How to Make Your Plumbing System Pet Proof
There’s no doubt that pets make great companions. They can be a source of entertainment, and playing with them is a good stress reliever. However, animals can get up to their own brand of mischief now and then. Cats tend to scratch up furniture, while dogs can chew up the same or else make a mess of your garden.
The thing is, any 24 hr emergency plumber will tell you that another way a pet can cause mischief is by accidentally damaging your home’s plumbing system, and that can mean expensive repairs and even a trip to the vet. To keep that from happening, here are some tips to help you make your home’s plumbing pet-proof.
Cover pipes
Even domestic animals like to explore now and then, especially if they’re looking for something to do. If you have any pipes that aren’t hidden, your pet could find them and start to examine them. Usually, such an examination will include scratching or biting, and as you can tell, not only is it possible your pet will hurt themselves in the process, the pipes may not escape unscathed.
To avoid injured teeth and claws and a possibly costly pipe replacement, make sure you cover pipes with something pets won’t be able to get rid of easily.
Take precautions in the bath
Not every household has the option to bathe their pets outside using a hose, so if you’re one of those who has to give their pet a bath in their own bathroom, there are precautions to take. Brush off any hair and dirt you can before giving your pet a bath, and use a strainer or stopper to keep hair from going down the drain. That way, you’re not risking a hair clog in the pipes.
Throw away kitty litter
We know that kitty litter can have an unpleasant smell, and it’s not the most pleasing thing to look at. No matter how tempted you are to flush kitty litter down the toilet, make sure you throw it out with the trash, even if the packaging advertises the litter as “flush friendly”. Throwing away kitty litter has to be done properly.
This is because cat litter clumps very quickly when wet, which could mean flushing it can turn it into a gooey substance that can and will clog up your pipe.
Keep toilet lids closed
Does your dog try to drink water from the toilet bowl? If so, the easiest way to deter them is to close the toilet lid. Not only will this keep any odd smells from attracting your pooch, but it will prevent them from ingesting any chemicals left behind by toilet cleaners and the like when they take an experimental drink.
Keeping toilet lids closed will also help keep smaller pets from getting too curious about your toilet and accidentally falling in.
We know these tips seem pretty simple, but trust us – they’re effective at keeping your pets from accidentally causing a plumbing problem.
