Plush paper puzzles plumbers

Consumers quest for the softest soft and the cleanest clean coupled with low-flow flushing is leading to costly, inconvenient clogs.

The new toilet paper, its bad news, says Paul Evan, owner of Ken Evans Plumbing and Heating Ltd. in Dartmouth.

I get the sales pitch that it is more comfortable, but toilet paper, it should never be that thick.

The plumber said his business has increased as toilet paper manufacturers have introduced increasingly more luxurious products and that is because the new multiply and super-strong tissues are tough on plumbing.

But the worst offenders, however, are the recently introduced wipes, which manufacturers claim are flushable, Evans said.

The new products are particularly tough on homes that have low-flow toilets and or old cast-iron pipes because the old metal pipes develop spurs that catch and snag the tissue and wipes, he explained, while low-flow toilets have less water pushing waste down the pipes.

So the paper, now, doesnt break down as much, its not being pushed down as far because it doesnt have enough water behind it. Thats what we found.

Evans recommended testing toilet paper at home to check for its flushability.

Take a couple pieces of that (ultra-thick) toilet paper and throw it into the bowl. If you look at it and wait, you will see that it wont break down. The cheaper stuff, you will see that it will basically shred itself.

And, even though some manufacturers are marketing flushable wipes for adults, Evans says they should go in the trash not the toilet.

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Plush paper puzzles plumbers