Your home’s plumbing may, on the surface, seem to be a simple thing; a series of pipes that carry water into and out of your home. But despite the apparent simplicity of that concept, there are many ideas and misconceptions that people have about their plumbing that need to be addressed.
We’re going to look at some of the biggest myths homeowners may have about their plumbing, and tell it like it is.
Creatures can’t swim up your pipes
The “conventional wisdom” says that because water runs down the pipe, this means that any animal on the other side can’t “fight the current.” Rats can—and do—travel up sewer pipes and can sometimes enter a home through the toilet.
This happens all over the world, from England to the good old USA, where New York City homeowners and business operators frequently run into this problem.
A plunger can fix any clog
Quite often, you’ll find a situation, like a backed-up toilet, where the best solution really is to roll up the sleeves, take out a plunger, and use good old-fashioned suction to clear out the blockage. In most common cases, a plunger really is the best solution.
However, a plunger is not a miracle cure-all for every clog you encounter. Sometimes, things are so severely blocked, or clogged so far down the pipe, that a plunger is not going to get the job done. Always try it first, but don’t rely on a plunger to fix every clog problem.
A water heater can’t explode
The temperature pressure and relief valve is designed to prevent your water heater from building up too much heat or pressure. However, improper maintenance that damages the T&P valve can cause a dangerous build-up, and that can turn your water heater into a bomb. Don’t tinker with your T&P valve or the area around it if you don’t know what you’re doing!
A leaking faucet isn’t bad
A leaking faucet in and of itself may not appear to be particularly dangerous. After all, it’s only a little bit of water, right? But let’s put it this way. What if your child was suffering from regular nosebleeds? It’s only a little bit of blood right?
A leaking faucet, like chronic nose bleeds, is a symptom. It is a sign that something far more serious is building up. Ignoring it only means that a small problem that could easily be dealt with now is getting worse.
As long as water goes down the drain, there’s no problem
This is only looking at a surface issue. If water is going down your drain, that doesn’t mean that a block or clog isn’t building up somewhere. Worse yet, this doesn’t take into account any breaks in your pipe where water may be leaking.
If your toilet is working properly, for example, but a break in your sewage pipe is causing that water to spill out somewhere in the basement, that’s not going to show up as a block in your drain.
Get your plumbing fixed right
The Plumbing Service Company has been serving Greensboro, NC for years. If you have a plumbing issue that needs a professional response call us at (336) 502-8540 so we can fix your problem with a quality repair and complete peace of mind.