It's Not Always Hair - Discover Some Of The Most Unusual Drain Clogs Ever!
In nine out of ten drain clogs, there's a combination of hair, grease, maybe some toilet paper, and other things you'd expect to find that have clumped up to create the clog. This article is about that tenth drain clog. The one that winds up being something you never could have expected. We polled our plumbers and scoured the internet to find stories about the craziest drain clogs ever, because - let's face it - it's fascinating to discover the kinds of things some people try to flush. Read on!
Not Exactly "Walking The Dog"
A building once had a problem where it would bounce between not getting any water or having so much pouring out it would flood. When the plumbing was disassembled to try and locate the problem, they found the issue was being caused by... a yo-yo. Stuck in the pipes. We'd hate to think what trick someone was practicing when that happened.
Someone Probably Needs That...
One story we found involved a plumber who was tasked with repairing a septic tank. When he opened the tank up, he discovered a prosthetic leg. Evidently the plumber removed it, washed it, and claimed it as a "trophy." We can't imagine how exactly that ended up where that was, and honestly, that's probably for the best.
That's Not How That Works!
One that happens more often than it should - clumping kitty litter. The idea behind clumping kitty litters is that the cat does it's business, the litter clumps around it, and it's easy to scoop out and throw away. But throwing it away in the trash is the key here - don't throw it in the toilet. The same clumping action that makes it collect cat waste so well also makes it ideal for clogging up a drain!
A Not So Clean Getaway
We discovered a story about a Starbucks with a clogged toilet. When the plumber arrived and removed the clog - it was a wad of hundred dollars bills. Evidently a bank robber had locked themselves in the bathroom to hide from the cops and decided to flush the cash down the toilet to hide the evidence. How he planned to retrieve it later is beyond us.
Giving "Burial At Sea" A New Meaning
Something we've seen many times - and it never gets less disturbing - is when we open up a pipe and find the blockage is actually the body of a small, dead animal. Now if you've set a mouse trap and it's caught something, we understand that you'd want to get rid of the carcass - but please, don't try to flush it down your toilet. Just toss it out in the woods and let nature take care of it.
We Hate To Break It To You But... They're Not.
There is one thing (besides your "business") that you're supposed to flush down the toilet - toilet paper. It's right there in the name. It's specifically designed to eventually dissolve and break apart in the water so it doesn't clog up the lines. So when you see something in the store that says it's a "flushable wipe" - don't believe it. We've pulled out countless "flushable" wipes that were clogging drains, because despite the advertising, they still don't belong there.
Everything Is Awful...!
For our last story, we found a tale of a plumber working across the pond in England who was called to check a toilet at a hospital. When they put their video camera down the line to see what was clogging it up, they discovered - a Lego minifigure staring back at them, arms stretched upward, pinning it in the line. Amazing it was able to keep that smile on its face considering some of the things it had probably seen...
The Lesson Here - Be Careful What Goes Down Your Pipes!
Truth be known, these are extreme cases - that's what makes them entertaining. But they're also a good reminder that there are only certain things that should be going down your plumbing, and anything else has a high potential for blocking your drains. Of course, if you run into any clogged drain issues at your home, you know the team here at LBA Services is always ready to go to help get things flowing again. If you need us, send us a message or call 913-268-6822 anytime. Who knows what we could find!
