When it comes to plumbing, there’s a lot of misinformation out there. Many myths have even turned into common practices that have found their way into our homes. That’s why we’re here to help you sort through all of the rumors, and get you on track to taking better care of your plumbing systems and avoid those costly repairs that come from simple maintenance ignorance.
These are some of the most common plumbing myths that you should avoid:
- Plumbing doesn’t require regular maintenance. – When people think of ‘regular’ maintenance, they assume that simply means calling a plumber out every couple of years for those “just in case” scenarios. This, however, is not true. Even if you don’t have a visible plumbing issue, and your water has been draining just fine, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have clogs building up somewhere in your pipes. Many plumbing issues go far beneath surface value. Over time, things like food in the kitchen sink and hair in the bathtub will accumulate, eventually causing some sort of back up – and you can almost always bet that it will happen at a very inconvenient time.
Plumbing does require you to take regular, proactive measures to keep everything up and running, in top shape, for as long as possible. To keep things flowing, have your systems inspected annually, and pay special attention to those drains.
- A leaky faucet is nothing to worry about. – While it may start as a tiny drip, those tiny annoyances can turn into very big and costly problems. Leaks can damage faucets and cause unsightly stains on your fixtures, not to mention waste water. In fact, it’s estimated by the EPA that a small leak, if left untreated, can lead to 10,000 gallons of wasted water per year. That’s definitely something that you should worry about!
- Running water helps waste travel through the garbage disposal. – If you believe this one, trust us, you’re not alone. Many homeowners believe that you can put just about anything down your garbage disposal, so long as the water is running. Well, we hate to break it to you, but some things just do not belong in a garbage disposal. Hard food items or waste, like eggshells and fruit peels, can seriously damage your disposal, and when this happens, repairs may not be cheap. If you’re going to put something down your disposal, make sure that it’s broken down completely and mixed with water before you put it down the drain.
- Lemons and water can keep your garbage disposal clean and functioning. – Unfortunately, lemons will not clean your garbage disposal, and the water will definitely not prevent clogging. Yes, lemons may eliminate some odors, but overall, they won’t do much to prevent pipe or disposal damage.
- The tighter you turn a handle or faucet, the better. – Sorry folks, while it may seem counter-intuitive, this one’s also not true. Sure, logic tells us that if there’s a leak, you should shut the tap off as tightly as possible, however, this can actually cause more damage. You could end up further cracking the valve or pipe making the leak even worse. A tap or faucet simply needs to be snug and secure.
Many common plumbing myths are passed down from generation to generation, so let’s change this cycle of misinformation, together. Now that you’ve learned how to correct a few of these misconceptions, you can take corrective measures to ensure that those small plumbing annoyances and issues don’t turn into much greater problems.
Always remember, if you’re ever in doubt, give us a call at 815-515-4062. Someone from our team will be more than happy to assist you.