As a pet owner, you love your dog or cat. You've done a lot to make sure that they're safe in your home and they've become part of the family. However, you may not have thought about how you can keep systems in your home safe from them. For instance, Fido and your other four-legged family members could be wreaking havoc on your plumbing system without you even knowing it. Here are some great ways to make your plumbing pet-proof.
Use Drain Stoppers
If you've ever washed a dog or cat in the tub or the sink, you know how much hair can come off during bath time. To prevent this hair from clogging your drain, make sure you have some good drain stoppers in the tub while you bathe them. Blocking animal hair is especially important because the hair tends to be thicker and coarser.
Pet Proof the Toilet Bowl
Many pet owners unwittingly let their cats and dogs drink from the toilet bowl, unaware that this can be seriously harmful to your pet. Even if your toilet bowl is spotlessly clean, residues from the cleaning products you used are probably floating in the water and are poisonous. Not only that, but having pets drink from the toilet bowl is incredibly unsanitary for humans too. While it won't pose a danger to your plumbing, it can have fatal results to your dogs and cats.
Dispose of Litter Properly
You might look on the bag of kitty litter at your house and be pleased as punch that it says it's flushable. This is a misnomer. The truth is that cat litter may claim to be flushable, but it can build up in your toilet and damage your plumbing. Over time, kitty litter causes serious clogs and turns into a gummy substance in your pipes. Whether the packaging states it or not, there are no products that are safe for flushing down the toilet except for human waste and toilet paper. Anything else and you run the risk of ruining your plumbing system and paying for potentially costly repairs.
Ditch the Digging
Digging is a natural behavior for dogs and they've probably been doing it from the beginning of time. However, if the digging gets deep enough, their dirty paws can run into water and sewer lines. Many plumbing lines are only about a foot and a half below the surface and you'll be saying "Bad dog!" if you end up with a costly repair bill from a dog busting a water line. You can
Call a Plumber
They may look innocent enough and it's certainly not intentional but anytime you have a problem with your plumbing, the culprit may be your doe-eyed doggy. Before you add a new pet to your household, call a plumber to make sure that the plumbing is up to snuff and help you identify ways that you can make sure your plumbing is safe for pets and vice versa.
You may not love it when your dog drinks from the toilet bowl or the way their hair clogs up the bathtub after you give them a shampoo. Your plumbing system doesn't like it either. These simple tips will help tremendously in making sure your plumbing is completely pet-proof. If they could, your pets and your plumbing would thank you.
