What makes our heart beat fast?

It’s Valentine’s Day and we are thinking about romance and love.

First of all, we LOVE it when creative people use plumbing items to make unusual and interesting art. Check out this necklace on Etsy, made from recycled materials including rubber plumbing rings!

We also spotted this Industrial Jewelry Holder made from metal pipe fittings.

We can’t resist this industrial paper towel holder made of plumbing pipes on a reclaimed piece of wood.

There’s even furniture made out of plumbing parts like this “Steampunk” shelf on Ebay.

Secondly, we’re remembering those times when a woman’s heart beats out of her chest—like when her wedding ring falls down the sink drain!

As usual, we want to remind you about how important it is to keep items away from your sinks and toilets. Even cotton swabs can wreak havoc on your plumbing. We recommend against flushing disposable wipes, baby wipes and facial tissue, too.

So what are you supposed to do if something does end up in your sink pipe? If it’s a valuable like jewelry, we know you want to try to get it out right away. This one is OK to tackle as a DIY project, just follow these steps.

1.       Stop the running water.

2.       Place a bucket under your P-trap (the curved pipe under your sink)

3.       Disconnect the nuts at both ends of the J-bend (the J-shaped section of the P-trap). You may need a wrench or pliers. You can also wrap the connecting nuts with painter’s tape or a rag so protect the finish.

4.       Shake the pipe out over the bucket and check for your ring or other valuable. Caution: this could be smelly.

5.       Scrub your pipe with a stiff brush to prevent future leaks then reconnect.

6.       Run the water and check for leaks.

As always, if you have problems with this, give us a call. We love our customers so if you need any type of plumbing maintenance or inspections done, contact Ben Franklin Plumbing AZ. We would love to hear from you!