Plumbing Myths Cincinnati Homeowners Shouldn’t Fall For

Schedule Now

Plumbing myths are the stuff of good story-telling but they can cost you money, too, if you believe them. Every technology has its fables and folk tales—like the old wives’ tale that dirty cars get better gas mileage than clean cars. The truth is, there’s not much about household plumbing that isn’t scientifically established by now and, while plumbing techniques and materials are constantly evolving, the basic principles are well-established. Take any tall tales you may hear with a grain of salt, but particularly watch out for these plumbing myths.

  • Bubbling water heaters may explode. Actually the sounds you may hear are simply water percolating due to sediment accumulation. Hard water sediment in the bottom of the heater traps heat and releases it suddenly in the form of air bubbles which may sound like pressure building. Sediment accumulation won’t make the heater explode but it does make it less energy efficient. You can drain the tank to remove sediment yourself or call a plumber to do it as part of a yearly evaluation.
  • Leaky faucets don’t waste much water. Because a leak usually runs 24/7/365 until it’s repaired, those individual drips can add up to startling amounts of water waste. A single faucet leaking four drips a minute wastes over 200 gallons per year. An ongoing leak also hastens deterioration of faucet components as well as staining porcelain fixtures, requiring repair or replacement.
  • Bricks in a toilet tank are a good way to reduce flush volume. Actually, bricks may deteriorate in water and interfere with components like the flapper valve, causing more water waste. A “bricked” toilet that produces too little flush volume must be flushed twice, which wastes water. To reduce flush volume, ask your plumber about installing a high-efficiency toilet.
  • Lemon peels deodorize a garbage disposal. Yes, but they may also clog your plumbing. Any form of fruit rinds may resist the shredding action of the garbage disposal and cause a clog. A better deodorant is a cup of white vinegar poured into the disposal.

For more information to bust common plumbing myths, contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.

Image via Shutterstock.com

Schedule
Call
"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Read Reviews
    Image

    Financing

    Learn More
    Image

    Apollo Care Plan

    Learn More