Biggest Plumbing Myths

A garbage disposal may be a convenient way to get rid of food scraps, but it isn’t a trash can. It wasn’t designed to handle every type of food or large amounts of waste. The main things that shouldn’t go down the disposal are grease and oil, egg shells, and large quantities of food at the same time. These can cause damage to the disposal and the grinding mechanisms inside.

The best practice is to run cold water while you use your disposal and put small amounts of food in it at a time. That will help your disposal keep from overheating and move scraps through it quickly.

Over the years, your pipes get clogged, spring leaks, and become corroded. Some people regularly pour chemical cleaners down their sinks and tubs as part of their home maintenance. Most plumbers would tell a homeowner NOT to do that!

Unfortunately, off-the-shelf, chemical drain cleaners are known to destroy pipes. The acids found in them are corrosive enough to eat away a channel in the bottom of your pipes. If you want to be proactive about clogs and blockages, an enzyme-based drain cleaner, like BioOne, is recommended. They are safe to use in your home because they don’t give off toxic fumes, they only destroy organic matter in your pipes, and leave your pipes alone.

Anything other than toilet paper and human waste shouldn’t go down your toilet. That includes “flushable wipes”. They're known to cause sewer dams and in some cases, neighborhood-wide sewer shutdowns. Flushing the wrong things down the toilet wastes water, causes clogs, and sometimes overflows in your home. If you need to throw something away, throw it in the trash. If you want to hide that type of trash, consider purchasing a trash can with a lid.