We are all guilty of believing a few plumbing myths that just aren’t true. Here’s three of the most common plumbing myths kiwis believe, and why they’re wrong:
- “The drains are working, they must be in good shape.”
If you don’t detect a problem with your drain, it doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Sewer lines could be blocked or the toilet may not have been properly cleaned, which can lead to backups and other problems in the future if left untreated. It is important that homeowners make sure they maintain a 4:1 water-to-food ratio in their kitchen sink as well as watch out for early warning signs of ineffective disposal unit or slow drainage. - “A small water stain is a tiny problem.”
It is easy to underestimate the importance of even a small water stain. A leaky pipe, for example, can lead to structural issues in time and mold or rot as well. And because water has tendencies toward moving along beams and horizontal surfaces – meaning you might have a further-reaching problem than just where its coming from – it’s important not only that we take notice when something goes wrong but also act quickly so our home doesn’t suffer any longer term consequences. - “We can put anything down the drain with water as it washes it away.”
Although this would seem to contradict the basic principle that “everything goes in circles” (pun not intended), it’s actually quite simple: when you turn on your kitchen sink, all of those non-degradable items get sucked away by the powerful suction from below and then spat back out into various pipes for their even more distant journey downstream. So, as thick skins, non perishable hair, egg shells and many other non degradable items pushed down a drain will harm it no matter how much time you keep the water running.
Many people make the mistake of following plumbing myths, which can lead to serious damage. If you’ve followed one too many “plumbing myth” tutorials on YouTube without knowing how your home’s pipes work inside and out then this quick guide should help clear things up: Unfollow those videos because they could be seriously damaging to our drains if we’re using them incorrectly.
Feel free to give our team a call anytime if you have any other myths we can help tackle!
