You may not be a plumber, but you can still understand the basics of plumbing and home plumbing maintenance! In fact, we highly recommend that you learn as much about your plumbing as possible so you can handle minor leaks and issues yourself. To that end, we debunk some of the most common plumbing myths below:
Myth 1: Your water heater is going to explode.
Truth: If there are noises coming from the water heater, it’s usually the result of sediment that has collected in the water tank. The sediment essentially traps air bubbles, which are allowed to escape when the water is heated. The chance of a water heater actually exploding are close to 0!
Note: If you hear noises from a tankless water heater, you need to get in an emergency plumber to check over the problem before the heater breaks down completely.
Myth 2: Ice cubes are great for your garbage disposal unit.
Truth: People think that throwing ice cubes down the garbage disposal unit will sharpen the blades. Not so! Ice cubes are used as a sort of blade and drain cleaner. The ice will clean off the garbage disposal blades, but egg shells will sharpen the blades. You can throw a few eggshells into the unit if you feel the blades are getting dull.
Myth 3: A leaking faucet will usually stop leaking after a while.
Truth: There are some leaks that go away with time. However, most leaks actually get worse! Whatever is leaking (worn gasket, for example) will only wear away more over time, and the hole will get bigger. Leaks that aren’t taken care of promptly will continue to leak.
Myth 4: You can flush “flushable wipes” down the toilet.
Truth: While flushable wipes are supposed to be safe to flush, the truth is that you could end up with clogged toilet pipes just the same. The wipes aren’t fully biodegradable, so they often end up clumping in a ball or mass in the toilet pipes. Try to avoid flushing anything down the toilet!
Myth 5: Bleach tablets are great for keeping the toilet bowl clean.
Truth: The bleach tablets can help to keep the bowl clean, but the bleach will destroy the components in the tank. NEVER place bleach tablets in the water tank, only in the bowl. Don’t let bleach linger in the bowl for longer than 10 minutes, else you risk damaging the ceramic.
