Ever hear of the phrase “conventional wisdom?” Well it’s a term that refers to ideas or solutions that have been passed down and are generally taken as true with no question. There are many conventional wisdom ideas that pertain to plumbing. Pour lemon down the drain to freshen it up. Run the water as you run the garbage disposal. Are these really good ideas? Find out with these top 5 home plumbing myths that cost you money.
Myth 1: Lemons mean Fresh
Putting lemons down your drain is supposed to help freshen it up and make it smell less, right? Wrong. Sure you are creating a temporary solution to the smell, but the citric acid from the lemon corrodes the metal pipes in your drain which can lead to damaged pipes that can eventually leak or burst as a result. A good alternative to using lemons is to grind some ice in your garbage disposal. It is loud, but it will power wash away all the scum that’s clogging and smelling up your drain.
Myth 2: “In Tank” cleaners keep your toilet shining and smelling fresh
One major at home plumbing cost you can cut is in tank cleaners that are marketed as making your chores easier. What these products actually do is bleach the smelly build-up white so it looks like your toilet is clean when, in reality, the scum and smell is still there. Over time, the build-up can get so bad that it ruins your toilet and you’ll be doing a lot more than scrubbing. Instead of using in tank cleaners, pour some vinegar in the overflow tube. This will remove the build-up and the smell and will cost you a fraction of what the in tank cleaners cost you.
Myth 3: Lifetime warranties are useful
When you buy a cheap product, use it, and it breaks, don’t expect to get it replaced with a top-of-the-line product that’s out on the market. You’re stuck with what you buy and you’ll be spending more time and money needing to reinstall the same product over and over again. To avoid this problem, do some research before you buy products. Be sure you are buying quality products and aren’t replacing junk with junk.
Myth 4: Run water while the garbage disposal works
The common thought is that if the water is running while the garbage disposal is at work it will help waste travel smoothly. We’ve all done it, but more often than we’d like to think, the time comes when a hand has to go into the disposal to break apart whatever is clogging it. Water following the waste doesn’t help if the blockage is already there. To catch a majority of waste and to prevent it from going down the drain, you can get an inexpensive food collector strainer to put on top of the drain. The water will pass right through and extra food bits will get stopped and collected.
Myth 5: As long as stuff keeps going down, there’s no problem
You may think that there isn’t an issue if food keeps going down your drain without any hiccups, but that is not the case. Food like pasta and rice will bloat in the drains and cause blockages. Without an efficient amount of water to wash the food down, over time more and more items will get caught and clog your drain.
For more plumbing myths that cost you money, contact York Plumbing and Drains today at (781) 521-8164.
