Some Plumbing Fun Facts You May Not Be Aware Of
Who was it that put the toilet on the map? How much of a history is there to plumbing? One has to wonder about the pipes in one’s walls and what put them there.
We at A Better Plumber have been at it for 20 some odd years, putting in our time with water systems, drains and pipes all over Maryland and accumulating no end of good stories in the process. We would be happy to put in a call from you at (301)-278-8786 should you require assistance, but before we do, here are a few facts to put you in a better frame of mind.
Plumbing Predates Your Assumptions
It is a common misconception that indoor plumbing is something of a modern day affair. In truth you are off by several millennia. The ancients were quite adept at moving water.
Case in point:
- By 2500 BC the Indus Valley had drainage and bathrooms in their homes
- You will find copper pipes in the pyramids and palaces of Egypt
- The Romans put in aqueducts to bring water in from far and wide
- Then there are the public baths of Rome with their lead pipes; “plumbum” is Latin for lead and the source of the term “plumbing”
- There are clay pipes from antiquity that have yet to see a repair
The periodic table bears witness to that Latin root with “Pb” for lead. Plumbers have been around for as long as anyone can remember.
Forget Thomas Crapper and the Toilet
For most this is news. They will tell you the toilet is the handiwork of one Thomas Crapper. It is not so simple.
Crapper was an English plumber who made the flushing toilet a household item in the 1800s, to be sure. But the original design is attributed to Sir John Harington in 1596, who made one for Queen Elizabeth I. Crapper was content to popularize it. His name may have become a laughing stock in some quarters but he has his due in the annals of plumbing.
A Drip or Two Is More Wasteful Than You’d Like to Admit
A faucet that will not stop dripping seems harmless enough until you look at the figures.
- Left to its own devices a drip per second amounts to 3,000 gallons a year down the drain
- An hour with a running toilet can put 200 gallons to waste
- Annually, leaks in U.S. homes run to almost a trillion gallons
- Put a stop to them and you could be looking at a 10 percent reduction in your water bill
They are not hard to fix once spotted. If you have a drip you cannot seem to put right, our people at A Better Plumber can have a look at it.
What Your Water Heater Is Up To
There is more to a water heater than hot water for the shower. Tucked away in the tank is an anode rod whose job is to rust in place of the tank. The rod will take the corrosion to spare the metal of the heater and give it a longer life. Most homeowners are not even aware of it, yet a check every few years is the best way to make your unit last.
And Some More for Trivia Night
- Three years of your life is how much time is spent on the toilet on average
- Sewer systems have been with us for thousands of years
- Manhole covers are round by design so they do not go through the hole
- Standardized codes in cities have done much to stem disease
- Porcelain is the preferred colour for toilets on account of how clean it looks
You do not often think of it, but plumbing is responsible for a great deal of our comfort and health.
Leave It to the Pros
All well and good to know these things, but when it is your home we are talking about you want someone with experience. We are licensed and insured and stand behind our work with a 100 percent guarantee. Our 4.9 star rating from 1,600 plus Google reviews will tell you why our neighbours in Maryland put their trust in A Better Plumber for HVAC and plumbing.
Come in with a question or a problem with your water heater or a leak and we will be glad to oblige. Call (301)-278-8786 for a free estimate. We are here 7AM to 8PM Monday to Friday and until 4PM on Saturday.
