If there’s one thing kids love, it’s water. From the shower to the sink to the toilet, there are lots of ways for kids to play with water in your house, especially in the bathroom. Unfortunately, this means your bathroom is also a prime location for plumbing problems due to your little ones. Here are a few common plumbing issues kids often cause and how to prevent and fix them.
Too Much Paper in the Potty!
Pulling toilet paper off the roll can be incredibly fun for children, and piling it all up in the toilet bowl can be even more fun. However, your toilet is only capable of handling so much paper. This means you could be in for a nasty clog when your little one decides to flush. If they flush multiple times to hide the evidence, you could have a flood on your hands.
Of course, the best way to prevent this common plumbing issue is to never let your children into the bathroom unsupervised. As most parents know, this is sometimes easier said than done. If you can catch your child in progress, stop them right away before they add any more paper. Then, grab a pair of gloves, and pull all of that paper out to throw in the trash. If you were too late to stop them in the act, your plumber can help get things moving again.
The Blocks Went Swimming!
Bath toys are great for keeping your little one entertained while you scrub. Your child may think this means that other toys can go in the bath as well. Small toys like building blocks are the most likely to cause common plumbing issues, as they may be able to fit down the drain. Small, hard objects can get stuck in your pipes, leading to a blocked drain.
Do your best to make sure your child understands which toys are meant for the bath and which are not allowed. Kids should also be supervised at all times while playing in or around the bathtub for maximum safety. If you’ve already got a blocked drain on your hands, a plumber can locate and remove it safely, repairing any damage to your pipes or replacing broken segments as needed.
Overflowing Sinks are a Common Plumbing Issuea
Splashing around in the sink is a popular pastime for kids, especially filling it up and watching the water level rise. While many modern sinks are equipped with overflow protection features, this isn’t always the case. Even if you do have one, it could have filled with hard-water sediment over the years, diminishing its efficiency. Your child could even decide to block it. In any case, a sink overflow can leave you with water all over your floors.
Again, proper supervision is always the best way to prevent your child from causing common plumbing issues like this one. Sometimes, though, things happen that are out of your control. If this happens to you, for starters, turn off the water and attempt to drain the sink right away. Then, soak up all of the water on the floor as quickly as possible. The last thing you want is to cause water damage, which is a much more serious problem than common plumbing issues.
For All Your Kid-Related Common Plumbing Issues
If your kids have caused plumbing problems in your home, you can count on Forrest Anderson to get things back on track. We have been doing this for a long time, so we have seen it all. Whatever your kids have gotten up to, we can fix it for you. Get in touch with us right away for help with your common plumbing issues in Phoenix.