Plumbing Myths Costing Homeowners Money and Frustration

We’ve all heard advice based on superstitions and myths. When it comes to your household operations, plumbing myths can be costly, time-consuming and highly frustrating. Understanding these myths will help prevent future problems. Estes Services wants you to be aware of these myths and know the plumber secrets of professionals!

Plumbing Myths

Here are 5 plumbing myths where homeowners are taking the information they hear and think it’s truth:

1. Plumbing Myth: Lemons down your garbage disposal will give a fresh scent to your sink. The citric acid in the lemons will only corrode the metal inside your disposal.  
   Plumber Secret:  Use ice to polish the inside of your disposal. This is noisy but as the ice is ground up the scum in the disposal will be cleaned away.  
2. Plumbing Myth:  A brick in the tank of a toilet saves water, but the truth is over time the brick will decay and cause damage to the tank.  
   Plumber Secret: Make sure you have a newer model toilet that is designed to save water. Older toilets do use more water, but larger amounts of water are needed to flush all waste properly.
3. Plumbing Myth: Running water helps move waste through your garbage disposal. The truth is running water will not help move it through the pipes if the blockage happened before the water arrives.
   Plumber Secret:  Fill the sink with about four times the amount of waste before you turn on the disposal. The water will separate the garbage, and it will flow down the drain with ease.
4. Plumbing Myth:  Bleach toilet bowl tablets will keep your toilet clean. Unfortunately, any bleach toilet bowl tablet that is designed to be used in the toilet tank will erode the inner mechanisms of a toilet within six months.
   Plumber Secret:  Bleach tablets that are used in the toilet bowl are fine to use. If you use bleach in the tank, leave it for no more than 10 minutes and then flush it.
5. Plumbing Myth:  Chemical drain cleaners are great for clogs. Chemical drain cleaners are corrosive, and once the clog is clear, they begin to eat away at your pipes.
   Plumber Secret:  Use vinegar and baking soda in your drains with the aid of a plunger to clear the clog. You can also snake the drain or call a plumbing professional at Estes Services to clean your drain.

Know the difference between myth and fact when it comes to your plumbing. Myths are extremely harmful to your plumbing and can cause expensive repairs in the future. Contact Estes Services for our plumbing knowledge and secrets!