3 Plumbing Myths Debunked
Between product marketing, word of mouth, and DIY blogs or social media channels, there’s a lot of misinformation out there - especially when it comes to your home. Sometimes that ends in wasted money or time for a lackluster solution, but sometimes it causes real damage. Let’s take a look at the three biggest plumbing myths and how to avoid them.
1. “Flushable” Anything
Nothing other than toilet paper should get flushed down your toilet. Even tissues or paper towels, which seem like the same thing, aren’t safe for sewer or septic systems, as they aren’t made to break down in the same way. And flushable wipes? You shouldn’t flush them! It doesn’t matter that they’re marketed that way, they don’t break down and can eventually clog your sewer pipes or even contribute to a fatberg.
If it isn’t toilet paper, throw it in a trash can.
2. Drain Cleaner
If it wasn’t safe for pipes, it wouldn’t be so available, right? There’s a whole aisle of it at every supermarket.
Wrong!
Drain cleaner is actually pretty bad for your pipes, especially newer PVC pipes, and it can eat away at them over time. It’s also pretty ineffective at removing the type of clogs that lead you to seek out solutions.
So what can you use? Baking soda and vinegar is an option, but a physical method like a plunger or drain snake will give you better luck.
3. Hot Grease
Whether you learned that hot grease will drain safely because it’s liquid, or that running hot water will help move it along, you’ve gotten bad advice. Grease cools and hardens quickly once it hits your pipes and then just...stays there. It then collects debris until the pipes are totally clogged.
The only safe way to dispose of cooking grease is in the trash. Either pour it into a tin can and wait for it to harden before throwing away, or wipe hardened greased out of a pan with a paper towel and toss it.
Plumbing clogs are a pain to deal with, so it’s better to avoid them altogether. Steer clear of the three plumbing myths above and keep everything in tip top shape. But if you or someone in your house takes bad advice, give us a call and we’ll get everything running smoothly.