As a plumbing company, each plumber on our team hears strange things about plumbing systems on a daily basis.
Here are some of the plumbing myths that our plumbers have heard when we’re out on the job and why they aren’t true:
- Myth: You can flush cat litter — Even though the box of cat litter says you can go ahead and flush the litter down the toilet, don’t do it! Cat feces contain a parasite known as toxoplasma gondii, and it can harm pregnant women and marine life. What’s more is that wastewater treatment systems can’t remove this parasite during the treatment process.
- Myth: A plunger can fix any clog — You might avoid calling a plumber about a clogged sink or toilet because you think as long as you plunge enough times, the problem will go away. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Some clogs are so large and deep within your plumbing system they need a professional to remove.
- Myth: You can flush a live goldfish down the toilet — Although flushing a dead goldfish is okay, never flush a living fish in hopes of sending it to the ocean. When live goldfish make their way into a sewer system, they can inflict harmful changes on the ecosystem.
- Myth: Leaky faucets can be ignored — Any plumber will tell you to get that leaky faucet fixed right away. If you don’t, you waste water and damage your plumbing fixture.