TOILET TALK

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted an update because I haven’t been doing all that much on the house. Things are definitely picking up now.

A few months ago, we had toilet issues. First there was a clogged toilet that proved to be a challenge beyond my capabilities. Just finding a plumber who could come out on short notice was a big problem, but I finally found one and the issue was resolved after a few challenging days.

He then offered to send someone out to check all sewer drains for free because he thought things were draining a bit too slow. I knew better than to accept, but he was so persistent that I finally said yes, just to get him out of my house.

Dumb mistake. One of the biggest scams out there is one where a company will perform a free inspection and then “find” all manner of problems. I’d done my research, so I knew that he was trying to scam me. The inspector was pushing me to sign off on a $20,000 project on a moment’s notice. He pushed hard, trying to convince me that it was a dire emergency. Being the redhead that I am, I pushed back and showed that snake oil salesman the door pretty quickly.

Last week, I noticed that the water intake leading to the toilet was leaking. I’d recently found a great plumber and called them to take care of that. While they were here, I asked them to check the workings inside the tank because the toilet did seem to be flushing a bit slow. My new, wonderful plumber reported that the existing system was not the right one for that tank and he replaced it for me in a matter of minutes. Bingo! The toilet is now in perfect working order.

I’m now somewhat oddly obsessed with keeping the plumbing at Perkins Place in tip-top condition, in order to avoid future problems. A couple of friends told me about Roebic, a reliable product that helps key sewer lines and septic systems running clear.

It’s quite safe and affordable at $7.97 a bottle. Using it once every season keeps all the drains running clear. You’ll find over 3,000 positive reviews for it on Amazon. I’m using it now and I highly recommend it.