What do you really know about your plumbing? You may own a plunger, but do you know how it is truly useful? Do you know why you might want to have your drains cleaned?
Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths out there around how your plumbing works and how to fix it. To fix and/or maintain your plumbing effectively, you need to have accurate information about what is true and what is not.
We’ve addressed a few common plumbing myths below to help you identify the truth.
My Leaky Faucet Can Wait
A leaky faucet is the kind of thing that people tend to put off because they don’t think it is a big deal. For a variety of reasons, you shouldn’t put off repair of a leaky faucet.
For one thing, that extra water running out of your faucet is costing you money on your water bills. Also, a leaky faucet can be a sign of trouble brewing elsewhere in your pipes (potential other leaks). Fixing it and/or getting to the bottom of what is causing the leak could potentially save your home from serious water damage. It doesn’t take a lot of water to cause a lot of costly damage.
Creatures Can’t Get Through my Pipes, Can They?
If a creature is small, flexible and able to swim, they can get up your pipes. And if they can get through your pipes, they can get into your home. Common animals that appear through pipes are snakes, frogs, rats, and possums.
Don’t let those intruders in. Install a flap over the waste tube of your toilet, which will let waste out while keeping creatures out as well.
All I Need to Remove Clogs is a Plunger
A plunger works by plugging a clog free with suction. This is a great tool, but it won’t work on every clog. If a clog is caused by something sturdy and stubborn like a tree root, you need a solution that is more forceful.
Usually, if a plunger doesn’t work, you use a plumbing snake. If that doesn’t work, then you can try hydrojetting, which targets high-pressure water spray to break up and flush out clogs.
My Pipes Aren’t Clogged. Water is Still Going Down the Drain
It’s all about how quickly the water goes down the drain. For instance, if your drain is slow to clear of if it bubbles when you turn on other faucets or flush the toilet, you may have the beginnings of a bigger clog. It’s a big mistake to wait until a drain is completely blocked until you fix it. The damage and the inconvenience could be substantial.
Water Heaters Don’t Explode
If left unchecked, your water heater poses a very real threat of explosion. At issue is the T&P valve (temperature and pressure) that releases steam during the process of heating the water. If the steam has no path to release (i.e. if the valve’s airflow is blocked) or if the valve is otherwise damaged, it can explode, causing damage and injury.
Inspect your valve to make sure that nothing is blocking it and that it is in good repair.
