lot of extra expenses too.
‘Flushable’ Wipes Are More Likely to Clog Drains
Though marketed as ‘flushable,’ these wipes aren’t designed like toilet paper and cannot easily break apart in water. In fact, there are even a wide variety of toilet paper brands that struggle with this. Flushable wipes are often simply too durable to dissolve in water, despite manufacturers claims, which can cause major problems when they are flushed and don’t disintegrate soon enough. Many of the most famous sewer clogs of recent years have been traced back to wipes that just won’t go away. The same thing can happen in your home on a smaller scale, causing troublesome toilet backups.
Potential Damage to Sewage and Septic Systems
Wipes that won’t easily disintegrate eventually enter the sewage system or (depending on your setup) your septic tank. These systems are designed specifically to break down waste over ann extended period of time —weeks, months, —even years. Items that won’t decompose fast enough can disrupt this process and eventually cause long-term problems.
“Flushable” Wipes Really Aren’t Flushable
Some wipes are marketed as flushable, with assurances that they will decompose quickly. The problem is that there aren’t many guarantees that this is true (although some cities and municipalities are working on regulations to help counter false claims to consumers). Many brands are guilty of letting people assume the wipes can be flushed when really they should be thrown away in the trash instead. Other brands may claim they are flushable, but the results appear to prove otherwise in research labs. It is best to assume that all wipes have trouble disintegrating in water and it is safer just to throw them in the trash.
Wipes Can Even Cause Flash Floods
What happens when a lot of wipes are flushed into a sewage system in a city? The system backs up, which means there are fewer places for the rain to go. A severe storm can quickly back up the system and lead to flooding. This causes not only lots of property damage to homes and businesses alike but also takes a lot of city funds to fix. Yes, even these widespread problems can be caused by flushing wipes! On a more minor scale, similar issues can plague apartment buildings, so it’s important to be careful even if you don’t own your home.
Note: Wipes aren’t the only thing you shouldn’t flush down your toilet. As a general rule, if it isn’t waste or toilet paper, don’t flush it! That includes common items that people may think are okay to put in the toilet, like diapers, paper towels, cat litter, condoms, tampons, food and anything else. Put it in the trash and save your plumbing from a disaster.
At Denver Plumbing Solutions, we pride ourselves in offering excellent service, with implementation of best practices for any of our client’s plumbing needs. Our team of well-trained, licensed professionals know that plumbing appliances and sewer systems are integral parts of a home or business. Whether you’re home sewage system is negatively affected by flushable wipes, or another issue, it’s always our goal to make sure that every one of our clients receives a clear and concise plan that ensures the issue is resolved in a timely and professional manner.
Our professionally licensed, and insured plumbers are readily able to solve any problem that could be causing your home or business inconvenience, from sewage back up to flooding or improper drainage. Contact Denver Plumbing Solutions today for all your commercial and residential plumbing needs in Denver, Littleton, Aurora and surrounds.
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‘Flushable’ Wipes Are More Likely to Clog Drains
Though marketed as ‘flushable,’ these wipes aren’t designed like toilet paper and cannot easily break apart in water. In fact, there are even a wide variety of toilet paper brands that struggle with this. Flushable wipes are often simply too durable to dissolve in water, despite manufacturers claims, which can cause major problems when they are flushed and don’t disintegrate soon enough. Many of the most famous sewer clogs of recent years have been traced back to wipes that just won’t go away. The same thing can happen in your home on a smaller scale, causing troublesome toilet backups.
Potential Damage to Sewage and Septic Systems
Wipes that won’t easily disintegrate eventually enter the sewage system or (depending on your setup) your septic tank. These systems are designed specifically to break down waste over ann extended period of time —weeks, months, —even years. Items that won’t decompose fast enough can disrupt this process and eventually cause long-term problems.
“Flushable” Wipes Really Aren’t Flushable
Some wipes are marketed as flushable, with assurances that they will decompose quickly. The problem is that there aren’t many guarantees that this is true (although some cities and municipalities are working on regulations to help counter false claims to consumers). Many brands are guilty of letting people assume the wipes can be flushed when really they should be thrown away in the trash instead. Other brands may claim they are flushable, but the results appear to prove otherwise in research labs. It is best to assume that all wipes have trouble disintegrating in water and it is safer just to throw them in the trash.
Wipes Can Even Cause Flash Floods
What happens when a lot of wipes are flushed into a sewage system in a city? The system backs up, which means there are fewer places for the rain to go. A severe storm can quickly back up the system and lead to flooding. This causes not only lots of property damage to homes and businesses alike but also takes a lot of city funds to fix. Yes, even these widespread problems can be caused by flushing wipes! On a more minor scale, similar issues can plague apartment buildings, so it’s important to be careful even if you don’t own your home.
Note: Wipes aren’t the only thing you shouldn’t flush down your toilet. As a general rule, if it isn’t waste or toilet paper, don’t flush it! That includes common items that people may think are okay to put in the toilet, like diapers, paper towels, cat litter, condoms, tampons, food and anything else. Put it in the trash and save your plumbing from a disaster.
At Denver Plumbing Solutions, we pride ourselves in offering excellent service, with implementation of best practices for any of our client’s plumbing needs. Our team of well-trained, licensed professionals know that plumbing appliances and sewer systems are integral parts of a home or business. Whether you’re home sewage system is negatively affected by flushable wipes, or another issue, it’s always our goal to make sure that every one of our clients receives a clear and concise plan that ensures the issue is resolved in a timely and professional manner.
Our professionally licensed, and insured plumbers are readily able to solve any problem that could be causing your home or business inconvenience, from sewage back up to flooding or improper drainage. Contact Denver Plumbing Solutions today for all your commercial and residential plumbing needs in Denver, Littleton, Aurora and surrounds.