5 Home Plumbing Myths

Five Home Plumbing Myths

How much do you really know about all of your home plumbing systems? Not so fast: Before answering, note that there are plenty of home plumbing myths going around, pieces of “conventional wisdom” that are actually not very accurate or truthful. You may believe some of these myths, but be careful: Falling prey to them might actually cause plumbing problems that will prove expensive to repair.

A few of the most common home plumbing myths include:

• Running water while using my garbage disposal helps the waste travel much more smoothly. There is nothing necessarily wrong with running the water while you use your garburator. There is something wrong with thinking that by doing so you can put whatever solid waste you want to down the disposal. The garbage disposal is not the place for hard or thick food items, nor for stringy ones. You can use as much running water as you like, then, but it’s not going to make egg shells or banana peels go down any smoother, and in time you’re going to have a serious clog.
• So long as waste is still going down the garburator, it’s not clogged. Here is one more common myth about the garburator. Just because waste goes down it that does not necessarily mean that you are clog-free. If your disposal is working slower than normal, or if you see visible food particles in the line that won’t go down, you may have a clog developing.
• Chemical drain cleaners work great on clogs! Some might, but many of them are corrosive and dangerous. They eat away at clogs, but they don’t stop there—and there is no way to prevent them from eating right through your pipes. Consult with a plumber before using these products.
• A little drip doesn’t matter. It may seem to you like your leaky faucet is more of an annoyance than anything else, but those drips add up to countless wasted gallons—and wasted dollars—each year. Make sure to address drips and leaks pronto.
• You can handle all of your plumbing maintenance on your own. Certainly, homeowners can invest some time into learning how to do some basic home maintenance and repair work, but if there is ever even a little bit of uncertainty over how a project should be done, it is important to call a professional—lest you make the issue even worse!

We stand ready to help the homeowners of Vancouver with whatever home plumbing needs they might have; to learn more, contact us today!