Flushing toilet paper

Don PISTOLAS

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Mar 6, 2018
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Are you able to flush toilet paper in the more modern buildings in Santiago and The Capital? I'm in a brand new Building in Santiago . It's 7 stories. Ive never thought to ask. I have family visiting and they are appalled at the thought of putting paper in the trash... lol.

I'll call the office in the morning, I was just hoping to get a quick answer here.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
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too funny, I am in Santo Domingo and been flushing it down as long as i can remember. Shucks there has never been a place in this country I didn't toss and flush ............... but then again I never used the facilities in the campo or barrio.

Flush my fren, and enjoy the freedom.


OH, and get yourself a plunger just in case someone tosses too much paper in at a time.
 
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bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
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My family will be so relieved... thank you!!

Don't forget go to the local hardware store and buy a plunger for those times someone may try to flush too much paper at one time. Five or six good pumps on the plunger will clear that problem up.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
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Don't forget go to the local hardware store and buy a plunger for those times someone may try to flush too much paper at one time. Five or six good pumps on the plunger will clear that problem up.

yes....those overflows can be, er, inconvenient.
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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Are you able to flush toilet paper in the more modern buildings in Santiago and The Capital? I'm in a brand new Building in Santiago . It's 7 stories. Ive never thought to ask. I have family visiting and they are appalled at the thought of putting paper in the trash... lol.

I'll call the office in the morning, I was just hoping to get a quick answer here.

Some of the older places have 2 inch toilet pipes :( Hard to believe but true...
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
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It's really only a problem if you're on a septic system. Even then, if you use "septic safe" rapidly dissolving toilet paper, you'll have no problem flushing it down the toilet. Scott brand toilet paper has one that is marked "septic safe".
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
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It's really only a problem if you're on a septic system. Even then, if you use "septic safe" rapidly dissolving toilet paper, you'll have no problem flushing it down the toilet. Scott brand toilet paper has one that is marked "septic safe".

The only time toilet paper ever causes a problem in septic systems is at the Baffle , IF it Bunches up, which theoretically can happen at any time,, just bad luck
.. Trust me I have had to make myself an expert on this in the last 2 years , as NEITHER the Roto Rooter guy NOR my Septic tank Pump Company could solve my recurring problem, the septic guy only agrees to PUMP the Tank , which he did 2 times in a year .. obviously NOT needed the 2nd time as you can guess as my REAL Problem was in the BAFFLE area , which is under a separate Access point ( cement lid) that needs to be dug up.. usually 2 feet from the main access Hole .
Point is , it does not matter how Biodegradable the paper is if it ever BUNCHES up in this Restricted area which by design makes a 90 degree turn straight down .. Once its clear , the problem is solved , until it happens again, which is why some Homeowners install RISERS for quicker access..
Now If you use the " Baby wipes" you will be just BEGGING for this Problem . They are NOT designed to be Flushed , EVER .. Don't care what the package says.
They seem to be a Cash Cow for Roto Rooter Plumbers .. maybe they have some secret agreement with the Baby Wipes industry.. lol
The Leach Field is a whole different Topic, and if that is compromised you got major problems, usually that is not the case though.
 

TropicalPaul

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,366
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Totally agree with bigbird on this. Toilet paper is designed to disintegrate in water and will only ever be a problem with a septic tank, definitely not in a modern torre with 3 inch tubes. And everyone everywhere says that wet-wipes cause massive problems, so don't flush.
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,503
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Cabarete
The only time toilet paper ever causes a problem in septic systems is at the Baffle , IF it Bunches up, which theoretically can happen at any time,, just bad luck
.. Trust me I have had to make myself an expert on this in the last 2 years , as NEITHER the Roto Rooter guy NOR my Septic tank Pump Company could solve my recurring problem, the septic guy only agrees to PUMP the Tank , which he did 2 times in a year .. obviously NOT needed the 2nd time as you can guess as my REAL Problem was in the BAFFLE area , which is under a separate Access point ( cement lid) that needs to be dug up.. usually 2 feet from the main access Hole .
Point is , it does not matter how Biodegradable the paper is if it ever BUNCHES up in this Restricted area which by design makes a 90 degree turn straight down .. Once its clear , the problem is solved , until it happens again, which is why some Homeowners install RISERS for quicker access..
Now If you use the " Baby wipes" you will be just BEGGING for this Problem . They are NOT designed to be Flushed , EVER .. Don't care what the package says.
They seem to be a Cash Cow for Roto Rooter Plumbers .. maybe they have some secret agreement with the Baby Wipes industry.. lol
The Leach Field is a whole different Topic, and if that is compromised you got major problems, usually that is not the case though.

I used to own a house for 13 years with my now ex-wire and two kids that was on a septic system. Usually pumped out the septic tank about every four years. Never had a problem with the drain field.

Not sure how the "septic safe" toilet paper I use could bunch up since in a very short time it literally starts to fall apart("dissolves") in pieces. On the other hand, the Dominican toilet paper is like flushing a wad of newspaper down the toilet! It even feels like newspaper. Definitely can't use that stuff on a septic system!
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
12,543
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The toilet paper is way less an offender than tampons. They get in the S-trap of the toilet and swell to the size of a baby's leg.
Even if you have a 3" pipe beneath, a plunger isn't likely to move it along if it's sat in the neck long enough to swell.
I have had to remove more than one toilet and use a coat hanger to remove the blockage.
And they don't degrade in a septic tank either.
 

monfongo

Bronze
Feb 10, 2005
1,204
145
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A septic system if done right has a distribution box where anaerobic bacteria goes to work on the waste, from there it goes out into a leaching field where aerobic bacteria does the rest. never heard of a septic system with baffles. grease traps have baffles,but then again nothing surprises me here.
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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Anyone on septic should do this ...haven’t pumped out septic in over 10 yrs
Yeast helps keep bacteria alive and actively breaks down waste solids when added to your septic system. Flush ½ cup of instant dry baking yeast down the toilet, the first time. Add ¼ cup of instant yeast every 4 months, after the initial addition.
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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A septic system if done right has a distribution box where anaerobic bacteria goes to work on the waste, from there it goes out into a leaching field where aerobic bacteria does the rest. never heard of a septic system with baffles. grease traps have baffles,but then again nothing surprises me here.
All modern septic tanks have baffles, basically two tanks in one,sludge stays in first tank liquid in second to leach field( inDR it’s mostly grey water pit)
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
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The only time toilet paper ever causes a problem in septic systems is at the Baffle , IF it Bunches up, which theoretically can happen at any time,, just bad luck
.. Trust me I have had to make myself an expert on this in the last 2 years , as NEITHER the Roto Rooter guy NOR my Septic tank Pump Company could solve my recurring problem, the septic guy only agrees to PUMP the Tank , which he did 2 times in a year .. obviously NOT needed the 2nd time as you can guess as my REAL Problem was in the BAFFLE area , which is under a separate Access point ( cement lid) that needs to be dug up.. usually 2 feet from the main access Hole .
Point is , it does not matter how Biodegradable the paper is if it ever BUNCHES up in this Restricted area which by design makes a 90 degree turn straight down .. Once its clear , the problem is solved , until it happens again, which is why some Homeowners install RISERS for quicker access..
Now If you use the " Baby wipes" you will be just BEGGING for this Problem . They are NOT designed to be Flushed , EVER .. Don't care what the package says.
They seem to be a Cash Cow for Roto Rooter Plumbers .. maybe they have some secret agreement with the Baby Wipes industry.. lol
The Leach Field is a whole different Topic, and if that is compromised you got major problems, usually that is not the case though.
The issue is plumbing. In older buildings pipes were a much more narrow diameter, and toilet paper did not break down quickly, so stuff got stuck.

Newer, more modern construction and better TP has solved this problem. However, in a few newly constructed houses built in our neighborhood, I saw large septic tanks being built without drain fields, so the likelihood of a back-up is increased. I assume the larger tank size was a substitute for a drain field. I asked a builder (a Maestro and not an architect) about a drain field, and you'd have thoiught I was speaking space alien. AND the septic tank was within 15' of the well. Go figure.
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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I’m yet to see a proper leach field in DR, mostly because of land size ( usually size is same as larger pool footprint) here it’s simple hole filled with gravel and pipe stuck in it,if it becomes clogged dig new hole stick pipe in it again away you go
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
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I’m yet to see a proper leach field in DR, mostly because of land size ( usually size is same as larger pool footprint) here it’s simple hole filled with gravel and pipe stuck in it,if it becomes clogged dig new hole stick pipe in it again away you go

OK, well that explains a LOT then... No Leach field . no need for a Baffle , " Inlet T " as some call it, either .
So basically a tank which holds solids and liquid Waste , until pumped out ..
That is NOT a true Septic Tank System. More like a Holding tank which requires LOT of Pumping out.
No wonder they don't want to FLUSH too many times . It will fill up very fast if the liquids have no place to go.