It’s common for humans to practice bad plumbing habits, but you probably never thought that your pets could be contributing to the issues! We love our pets, but they often get into mischief when unsupervised and can seriously damage your home, including your plumbing system. Between loose hair, dander, cat litter, and bad habits like drinking from the toilet bowl, ensuring your pets and plumbing are safe is important.
Here are a few helpful plumbing tips for pet owners!
Keep Toilet Lids Closed
Dogs often wander into the bathroom for a quick drink from the porcelain “water bowl” occasionally. Some pet owners can think this a funny, harmless habit, but it can negatively affect your dog’s health. Drinking toilet water is unsanitary, and chemical residue from cleaners can make your pet sick. Make it a habit always to close the lid on your toilet so your dogs cannot use it as a drinking bowl.
Do Not Flush Cat Litter
Even though some cat litter brands say they can safely flush down the toilet, pet waste and litter can easily clog pipes, and if you’re flushing to a septic system, you may need to have the septic tank pumped.
Keep Bath Time Outside
If the temperature allows, try to bathe your pets outdoors. If you and your dog come home from a long walk and they are covered in mud, dirt, and grass washing them in the bathtub will cause all that grime and pet hair to clog your drain, wreaking havoc on your plumbing. You are better off rinsing them down outside with a garden hose or taking them to a pet store with a washing station where you can rinse them in a tub especially made for pets.
Cover Exposed Pipes
If you have a teething kitten or puppy running around your home, odds are they will end up chewing on things they are not supposed to. Be sure to wrap or cover exposed pipes in your home to protect your pet from injuring themselves and avoid unnecessary plumbing issues.
Even after taking these precautions, pets can be unpredictable, and accidents happen. At Inland Empire Leak Detection, we have the experience and industry knowledge to fix your piping and emergency leak issues quickly and efficiently. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide free leak inspections and perform our various plumbing services.
Contact us at (951)442-5339 to learn how we can assist you with your plumbing issues in the Riverside, CA, area.
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