When it comes to plumbing, it's easy to take the system for granted as long as it's working well. This can lead to bad habits and careless mistakes, though, many of which your local plumbing service wants you to avoid. Niebuhr Plumbing & Heating has been the go-to plumbing company for the La Crosse, WI, area for over 100 years, and they've seen it all. They're here to highlight a few of the habits you should kick to keep your system running smoothly. 

Top 3 Plumbing Mistakes to Avoid

1. Flushing the Unflushable

Many of the substances an average resident flushes down the toilet weren’t meant to be there in the first place. Even so-called "flushable" items like wet wipes should stay out of the bowl. Stick to toilet paper, and you won't run into as many nasty clogs, and talk to your local plumbing service about the best way to handle these clogs when they do occur.

2.  Abusing the Garbage Disposal

In a similar vein, you shouldn't treat your garbage disposal like a catch-all waste bin. Avoid overloading it with food, and feed waste through slowly. Don't forget to keep grease away from the disposal entirely; it will congeal into a solid and block up the drain and piping. 

3. Using Caustic Cleaning Agents

Clogs can be a pain to deal with, but try to resist going for quick fixes like Drano and other heavy-duty chemicals. They may provide a temporary band-aid for your blockage problems, but they'll end up doing more damage to your pipes in the long run. The same applies to drop-in tablets used to freshen toilets. These chemicals will gradually wear out the components, so go back to cleaning the bowl the old-fashioned way. 

Beyond these bad habits, you should be wary of tackling any of the related fixes yourself. As satisfying as a DIY repair can be, professional plumbing services will respond much more quickly and effectively, preventing any further damage in the process. For the best results, contact the experts at Niebuhr Plumbing & Heating. They offer emergency plumbing services, so whenever something serious pops up, you'll always have someone to call. Visit them online for more information on how they can help, and call them at (608) 782-1700 to schedule an appointment today.