If you have ever tried to fix your own plumbing at home, you may have read some strange and interesting facts about plumbing, or you may have been given plumbing advice from a friend that had a similar issue.
Although there is a wealth of information out there, sometimes it can be misleading and add to your problems.
Here are 7 common plumbing myths explained to prevent you from making any mistakes that could cost you in the future:
- Critters can swim up your pipes. Many people do not want to believe it but snakes and rats are known to crawl through pipes and out of the toilet. It may be best to always close the toilet lid and look inside before sitting down!
- You should not flush cat litter down the loo. Some cat litters do say they are flushable because they are water soluble, but cat poop is not. You run the risk of exposing your family to a toxic parasite. It is better to scoop the poop out before flushing the litter.
- Water heaters can explode if the pressure relief valve fails. This is why water heaters should be maintained annually by a professional.
- A dead goldfish can be flushed down the toilet without any negative side effects. However, a live goldfish, should never be flushed down the loo. Besides the moral reasons, the goldfish will survive and end up in the sewer system, where it will grow and reproduce rapidly. The sewer system would not be able to handle the pressures put onto the system by the fish and would become damaged or fail.
- Your plumbing can conduct electricity for the simple reason that metal and water conduct electricity. A combination of the two will definitely allow electricity to travel through both ends of the pipe. Therefore, using the faucets in an electrical storm can be dangerous.
- A brick in the back of your toilet tank will not help you save water. The brick will break down over time and cause other parts of the toilet, like the flapper, to become damaged. The brick may also result in too little water in the system, which means you have to flush twice.
- Toilet bowl tablets that contain bleach can destroy parts of your toilet. Bleach in the toilet bowl is fine, but it should not sit in the tank of the toilet for more than 10 minutes. Bleach in the tank of the toilet will damage all the parts that make the toilet work within 6 months. Chemicals should generally be flushed through the toilet system to prevent any damage.
If you have a plumbing issue and you are unsure of the cause or how to fix the issue, it is always best to call out a professional plumber. Even if the issue is simple, calling a plumber to check up and do some routine maintenance on your plumbing can save you money and time in the long run. Regular maintenance and professional care can stop a small issue from becoming out of control and requiring major repairs.