Halloween is almost here. Pumpkins, ghosts, tricks and treats will be here before we know it. And don’t forget this plumber’s favorite Halloween tradition – CANDY (100 grand bars are my personal favorite). Most of us don’t think about our plumbing on Halloween, unless we decide to dress up like a toilet or maybe even a plumber?
So we’d like to share a couple of things to avoid this Halloween to prevent a plumber paying you a visit on November 1st. Let me rephrase that, a couple of things you should do to avoid paying a plumber this Halloween.
Carving pumpkins is a super fun thing to do. Who doesn’t enjoy admiring our crazy creations when we finish giving our pumpkins crazy eyes, or creepy smiles?
After 25 years of being a plumber the day after Halloween, I can honestly say that kitchen sink drains do not enjoy pumpkins. Pumpkin guts are stringy and pumpkin seeds are not soft. The gooey orange guts tends to settle in your drain and goop together like a paste, causing a clog. Sometimes they’ll even clog inside of your disposal.
So my best advice this Halloween is to throw the pumpkin innards in the trash or on the compost pile to avoid paying a plumber to snake your drain.
Halloween night is usually a fun time. Glow sticks are pretty fun too.
As a dad, I know that accidents happen. Toys and other things can unintentionally get flushed sometimes. As a former kid, I also know how much fun it was to watch toys (my favorite was GI Joe) go swirling down a watery vortex when I’d pull the toilet handle.
Once a glow stick, or similar item, gets flushed down the toilet it will typically get stuck in the trap. Items stuck in the toilet trap are not easy to remove and can easily require a new toilet. Found this glow stick about 2 days after halloween a few years ago when the toilet kept overflowing. Items like a glow stuck catches toilet paper in the trap and eventually cause the toilet to clog. Snagging a glow stick with a closet auger is almost impossible, so many times we end of breaking the toilet to figure out what’s lodged in it and breaking the toilet requires installing a new toilet. This $2 glow stick ended up costing over $600 for a new toilet.
So this plumber’s advice is to keep glow sticks and other halloween toys out of your toilet.
I guess my first thought, after watching so many spooky movies in October, is to never say never. But as a plumber, I highly doubt a ghost is actually trying to annoy you by flushing your toilet at 3 AM.
Toilet flappers go bad any time, not just around Halloween. Replacing a flapper is a pretty easy fix if you like to try things yourself. If that doesn’t work, you may need to replace the flush valve because they can get cracks or small chips which can allow water to slowly leave your tank.
So this plumber’s advice is to try replacing your flapper. If that doesn’t work move on to the flush valve. But if that doesn’t work, you might need to call a Shaman.
We hope you have a great October and a great Halloween night whether you’re planning on trick or treating in the neighborhood, going to a costume party, or staying home and watching a scary movie.
And if you need help with your plumbing, we’re here and ready to help.
It doesn’t freeze very often in the South Carolina Lowcountry, but when it does, your plumbing can be seriously impacted. So when you see freeze warnings for our area, take the time to protect your plumbing and hopefully you’ll save yourself from an expensive plumbing repair bill.
Our recommendation to protect your backflow prevention assembly from freeze damage.
Should you use liquid clog removers or liquid drain cleaners to try to remove a plumbing clog in your home?
Swell Guy Plumbing Co is a local and licensed plumber serving the Charleston, SC Lowcountry area.
We bring over 25 years of Lowcountry plumbing experience to your home or office.
Steven Dyson, owner, is a lifelong Lowcountry resident, and a licensed plumber in South Carolina (M115194).
Serving: Goose Creek, Hanahan, Ladson, Moncks Corner, North Charleston, Summerville, and West Ashley, SC.
Swell Guy Plumbing Co is ready to help, so feel free to call us because you’ll always speak to a knowledgeable Lowcountry plumber.
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Freezing temperatures are expected in our area.
Please take steps to protect your plumbing and avoid costly plumbing repairs.
