You may be shocked if you heard some of the stories that we hear from our clients; ideas to put lemons down the garbage disposal and theories of cleaning your whole bathroom with a bar of soap. There are a lot of ‘tips’ and ‘tricks’ out there that seem like good ideas; especially in the days of Pinterest and DIY. But some of the things you read online are just plain plumbing myths.

Here are 5 common plumbing myths that we have debunked to save you time and money!

Call All American Plumbing Services, 727.943.8300, if you have any questions about your DIY project.

Plumbing Myth 1. If It Seems To Be Working, It’s Working

Often times the plumbing in your home may appear to be working just fine. So what if you need to stop your toilet from running or if your drains get backed up every once in a while? Well, even though these fixtures are working now, they could be about ready to break. We suggest you pay attention to the little things. If your faucet loses pressure, that could be the sign of a bigger leak somewhere down the line. If your shower drain backs up, there could be a major clog in the way.

A home plumbing system is very complex and should be monitored and maintained properly. Just because all of the parts seem to be working fine, it still may be a good idea to call your plumber to take a look.

Plumbing Myth 2. Lemons are Great For My Garbage Disposal

Sure lemons might make your disposal smell lemony fresh, and ice may sound like it’s doing some dirty work, but these tips can also lead to bigger problems down the road. The acid in those fresh lemons can make your garbage disposal corrode. The citric acid will oxidize, and eat away at the metal surface of your perfectly fine garbage disposal!

Plumbing Myth 3. Plumbing Tasks Are So Easy; Anyone Can Do It

If you know a little bit about tools and DIY, you can probably replace a leaky faucet or a drippy shower head. However, many other plumbing tasks can be a huge workload. Installing a toilet may only take a plumber a few hours, but it could take you days! If any plumbing in your house is broken or causing problems, it is often better just to call in a licensed plumber. Believe us, the money saved by doing it yourself is not worth the problems that could happen!

Plumbing Myth 4. It is Safe to Use Store-Bought Drain Cleaners

Many store-bought drain cleaners have harsh and even hazardous chemicals in them. These chemicals can eventually lead to chemical burns on your skin and can cause eye irritation. Not only could these chemicals hurt you (and your plumber), they can also cause serious injury to any plumbing fixture that it touches!

Plumbing Myth 5. Flushable Wipes Are Okay For Your Toilet and Pipes

According to RecycleBank, contrary to their name, “Flushable” wipes are not all that flushable! The reason that you should not flush wipes or other products that are not toilet paper is the fact that these products are not easily biodegradable. Many plumbers will be able to tell you how many times they have been called to fix a toilet that is backed up with “Flushable” wipes. Remember, that just because it CAN wash down a toilet, it doesn’t always mean that it SHOULD.

Call All American Plumbing Services, 727.943.8300, if you have any questions.

We are licensed qualified plumbers servicing New Port Richey, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Trinity, Clearwater, Dunedin, Port Richey, Westchase, Oldsmar, Odessa, Holiday, Land O Lakes, Citrus Park, Carrollwood, Lutz, Ozona, Crystal Beach, Safety Harbor, Belleair, East Lake, Keystone, and surrounding areas of Tampa Bay with over 35 years of experience.