Most people rarely think about their plumbing and know very little about how it works. That doesn’t stop certain plumbing myths from taking hold. To help debunk some of these popular myths, we asked our plumbing experts at Mr. Rooter of San Diego to test their veracity. Their answers may surprise you.
- Water drains counterclockwise south of the equator.
Earth’s rotation has nothing to do with the water flow in your toilet. The rotation of the water depends on how it’s built, i.e., which direction the streams of water going into your toilet bowl are aiming.
- Cat litter is flushable.
Litter may be manufactured to be water soluble, meaning you can flush it, but cat poop is still dangerous as it exposes pregnant women to a toxic parasite. Best to just scoop the poop if you insist on using flushable litter.
- Critters cannot swim up your pipes.
As much as everyone wants this to be true, it’s not. Ask this man in Australia. Snakes and rats have successfully worked their way up pipes and into homes. Makes that midnight run to the loo a riskier venture, right?
- Water heaters do not explode.
Water heaters all come with a pressure relief valve. If these fail, that pressure has no place to go and your tank could explode. Our plumbers recommend annual maintenance with tank flushing to help prevent this.
- You can flush your goldfish.
A dead goldfish is fine. However, do not flush a live goldfish! They’ve proven to be resilient creatures, surviving in the sewer system and altering the eco-system by morphing into oversized fish that reproduce so fast the system can’t support the population. Find a different home for your companion.
- Plumbing does not conduct lightning.
Metal conducts electricity, wherever it is. Water does, as well. The two elements put together mean anything electrical hitting the pipe is on the fast track to both ends of that pipe. You may want to skip using the faucets in a large electrical storm.
For more information about your plumbing, come on down to Mr. Rooter of San Diego and talk with our highly trained professionals. Don’t forget to schedule an appointment for any of your plumbing needs.
Sources:
https://www.mrrooter.com/san-diego-county/
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/renovation/a37946/plumbing-myths/
http://6abc.com/home/top-costly-plumbing-myths-debunked/440695/
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-14-711
https://blog.allstate.com/tips-maintaining-water-heater/
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/mythbusters-database/shower-in-thunderstorm/