Let’s Uncover These 10 Common Plumbing Myths
Issues with your home’s plumbing can be a real hassle, but being tricked by widespread misconceptions makes them even worse. You may be harming your faucets, drains or appliances and not even realize it! Let’s clear up the confusion on 10 common plumbing myths to stop avoidable problems from cropping up.
Myth 1: You Can Use Toilets as Trash Cans
It may seem convenient to flush face tissues, paper towels, cotton pads, hygiene products and other ‘seemingly’ flushable things down the toilet, but that’s a bad decision. Toilets are only made to handle organic waste and toilet tissue. Flushing other items can cause blockages and pricey repair work, so stick to the trash can for non-flushable things to avoid any issues.
Myth 2: It’s Safe to Use Flushable Wipes
Even with what the packaging says, flushable wipes are not safe for your plumbing. These wipes can’t disintegrate like bath tissue and can clog your sewer pipe. Even if they get through your plumbing system, flushable wipes continue to collect in the broader sewage system, causing problems for waste management. Your tax dollars could be saved on sewer cleanup projects each year if everyone got rid of flushable wipes in the trash.
Myth 3: You Can Put Anything in the Garbage Disposal
Many people assume their garbage disposal can handle everything, but that’s not correct. Things like chicken bones, coffee grinds and eggshells can ruin the disposal or form another clog in your pipes. Fat is especially infamous for obstructing plumbing. No matter how much you try and clear out the pipes with warm water, the oil still hardens and causes problems. Pour hot grease into a sealable jar and throw it away once it cools down.
Myth 4: You Can Clean Your Garbage Disposals with Lemon Peels
Tossing a few lemon peels in your garbage disposal might make it smell better temporarily, but the citric acid and texture of the fibers of the peels can wear out the disposal’s spinning blades. A better way to freshen the garbage disposal is by sending a handful of ice cubes down the fat and other gunk without damaging the blades. Sodium bicarbonate and vinegar is another safer, more thorough option for cleaning the disposal.
Myth 5: You Can Sharpen Disposal Blades with Ice
First of all, garbage disposals don’t actually use sharp cutting edges to break up food waste—they use grinders to pulverize food. Ice cubes could help freshen the disposal by removing debris, so feel free to crush a handful now and then. Just don’t wait for them to sharpen anything.
Myth 6: Newly Installed Water Heaters Don’t Require Maintenance
Water heaters should be given regular maintenance to work as efficiently as possible. After enough time, sediment can collect inside, decreasing efficiency and shortening your water heater’s life span. Draining the tank and examining the anode rod once a year are the most helpful steps to keep your water heater in good shape.
Myth 7: Tightening a Leaking Faucet Will Stop the Drip
A leaking faucet generally suggests a broken washer or valve, not a handle that’s come loose. Over-tightening could damage the threads and exacerbate the leak. Instead of just tightening the handle down as far as possible, contact a plumber to address the main issue.
Myth 8: All Plumbers Are the Same
Even though they’re all plumbers, you can’t just pick anyone out of the phone book. Certification, experience and word of mouth can make a big difference in the quality of your plumbing project. Opting for a cheap plumber without the proper experience could end up costing you more over time.
Myth 9: It’s Easy to Install Plumbing Fixtures Yourself
Installing plumbing fixtures is more than just screwing on parts. Systems for residential plumbing are complex, and improper setup can result in leaks, flooding and the high repair costs that come with them. Minimize the risk of trouble by calling a professional plumber for installing fixtures.
Myth 10: Plumbing Problems Always Announce Themselves
Some plumbing problems might be hard to spot until they cause serious damage. A seemingly slight leak might not make itself known until it’s caused significant structural damage. Professional plumbing inspections help identify hidden problems early and help them from escalating into an expensive disaster.
Get Professional Plumbing Assistance
At Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer Expert solutions for all your plumbing concerns. Our plumbing technicians have the knowledge to keep everything running smoothly, from your fixtures and sewer lines to the water heater and garbage disposal. If you’re not completely happy with our work, we guarantee to fix it. Contact us today for reliable plumbing services at an affordable price.