We all know how much joy animals bring to families, but have you ever considered the damage they can cause to your home’s plumbing system?
Of course you haven’t! While most people might roll their eyes at the dog drinking from the toilet, or be frustrated when your pup comes in up to their eyes in mud and needs a bath, very few people think about the affect these things can have on the health of your plumbing system!
Well, that’s why we are here at Donnelly’s — we strive to ensure that you are doing what is best for your home and to make sure your plumbing system is running at it’s peak efficiency.
Here are four quick tips to keep your plumbing safe if you have furry friends at home.
1. Always Use A Drain Strainer
If you choose to give your pet a bath instead of paying for a groomer, we highly suggest using a stopper or strainer to catch all of the hair before entering the drain. Just like humans, most dogs shed off excess hair during bath time which can lead to a smelly, slow drain flow. Protect your drains with this step.
2. Close The Toilet Lid
Closing the toilet lid isn’t to help maintain the safety of your drains, it’s to make sure your pets are safe. The residue left behind from cleaners and chemicals can be extremely harmful for your pets to ingest. As a rule of thumb, try to check your pet’s water bowl twice a day. If you aren’t home all day, keep your toilet lids shut and leave sufficient water in your pet’s water bowl.
3. Flush With Caution
Remember us talking about not putting fats or oils down your drains? Well, kitty litter doesn’t belong there either even if the label reads as “flushable”. To avoid a clogged toilet, only flush toilet paper and waste especially if you have a septic tank.
4. Watch For Digging
It’s important to know where your water and/or sewer lines are in your yard. The last thing you want to come home to is a dog covered in you-know-what and a hole in your sewer line. If you have a fenced in yard try to make sure those lines aren’t within the space your pet is, covering the area or crate train your dog while you are at work.
Following these quick steps should help give you peace of mind that your animals are safe and so is your home’s plumbing system. If you happen to run into a plumbing problem — day or night, Donnelly’s is here to help!
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