Skip to main content
24 Hours 365 Days - Get Services Now. Pay with       or pay later with  

Can Covid-19 Cause Drainage Problems? The Answer Might Surprise You

October 17, 2020

Way back at the beginning of the current pandemic, you may remember people panic buying toilet roll. The news was full of grim pictures of empty shelves and uncertainty over supply, prompting a mad scramble to stock up! What does this have to do with blocked drains, you might ask.

Unfortunately, whilst some households were happily working their way through their hoarded rolls, others were forced to make substitutions. It’s these substitutions that have paved the way for a nation plagued by blocked drains!

Toilet paper substitutes increase the risk of drain blockages

Toilet paper is purpose-made for the job it does. Lightweight and disintegrating easily when wet, it’s designed to break into smaller pieces and take up minimal space when flushed down the toilet. Its use helps to keep drains clear. The same can’t be said of substitutes: materials such as kitchen roll, absorbent wipes, medicated toilet tissue, baby wipes, cosmetic wipes, wet wipes or newspaper (yes, some people were that desperate) created larger loads than the average domestic drain pipe was designed to hold. The inevitable result was that drain blockages became far more common, as the sewage system simply couldn’t cope with the volume of toilet roll alternatives.

Increased cleaning caused further issues

Particularly in the early stages of the pandemic, extra hygiene measures were widely publicised as helpful in preventing the spread of the virus. For many people, this meant purchasing anti-bacterial cleaning wipes. These handy wipes claim to kill 99.9% of germs – always an appealing choice for Covid-conscious homeowners. After using a wipe to clean the toilet, a large number of individuals did the obvious thing and flushed them down the loo! Just like toilet roll substitutes, cleaning wipes are highly likely to cause blockages, due to their relatively large volume, density and durable nature.

Stick to the “Three Ps” to keep your toilet draining freely

The three things that have a place in your toilet are: toilet paper; poo; and pee. Flushing anything else down the toilet increases the risk of a blockage. Dispose of wipes (of ALL types – there’s no such thing as a wipe that can be safely flushed down the toilet), sanitary towels, tissues, used cotton wool, cotton buds and similar debris in a bin or other receptacle.

Call Pinnacle Plumbing for further advice on preventing drain blockages, or to book one of our drain unblocking experts if it’s too late for preventative advice!

Testimonials

Hear what our customers have to say about their experiences with Pinnacle Plumbing Group. 

  • Chris Friday

    5 stars
    This company is very reliable and offers prompt service.
  • Alona Reid

    5 stars
    Fabulous team to deal with from the start to finish on my carport roof plumbing! Nick and the crew, 5 stars!
  • Donna Taylor

    5 stars
    Plumbers came to the site and fixed my drains for a decent price , very professional. Highly recommend.
  • Ashleigh Smith

    5 stars
    Amazing work and great prices ! Best plumbing company in Melbourne. Highly recommend Nick and his team
  • Angela Rybalko

    5 stars
    I had a burst pipe at 7pm on a Wednesday night, called about 3 plumbers before finally I got on to Pinnacle who answered straight away. They arriv...
  • Stephanie Crawley

    5 stars
    I have used Pinnacle Plumbing Group for various plumbing jobs during my renovations. Each time, the expertise of the team has saved me time and mon...
  • Peter Wards

    5 stars
  • Dan Kelly

    5 stars
    Great service, very responsive, and showed up on time! Would highly recommend.
  • grant belchamber

    5 stars
    Second time I have used Nick Rybalko's Pinnacle Plumbing Group, last year for roof leak, this week for leaking toilet cistern. Fixed promptly both...
  • Kelvin Wang

    5 stars
    The most professional and reliable plumbing company I have ever used. Brilliant work with reasonable price. Customer service is amazing as well, es...
  • Joe Reed The Crafty Corner

    5 stars
    So grateful to Pinnacle Plumbing for working hard to accomodate me at short notice. They went out of their way to ensure that my issue was fixed pr...
  • Yanni Anastasiadis

    5 stars
    These guys do absolute quality work ! Nick and his team are easy to work with and ensure the job was smooth for us from start to finish! Thanks aga...
  • Charli Tjoe

    5 stars
    Nick and his team have been very prompt, friendly and professional. They've done great work for our pub and we will happily use them again for any ...
  • Craig Rowston

    5 stars
    Nick and Andy were great to deal with. Organised, on time and efficient to deal with on an older style roof, with a "bit going on". Support your lo...
  • Josh Branton

    5 stars
    Very impressed with the service for a replacement sink. Compared to other quotes we received, the price was competitive and took the time to confir...
  • Ch Farren

    5 stars
    I would definitely recommend this company. They responded promptly and fixed a roof leak, partially replacing the box guttering. Good service, goo...
  • Sheryl Carnie

    5 stars
    Pinnacle Plumbing were helpful, efficient and professional when the hot water service in our rented property failed on the eve of the Easter holida...
  • Brendan Corr

    5 stars
    Great service, very professional and competitive pricing. Fantastic to do business with.
  • Bel Karaliamis

    5 stars
    Thank you so much Pinnacle Plumbing! Special thx to Kyle and Simran. Kyle have given us a valid quote parameters and attended as emergency case. Si...
  • Franklin Lofts

    5 stars
    I have had a variety of works completed from Pinnacle, all with professionalism and courtesy. They are quick to respond and easy to deal with, high...
  • sophie su

    5 stars
    Kyle and Nick were both excellent , experienced good plumber. very responsive and provide good solutions , will recommened !
  • Jean Healey

    5 stars
  • Kim R

    5 stars
    Nick was my first contact at pinnacle, he was lovely on the phone and managed to fit us in that week! Rhys, came out to camera our pipes. He was v...
  • Reign W1

    5 stars
    Great service. Thank you Dan!
  • Marcus Trainor

    5 stars
    Superstar plumbers.
  • Liam McCallum

    5 stars
    There was a leak in the bathroom that was running to the apartment below. The plumber was professional and friendly with both myself and the tenan...
  • Brione Johnston

    5 stars
    Great service - Dan was professional, on time and listened to what we needed done. We definitely recommend Pinnacle plumbing.
  • Michael Piritidis

    5 stars
    The basics of what you want from a tradesperson they did what they said they were going to do when they said they were going to do it and at the pr...
  • Dan Ryan

    5 stars
    Really happy with our service from Pinnacle - professional, great communication, and they resolved our issues. Would recommend and use again.
  • Naomi F

    5 stars
    I was very happy with the service I received. Zach arrived within 24 hours of my phone call and was friendly and professional. I had a complicated ...
  • Melissa Wingard

    5 stars
    I would not hesitate to recommend Nick and his team at Pinnacle Plumbing. The hot water in our shower was getting increasingly colder (Melbourne wi...
  • Lindsay Mann

    5 stars
    Isaak provided great service. He fixed the problem that was the reason for the call plus advised on some improvements to the plumbing setup that ...
  • 아트하트

    5 stars
    Our plumber, Isaak from Pinnacle, was very friendly and did a great job. He even wiped the dirty remaining parts when he changed the kitchen waste....
  • Kerrie Setiawan

    5 stars
  • T M

    5 stars
    On behalf of Anne Goyne:- They did an amazing job on in a very difficult location and got everything done within the quote and on time before the r...
  • Stephen Anderson

    5 stars
    Tradesman (Basil) turned up on time and was very polite. He was very professional keeping us updated with progress and after completion cleaned the...
  • Frank McCulloch

    5 stars
    Seamless experience - onsite within the hour and work completed professionally. Well done
  • Jack McCarthy

    5 stars
    Jack and Basil provided a high level of professional service and workmanship, which made what was a stressful situation, all the easier. Keep up th...
  • christian

    5 stars
    Sewer was blocked for an investment property. Pinnacle were quick to respond and resolved the issue promptly. Tenants were very happy.
  • Judy Daniels

    5 stars
    We had a roof leak that was detected and fixed very professionally. We recommend this Plumbing Company to anyone requiring a plumber. 👍👍
  • Phillip Calcagno Australianhairdresser

    5 stars
    These guys were great! I had a Hot water service that needed to be repaired b4 l had to open my business to the public. Jack who to my call organis...
  • Judy Rigg

    5 stars
    Jay did a great job replacing our down pipe - he was friendly, courteous and professional and went above and beyond the call.
  • CDP

    5 stars
    I can’t speak highly enough of the professionalism and quality of service from Ben from Pinnacle Plumbing. He quickly identified and fixed my leaki...
  • Fiona Hall

    5 stars
    Pinnacle plumbing have done quite a bit of work for me over the last couple of years - most recently was an emergency leaking pipe. Nick and his g...
  • Sam Pappas

    5 stars
    Nick and the team at Pinnacle Plumbing have been brilliant in providing a thorough and detailed service with our kitchen plumbing needs. Nick cond...
  • Michelle Hanning

    5 stars
    trying to find a gas plumber to be able to carry out the works on a gas fireplace, I was wanting to do became very hard, lots of phone calls but no...