Clean drain

How to Keep Your Drains Clean

Drains are a lot like your HVAC system or gutters in the sense that you don’t usually notice them unless something is wrong. Maybe your shower is taking a while to drain, or perhaps your toilet is clogging more and more frequently. No matter what the problem may be, keeping your drains clean and working efficiently should be one of your top priorities. If you need to schedule a drain cleaning appointment, then schedule a residential plumbing appointment through our website! Read on to learn more about how you can keep your drains functioning properly.

Use a Filter

One of the best ways to keep your drains clean throughout the year is to utilize a filter. A high-quality filter will keep your drains from becoming overly saturated with hair, food products, and other materials (depending on where the drain is located, of course). Simply clean the filter whenever it becomes dirty and your drains will be in great shape year round!

Start a Compost Bin

What do egg shells, coffee grounds, potato peels, and leftovers have in common? They’re all things you should try not to put down the garbage disposal. While most of these materials will seemingly go down without any trouble, your garbage disposal isn’t a replacement for your garbage can. Moreover, you don’t want to discover that your sink suddenly won’t drain because of a food buildup deep in your pipes. Even worse, you may find yourself having to call a plumber due to a burst pipe.

Try starting a compost bin instead of putting your food waste down the sink. You can use the finished product for gardening, and you’ll be saving quite a bit of water over a long period of time. Even if you don’t see yourself using the compost, there are plenty of community gardens that would welcome a donation.

Collect Your Grease

As we noted in a previous blog post, pouring your grease down the sink is something you should always avoid. Many homeowners dispose of cooking oil or grease by pouring it down the sink along with hot water, but even this isn’t enough to guarantee clean pipes. The water will likely cool down before it reaches the sewer, which means that the grease has time to solidify in the pipes. Don’t risk a clogged drain — collect your grease in a designated container or speak with your local waste management company about how to properly dispose of cooking byproducts.

Contact Us for Drain Cleaning in Toronto

At The Great Plumbing Co., we know how important it is to have clean drains. As the Top Rated Local® plumbing company in Toronto and the surrounding areas, we’re committed to helping you keep your plumbing functioning flawlessly. When you call us for residential plumbing, you can expect fast, friendly, and affordable plumbing services that deliver lasting results. Whether you’ve got a clogged toilet or a sink that won’t drain as quickly as it once did, we’re the Toronto plumbing company you can count on!

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plumbing myths busted

Plumbing Myths Busted — Part II

Can you really flush wipes down the toilet? Will using hot water allow you to pour grease down your sink? There are many myths in the plumbing industry, and it’s not always easy to know where to turn for answers. We examined and clarified a few common plumbing myths you may have heard in a previous post, and in today’s post, we’ll continue to examine some of the most common plumbing myths we’ve heard over the years.

If you need residential plumbing of any kind, then schedule an appointment with The Great Plumbing Co. through our website!

Common Plumbing Myths

A Leaky Faucet Is No Big Deal

You’ve heard your faucet leaking throughout the day, but it’s a slow drip that probably isn’t raising your utility bills by much, right? While a leaky faucet probably isn’t going to break the bank, unresolved drips will cost you a significant amount of money over a long period of time. Moreover, leaky faucets are one of the leading causes of water waste. In the United States, for instance, the average untreated leak is estimated to waste up to 10,000 gallons of water every year. As a nation, it’s estimated that roughly 1 trillion gallons are wasted due to leaks. While Canada’s population is much smaller, we can expect the figures to be proportional. Give us a call or schedule a residential plumbing appointment if you have a leak that needs to be fixed.

Cat Litter Is Flushable

Many litter manufacturers claim that their litter is flushable, but it’s best to throw your cat’s litter out with the rest of your waste. Many modern toilets use less water than their older counterparts, meaning that they may not have enough water to transport the litter all the way through the pipes. Further, cat fecal matter isn’t exactly the softest material around. It dehydrates within a matter of days, and if you’re not scooping multiple times per day, then it’s likely to become stuck in your pipes.

If this isn’t enough to convince you, then consider the fact that cat waste sometimes contains the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This parasite is one of the most common in the world, and it can cause toxoplasmosis, a flu-like disease that can lead to serious complications. Water treatment facilities have become more and more effective in recent years, but many are still not able to fully filter out every contaminant. Keep yourself and your fellow Canadians safe by disposing of your kitty litter elsewhere!

Letting Bleach Sit Is Fine

Bleach is a common chemical used to clean toilets, but letting it sit for too long can corrode your toilet and your pipes. If you’re going to use bleach to clean your toilet, then let it sit for no longer than 10 minutes before you begin cleaning. Letting it sit for any longer won’t increase its effectiveness, but it can slowly damage your porcelain.

All Plumbers Have Similar Skills

This myth couldn’t be further from the truth! If you’re relying on someone for residential plumbing in Toronto, you need to ensure that you’re choosing a plumber with the skills to get the job done correctly the first time around. At The Great Plumbing Co., we’re proud to have been in the industry for nearly three decades. We’re known for quality, integrity, and fast service, but don’t take our word for it — read our reviews for yourself!

We’ll keep revisiting this topic in future posts, so be sure to keep an eye on our blog page. If you need residential plumbing in Toronto or any of the surrounding areas
, then get in touch with The Great Plumbing Co. We can help you with kitchen, bathroom plumbing, and so much more!

myths busted

Plumbing Myths Busted — Part I

Every industry has myths that have somehow remained in public consciousness for decades, and the plumbing industry is no exception. As one of the top residential plumbing companies in Toronto and the surrounding areas, we’re proud to be a go-to resource for information about drain cleaning, frozen pipe repair, and other common plumbing problems.

If you need residential plumbing in Toronto or any of the surrounding areas, then schedule an appointment with The Great Plumbing Co. today!

Common Plumbing Myths

Ice Is an Effective Disposal Blade Sharpener

You’ve probably heard that pouring a few ice cubes down the sink will keep your blades sharp before. Maybe you had a parent who would put a few ice cubes in the disposal every month or so, or maybe you read about this myth online. This myth is false, in large part because most garbage disposals have teeth and grinding mechanisms instead of blades (and even if they did have blades, ice would quickly dull them). Ice can damage and jam the mechanisms in your disposal, so call us for garbage disposal repair if you’re concerned that your disposal isn’t working as well as it once did.

Hot Water Prevents Grease Clogs

While it’s true that hot water melts grease, it’s unlikely that a hot stream of water will carry the grease all the way out of your plumbing system. In fact, it’s likely to cool down around the same area and cause a buildup further down the pipe, which can be even more difficult to repair. You don’t want a clogged pipe to burst and cause damage to your home, so practice proper grease disposal whenever you’re cooking with oils and fats. For instance, if you’re cooking bacon on a weekend morning for your family, then pour the grease into a disposable container and throw it away once it’s solidified. Alternatively, you can reuse the grease, use it for compost, or ask your local waste management company for disposal advice.

You Can Flush Wipes

Wipes, and even wipes marketed as flushable, are one of the most common reasons why clients schedule clogged toilet appointments with our plumbing company. Toilet paper is designed to break down as it travels through your plumbing system, but wipes won’t break down as easily. If you’re going to use wipes — even flushable ones — then err on the side of caution and find somewhere to throw them away rather than putting them down the drain. We provide exceptional bathroom plumbing, so get in touch with us if you need help with a clogged toilet in your home.

These are just a few of the most common plumbing myths we’ve heard in the past few years. Keep an eye on our blog page for future posts in which we’ll continue to revisit this topic in more detail. If you’re ready to get started with an appointment, then click on the button below to schedule plumbing services at a time that is convenient for you. We look forward to working with you soon!