(Important please read) A friendly Reminder about Plumbing Etiquette
Tenants,
Please note that the main plumbing pipes in most of our buildings are cast iron and foreign objects included but not limited to the list below are prohibited from being flushed down the toilets or washed down the sinks. Please keep in mind that tenants are responsible for all issues that are caused by tenant failure to comply with the before mentioned policy. We should all be aware that being irresponsible with what goes down our toilets will not only affect us but also our neighbors when living in a multi unit building. Please be responsible with what both you and your guests are putting down the sinks and toilets. Not only does it harm the environment but it also ends up causing inconveniences to many people other than just yourself. Please familiarize yourself with the below list.
What NOT to Flush Down the Toilet
To help you save embarrassment, thousands of dollars in expensive plumbing repairs, and avoid polluting the environment, pay attention to this list of things that you must never, EVER, flush down the toilets at any of the Starwood Realty Company Properties:
1. Feminine Products
Tampons and other feminine hygiene products are not supposed to be flushed down the toilet.
2. Cooking Grease/Food
Grease should never be poured down any drain, period. It may look like a liquid that can easily be dumped down a drain, but when it cools, it will congeal and clog up your pipes. Collect your grease in a glass jar and throw it in the trash, or save the grease and reuse it, especially bacon grease…mmmm.
3. Baby Wipes/Wet Wipes/Cleaning Pads
These “adult baby wipes” are becoming increasingly popular nowadays. They are also increasingly causing clogs and backups in sewage pipes across the country. Although some of these brands might say they are flush-able on the box, there are groups that are revising the guidelines, so soon all wet wipes will have a noticeable DO NOT FLUSH symbol on the packaging. If you must use these, throw them away in the trash can.
4. Dental Floss
Floss is not biodegradable and can cause serious clogs and environmental damage.
5. Q-tips/Cotton Balls
You might think that cotton will break down, since some toilet paper is made from cotton linen (Cottonelle/Cottonsoft), but they don’t! They will clump together, causing stoppages at bends in the pipes.
6. Diapers
Just because there is human waste inside does not mean that they are OK to flush. Diapers are made to expand in water. In the unlikely case you actually get the diaper to flush, it will likely get caught in the U-bend of the pipe.
7. Pills
You may think it is a good idea to put pills out of harm’s way, but you are probably doing more harm than good by flushing them. They have toxic effects on groundwater supplies and wildlife. There are many community-based “take back you meds programs.”
8. Paper Towels/Tissues
If you really want to save money and help the environment, you will use washable cloths and rags, but if you have to use paper towels, throw them in the trash, not the toilet. Tissues and paper towels are not made to dissolve like toilet paper; throw them in the trash.
9. Cigarette Butts
If you have to smoke, throw the butts away properly.
What does that leave? Not much! Human excrement and regular toilet paper are the only things you should flush down your toilet!
Thank you,
Management