If toilet tank tablets sound too good to be true, you may be right. While they can help keep your toilet clean, you may be calling yourHouston residential plumberfor damage caused by these cleaning products. Toilet tablets come in a variety of types, including chlorine, bleach, and a blue cleaning cocktail. However, because these corrosive products are designed to sit in your toilet tank for extended periods of time, your Houston residential plumber warns against them to avoid plumbing damage. Here are some of theplumbing dangers of toilet cleaning tablets and why you should avoid using them:
Using Toilet Tablets May Lead Damage that Require a Houston Residential Plumber
Toilet tank tablets contain caustic chemicals. Extended exposure to these chemicals can damage your toilet and plumbing. Your Houston residential plumber often seestoilets leaking due to cleaning tablets. As chemicals sit in your toilet tank and bowl, they can eat away at important components. Unfortunately, this can quickly damage your plumbing and leave you needing major repairs.
Flush Valves
Bleach and chlorine can wear away the plastic and rubber parts in your toilet. For example, the flush valve. Often, toilet tank tablets corrode flush valves which can create many problems. A worn flush valve may cause water to run continuously in your toilet, which can increase your water bills and put extra stress on your pipes. Also, some other signs that you may have a corroded flush valve due to toilet cleaning tablets are that your toilet tank takes a long time to re-fill after flushing and, in some cases, you may notice that your toilet flushes on its own. These can indicate that the rubber portion of your flush valve is worn or corroded.
Bolts
If this isn’t bad enough, over time toilet tablets can also rust and weaken the gaskets and bolts that hold your tank and toilet bowl together. This can cause toilet leaks that may cause extensive water damage in your home. A common sign that your toilet tank bolts may be compromised are leaks between the tank and the bowl of your toilet. In some cases, your Houston residential plumber may only need to replace the rubber gaskets. However, in other cases we may need to replace the gaskets and the tank bolts to repair the toilet leak.
Pipes
Also, you may need to call your Houston residential plumber for your pipes after using toilet cleaning tablets, as they can corrode older or corrosion-prone pipes. This is because each time you flush your toilet, you’re sending concentrated levels of harsh chemicals into your drains. This means that you could end up with leaks or even burst pipes. These issues may require extensive work from your Houston residential plumber to repair. Instead, it’s best to skip the toilet cleaning tablets.
Tank Cleaning Tablets Can Prevent Proper Flushing and Lead to a Visit from Your Houston Residential Plumber
Another common issue your Houston residential plumber sees with toilet tank tablets is improper flushing. Improper flushing caused by toilet cleaning tablets could create the perfect breeding conditions for bacteria. Therefore, even though they’re marketed to keep your toilet cleaner, they could actually cause more germs to build up in your toilet.
There are a few different ways toilet tablets can interfere with flushing. First, as the tablet dissolves and gets smaller, it can easily lodge into the flush valve. Also, sometimes toilet tablets start to flake away rather than dissolve. This is especially true with less expensive versions of these cleaning products. The small bits that break off often get lodged in the plumbing in your toilet, which can also create issues with flushing. You may notice slow or weak flushes, that the bowl doesn’t empty all the way, or even that the toilet doesn’t flush at all if this happens.
Voids Toilet Warranty
Toilets often come with some sort of manufacturer warranty. In many cases, this covers the ceramic components of your toilet for many years. However, toilet manufacturers know the issues with using toilet tank tablets. In fact, many noticed a large uptick in warranty claims after toilet tablets became popular. After some investigation, manufacturers realized that the harsh chemicals in these tablets were to blame for many of the leaks and breakages.
Over time, toilet tablets not only affect the bolts, gaskets, flush valves, and your pipes. In some cases, toilet tablets can even corrode the ceramic tank and bowl. Therefore, many manufacturers don’t warranty toilets when you use toilet tablets, as it’s considered misuse. There may be a specific clause about this in your warranty information or even a warning sticker directly on the toilet itself when it’s new. Using toilet tablets can immediately void your warranty, which means you’ll be paying for a new toilet out of pocket if your current one breaks.
Harmful Airborne Chemicals
Another issue with toilet cleaning tablets is that they emit harmful chemicals 24/7. Imagine opening a bottle of toilet bowl cleaner and breathing in deeply. The idea likely makes you cringe. Toilet tablets are constantly releasing chemicals into the air. This may cause respiratory issues for you and your family. In addition, smelling bleach and chlorine all day, every day may not be the most pleasant experience. Therefore, it’s best to stick to regular cleaning with products like toilet bowl cleaners and disinfectant sprays, rather than choosing toilet tablets that may pollute your indoor air.
Call Your Houston Residential Plumber for Damage Caused by Toilet Tablets
If you have plumbing damage from toilet tablets, call our team at Santhoff Plumbing. We are an eliteHouston plumbing companywith over 46 years of experience serving the greater Houston area. We offer everything from toilet repair toHouston water heater repairand can help you with your plumbing projects and emergencies. Our team offers expert service and repair at affordable prices for your home and business. We also offer 24/7 repairs for your plumbing emergencies. Call us today at (713) 360-2185 to schedule service for your home or business. We are here to serve you!