Before you read any further, be sure to have read our last blog! It covered the first five plumbing myths that have been passed down through families, generation to generation. These "tips", (or myths, rather), may have worked once–seemed to have worked, but alas, are just old wives tales. Amuse yourself or be shocked by these untrue plumbing myths.
Myths About Your Toilet:
- "With any blockage, the solution is a plunger."
The first reflex is to grab the plunger and let it do its thing, but unfortunately, that isn't always the best option. If you have kids, freeze! Think. Try and determine what might be causing the blockage first. As plumbers, you can only imagine the vast amount of things we find in toilets–you don't want to know. A huge mistake would be to try and plunge these things yourself because the result could be much worse than the original blockage. Also, you could end up pushing it further into the pipe, making the situation that much more grave. Best to call your plumber or try and hook the item with a strong wire hook. - "Toilet-cistern cleaners keep my toilet clean."
Many homes are acquiring colored bleach tablets to place into their toilets cistern. We see how the logic of having dissolvable bleach circulating around the toilet seems sound; however, it causes more harm than good. They do minimize the periodic cleaning requirement, but as they dissolve, they also create a slow build-up that can actually block your cistern, eventually ruining it. The better and cheaper solution is vinegar! Vinegar helps remove some of the build-up and clogs that can hurt the flow of your toilet. - "Of course you can dispose of wet wipes down the toilet!"
Nooo! One of the main reasons why a plumber gets called to a toilet blockage is because someone flushed wet wipes. Wet wipes are not biodegradable like toilet paper is; they are synthetic and pile up, clogging the drainage system. Think of them like socks! bad idea. - "Plumbing fixtures don't require any maintenance."We voted this one as one of the most dangerous myths of all. Prevention and maintenance is the cure for any and all of your bill ills. It is super relevant for the health of your plumbing fixtures and fittings. It is important to ensure that your drains remain clog free and the periodically inspect and maintain sinks, faucets, pipes, and toilets for any sign of damage so as to address it immediately.
- "Water always flushes counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere."Have you heard of the Coriolis Effect? Relevant on a larger scale, small bodies of water like your toilet simply do not apply. The actual direction of your flush is determined by the design of your toilet.
As you can see, word-of-mouth can escalate to crazy levels, causing all sorts of havoc to your plumbing situation. That is a reason why is it so important to have a trustworthy service like us on hand to call. We are here for you! If you have a question, reach out. We also provide water heater installation in Levittown and hot water heater repairs in Levittown.