A lot of individuals do love flushable wipes. After all, wipes provide a more comfortable and refreshing sensation after use, compared to using a typical toilet paper. In fact, medicated wipes are even available today to help relieve medical conditions that trigger pain to the patient. However, many people believe that flushable wipes can be flushed down the toilet.
So the question is – are flushable wipes flushable? Here’s a simple answer – NO!
This has been a common question for several years already. The truth is – wipes can be detrimental to the plumbing system. The components used to manufacture wipes aren’t made to break down easily; hence, it can be a potential problem to the pipes.
Majority of wipes are made of paper pulp being held together by materials which are non-degradable such as polymers and polyester. Unlike the traditional toilet paper which can easily break down in water, wipes stay intact. Chances are, they get stuck in the septic tank or pipes. This can lead to backflows, blockages, clogging and even flooding.
Wipes can clog pipes.
Since the materials that compose wipes are non-biodegradable, undoubtedly, they can lead to clogging of pipes. There’s a caveat though – this fact will never be revealed by the manufacturers. So if you’ve been using wipes and disposing them to the toilet for a while now, chances are, you’ll be experiencing a plumbing problem anytime soon.
What can you do if flushable wipes clog your toilet?
If you’ve experienced a clogging problem due to the disposal of wipes, here’s something to help you out.
You can start with a plunger. This item can help loosen the clog and force the flushable wipes to go down through the sewer pipe. If the plunger won’t do, opt for a toilet snake.
Toilet snakes are usually available at the nearest hardware store and are inexpensive. You can use them to grab the wipes that block the pipe. Once you can see them, pull them back out and dispose of them properly in the trash bin.
If you’ve done all other DIY methods but your efforts ended up futile, your last resort would always be to call the nearest professional plumber. This is usually the case especially with deep clogs caused by flushed wipes.
Flushable wipes are dangerous to your septic system as well.
If your household has its own septic system, it’s also dangerous when you keep on flushing wipes. Aside from the potential to clog your pipes, the wipes which cannot be dissolved will accumulate inside the septic tank, triggering septic problems. This requires a very expensive repair fee from a plumbing company. Call the best plumbers Concord experts immediately before your plumbing issues get worse.