We hear some crazy things about plumbing whenever we’re called out to handle Santa Rosa plumbing inspections, repairs, or installations.  There are a lot of “old wives’ tales” and other myths circulating about plumbing, and the sad news is that most of them are simply not true.  At best, they don’t actually help, and at worst they can damage your plumbing!

So, we wanted to take a minute to talk about some of the most common myths we hear, and clear up what’s true and what’s not.

Dispelling Common Misconceptions About Plumbing

1. Ice cubes can sharpen your garbage disposal blades.

Unfortunately, this simply isn’t true.  In fact, there really isn’t a good way to sharpen your garbage disposal “blades” at all, because they aren’t true blades.  They’re tooth-like shredders.  The best medicine here is preventative – try to avoid putting anything unnecessarily hard or fibrous down your garbage disposal, so you don’t dull the shredders too quickly.

Now, putting ice cubes down the disposal isn’t a bad idea, because…

2. Lemons won’t clean your garbage disposal… but ice does.

Another myth we frequently hear is that feeding sliced lemons to the disposal will clean it.  No, all that does is make it smell like citrus for a couple hours.  Worse, the acid in the fruit can degrade the blades!

However, ice does clean the shredders, so it is a good idea to send some ice cubes through the disposal.  Just not for the reason you might think.

3. Liquid Clog Removers Are a Replacement for Plumbers

It’s OK to use products like Drano occasionally to clear out minor clogs.  However, keep in mind that these products inevitably are full of extremely harsh, caustic chemicals.  They basically melt away the cause of the clog… but in the process, they’re melting away part of your pipes too.  Over-reliance on them leads to big repairs later.

4. It’s OK to flush paper towels or wet-wipes.

If you want clogged pipes, send paper products down them which aren’t toilet paper.  Toilet paper is specifically designed to break down very quickly, so it doesn’t cause clogs.  The same isn’t true of paper towels or wet-wipes.  They just clog things up.

Get Top Santa Rosa Plumbing Inspections, Installations, And Repairs

Gifford Anderson Plumbing is your top choice for Santa Rosa plumbing inspections and needs.  Contact us today at (707) 527-6007 to schedule an appointment.