Let’s Dispel These 10 Common Plumbing Myths

Issues with your home’s plumbing can be a real hassle, but falling for popular misconceptions often makes them even worse. You may be harming different plumbing fixtures, pipes or even major fixtures and not even be aware of it! Let’s get the facts right on 10 common plumbing myths to stop avoidable damage from happening.

Myth 1: You Can Use Toilets as Trash Cans 

It might seem handy to flush facial tissues, napkins, cotton pads, hygiene products and other ‘seemingly’ flushable objects down the drain, but it’s a bad choice. Toilets are only designed to handle human waste and bathroom tissue. Flushing other objects can result in blockages and pricey repair work, so opt for the trash can for unflushable items to avoid trouble.

Myth 2: Flushable Wipes Are Safe to Flush

Even with what the box states, flushable wipes are not safe for your plumbing. These wipes don’t disintegrate like bath tissue and can clog your sewer pipe. Even if they can make it through your house’s plumbing, flushable wipes build up in the larger sewer system, causing headaches for waste management. Taxpayer dollars might be saved on sewer cleanup projects each year if everyone got rid of flushable wipes in the trash.

Myth 3: Garbage Disposals Can Handle Anything

A large number of people think their garbage disposal can break down anything, but that’s not correct. Things like animal bones, coffee grinds and shells of an egg can damage the disposal or block your drainage. Oil is especially notorious for blocking drains. No matter how much you flush the drain with warm water, the oil eventually solidifies and causes clogs. Pour fat into a hard container and toss it out once it cools down. 

Myth 4: Lemon Peels Clean Garbage Disposals 

Putting lemon peels in your garbage disposal could make it smell better temporarily, but the citric acid and fibrous nature of the peels can wear out the disposal’s spinning blades. A safer way to clean the garbage disposal is by tossing a handful of ice cubes down the grease and other buildup without damaging the blades. Common household items like baking soda and vinegar is another safer, more thorough cleaning option. 

Myth 5: You Can Sharpen Disposal Blades with Ice 

First of all, garbage disposals don’t actually use sharp blades to break food down—they use duller metal to smash food into smaller pieces. Ice cubes can help clean the disposal by removing debris, so go ahead and crush a handful every so often. Just don’t expect them to make the disposal sharper. 

Myth 6: Newly Installed Water Heaters Don’t Require Maintenance 

Water heaters need a regular schedule of professional maintenance to operate at their best. After enough time, buildup can collect inside, reducing efficiency and shortening your water heater’s max life span. Flushing the tank and checking the anode rod once yearly are the most important steps to keep that water heater in working order. 

Myth 7: Many Leaks Are Fixed by Tightening the Faucet 

A leaking faucet usually indicates a broken washer or mechanism, not a loose handle. Over-tightening could damage the threads and exacerbate the drip. Instead of cranking the handle down further, call a plumber to fix the root cause. 

Myth 8: Every Plumber Offers the Same Service

Even though they’re all plumbers, you can’t just pick anyone out of the phone book. Licensing, work experience and reviews can make a big difference in the quality of your plumbing service. Opting for a cheap plumber without the appropriate background could end up costing you more over time.

Myth 9: It’s Easy to Install Plumbing Fixtures Yourself

Putting in plumbing fixtures is more than just tightening screws. Plumbing systems are still somewhat complicated, and improper setup can lead to leaks, flooding and the costly repairs that come with them. Save yourself the hassle by hiring a professional plumber for installation projects.

Myth 10: Plumbing Problems Always Announce Themselves

Some plumbing problems might be hard to spot until they cause serious damage. A seemingly minor leak might not be very obvious until it’s resulted in widespread water damage. Regular plumbing inspections can help identify unseen problems earlier to stop them from becoming an enormous headache.

Reach Out to a Plumber for Help

At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we deliver professional solutions for all your plumbing concerns. Our plumbing technicians have the expertise to keep everything working smoothly, from your fixtures and sewer lines to your water heater and garbage disposal. If you are not entirely happy with our work, you can rely on us to make it right. Contact us today for dependable plumbing services at fair, honest prices.