Let’s Uncover These 10 Common Plumbing Myths
Issues with your home’s plumbing can be a real nuisance, but falling for widespread misconceptions can make them even worse. You could be harming your faucets, pipes or plumbing appliances and not even know it! Let’s set the record straight on these 10 plumbing misconceptions to stop avoidable damage from happening.
Myth 1: Toilets Make Great Garbage Cans
It may look handy to flush facial tissues, paper towels, cotton pads, sanitary items and other ‘seemingly’ flushable objects down the toilet, but it’s a bad decision. Toilets are only made to handle human waste and bathroom tissue. Flushing other items can result in blockages and costly repairs, so opt for the trash can for non-flushable items to avoid trouble.
Myth 2: Flushable Wipes Are Okay to Use
Despite what the box states, flushable wipes are not safe for your pipes. These wipes won’t disintegrate like bath tissue and can obstruct your sewer pipe. Even if they get through your home’s plumbing, flushable wipes accumulate in the wider municipal sewer system, leading to headaches for waste management. Taxpayer dollars can be saved on sewer cleanup projects each year if everyone threw away flushable wipes in the trash.
Myth 3: You Can Put Anything in the Garbage Disposal
A large number of people assume their garbage disposal can handle anything, but that’s not correct. Items like gristle, coffee grinds and eggshells can clog the disposal or obstruct your drainage. Oil is particularly notorious for obstructing drains. No matter how much you rinse the sink with boiling water, the grease gradually congeals and causes clogs. Pour fat into a container and dispose of it once it cools.
Myth 4: Lemon Peels Clean Garbage Disposals
Tossing a few lemon peels in your garbage disposal might give it a fresh scent temporarily, but the acidity and fiber content of the peels can cause wear and tear on the blades used to break food down. A better way to clean your disposal is by putting a handful of ice into your grease and other debris without breaking the blades. Sodium bicarbonate and vinegar is another safer, more thorough option for cleaning the disposal.
Myth 5: Sharpening Disposal Blades with Ice Cubes
First of all, garbage disposals don’t actually use sharp spinning blades to break pieces of food down—they use duller metal to smash food into smaller pieces. Ice cubes can help clean the disposal by breaking up buildup, so feel free to crush a handful now and then. Just don’t expect them to sharpen anything.
Myth 6: You Don’t Need to Maintain New Water Heaters
Water heaters need a regular schedule of professional maintenance to work as efficiently as possible. After enough time, sediment can collect, decreasing efficiency and shortening your water heater’s life span. Draining the tank and examining the water heater’s anode rod once a year are the most beneficial steps to keep that water heater in better working condition.
Myth 7: If a Faucet Leaks, Try Closing It Tighter
A leaking faucet usually starts with a damaged seal or mechanism, not a loose fitting. Over-tightening could strip the threads and exacerbate the problem. Instead of just muscling the handle down further, contact a plumber to fix the root cause.
Myth 8: Every Plumber Offers the Same Service
Not all plumbers are created equal. Licensing, work experience and word of mouth can make a big difference in the success of your plumbing job. Opting for a cheap plumber without the right credentials could end up costing you more over time.
Myth 9: Anyone Can Install Their Own Plumbing Fixtures
Putting in plumbing fixtures involves more than screwing on parts. Systems for residential plumbing are complex, and improper installation can cause leaks, flooding and the expensive fixes that come with them. Save yourself the hassle by calling a professional plumber for installation projects.
Myth 10: You’ll Know When You Have a Plumbing Problem
A few plumbing problems are sometimes hard to notice until they cause serious damage. A seemingly slight leak might not be noticeable until it’s created widespread water damage. Routine plumbing inspections help spot growing problems early and help them from turning into an expensive disaster.
Contact a Plumber for More Help
At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we offer Expert services for all your plumbing problems. Our plumbing technicians have the skills to keep everything working smoothly, from your fixtures and sewer lines to your water heater and garbage disposal. If you’re not entirely happy with our work, you can rely on us to make it right. Contact us today for affordable plumbing services at an affordable price.
