Your pet is a treasured member of your household, but they can sometimes meddle with your plumbing fixtures.
Animals, driven by curiosity, love exploring their surroundings, which can occasionally lead to mishaps. It falls on you, as a pet owner, to keep your four-legged buddy safe at home.
Here are some helpful pet owner’s plumbing tips to keep your household and pet happy.
Toilets
Animals are not aware of what water is suitable for drinking. If they see open water, they will be inclined to try it. And if your toilet seat is left open, the toilet bowl is one of the first places they will go. Drinking water from the toilet bowl is unclean, and your pet may get sick if cleaning products are left over.
To keep pets out of the bathroom, make sure to close the toilet lid when you’re not using it and keep the washroom door shut. Also, scatter fresh water sources for your cat or dog around your home.
Avoid flushing pet waste or cat litter down your toilet. These can harbour harmful parasites that contaminate drinking and recycled water, plus block your drains.
Always empty the contents of your kitty litter into a garbage bag and double bag to create a sound barrier. And dispose of it in a bin.
Shower drains
Some people hire professional pet groomers to clean their furry friends or wash them at home. However, using a shower or bath can cause pet hair, dirt, and debris to clog the drain.
You can prevent a blocked drain with some simple steps. Try giving your pet a good brush before bathing to remove excess fur. This can also remove dirt they have accumulated from the yard or their walk. It is always best to have a stopper or strainer to catch pet hair before it goes down the pipes. Remember to clean up any excess pet hair in your washtub or shower.
Pipes
Dogs love a good dig, especially in the backyard. But beware, they might unearth pipes as they dig deeper. Consider training your dog to channel that energy elsewhere if they’re persistent diggers.
You can let them play and dig in a safe area. This will prevent your loveable pets from hurting themselves and damaging your plumbing.
Keep Your Pet And Plumbing Safe
We must also protect our pets just like we do to protect our children. It would be best to cover all drains and valves so pets can’t access them. Under AS/NZS 3500.4 (the national heated water standard, which sets rules for scalding protection and hot water delivery temperatures), installing an approved tempering valve ensures bath water never exceeds safe, comfortable temperatures for both pets and family members.
As a bonus, a water or sewer line may sometimes be located less than 600 mm below the ground’s surface. If your dog is a frequent and aggressive dirt excavator, keep an eye on what it is up to. It’s not necessarily likely that it could put a hole in a sewer or water line, but it is possible.
These are just some pet owner plumbing tips that can help you let your pets live comfortably alongside you without interrupting your plumbing at home. Remember to call a plumber if you notice any exposed pipes or an overflow of water in your yard.
Keep Your Plumbing Pet-Proof
Being a pet owner comes with a unique set of plumbing challenges, but with a few mindful practices, you can avoid unnecessary damage to your pipes and fixtures. You can maintain a healthier plumbing system and prevent costly repairs by preventing pet hair from clogging drains, keeping toilet lids closed, and being mindful of what goes down the toilet.
If plumbing issues arise or you need practical guidance on pet-proofing your fixtures, turn to the trusted local team at Fixed Today. Sydney pet owners have relied on and returned to our licensed plumbers across decades (proudly serving Sydney homes since 2011) for caring, prompt plumbing support. Operating under NSW Fair Trading Contractor Licence 305428C with Qualified Supervisor oversight, we handle everything from clearing hair-clogged shower wastes to repairing cracked garden pipes and outdoor pet-washing taps.
When you get in touch, our team asks a few quick questions about the symptoms and your property layout so our service van arrives equipped with the right drain inspection cameras and clearing tools. On site, our technicians provide a clear task breakdown and upfront pricing before any work begins, so there are never any unexpected surprises. Contact Fixed Today to speak with our friendly team and keep your household plumbing running smoothly.
