5 Things You Don’t Know About Plumbers

You probably don’t realize how much you rely on proper plumbing until a pipe bursts, the shower overflows or the washing machine stops working. It is only once a plumbing crisis hits that you desperately call up the local plumber.

But how much do you actually know about plumbers? Here are five facts about plumbers that might surprise you.

1. They’d like to rename garbage disposals.

Most people use the garbage disposal as basically a second trash can when they’re too lazy to throw food scraps into the kitchen garbage receptacle. What most homeowners don’t know is that the kitchen sink’s garbage disposal is not built to handle many of the substances that are thrown down the drain. That’s why plumbers would rather rename them “sink disposals” or just get rid of them altogether.

Quick tip: Clean the disposal with lemon juice (no peels) and ice.

2. They face serious safety risks.

You don’t typically think of plumbing as a dangerous profession, but the truth is that high water and air pressure systems pose serious safety risks to plumbers. If a pipe bursts as a plumber is working on it, they might have 40 to 100 pounds of pressure coming their way. Plumbers also handle dangerous chemicals, operate heavy-duty equipment and face exposure to harmful bacteria on a regular basis.

3. They didn’t watch YouTube videos to learn about plumbing.

Plumbers undergo serious training to learn the ins and outs of plumbing. They are taught industry best practices for making repairs, installations and inspections. Plumbers have the knowledge and experience necessary to face the dangers and challenges of the profession, so that homeowners don’t have to.

4. They wish you’d stop trusting the “flushable” label.

The truth is, many “flushable” items like floss, tampons and “flushable” wipes don’t break down as well as toilet paper and can build up into clogs over many years. Because modern toilets are highly water-efficient, there may not be enough volume in a flush to force the waste down the drain.

5. They’re happy to inspect a home’s plumbing system before you purchase the home.

Spending a few hundred dollars on a comprehensive plumbing inspection can help homeowners save thousands of dollars in repair. Many impending plumbing problems can only be spotted by an experienced plumber.