Learn More About Your Home's Plumbing With These 3 Burning Questions
Most homeowners probably don't give much thought to their plumbing systems as long as the water flows, the toilets flush, and the pipes aren't busted. But a home's plumbing is a complex and indispensable part of everyday life and deserves more attention than it is usually given.
Since most plumbing issues result from general neglect, homeowners who give the cold shoulder to their plumbing systems are asking for trouble. Learning everything there is to know may take some time, but a few fun and easy questions are enough to break the ice and get things started.
Why Is the Toilet Sometimes Called 'the John'?
There is some debate as to why, when, and where toilets originally got the "John" nickname, but the term is most often attributed to Sir John Harrington. One of Queen Elizabeth I's many godsons, Harrington was a poet and a bit of a troublemaker. His invention of a flushable toilet in the 1590s, while not the first flush toilet ever designed, was a great innovation at the time - the Queen even had Harrington build one for her.
Harington's toilet, which he affectionately named Ajax - a play on 'jake' or 'jack,' the slang terms for a latrine - was a clear precursor to the toilets of today. The wooden contraption was large, noisy, and not exactly sanitary, but functional. A leather valve would allow water from a raised cistern to flow down and empty the chamber bowl, washing away waste. His design was never employed for widespread use, but Sir John is still widely considered the modern toilet's originator.
Does Water Spin the Other Way In the Southern Hemisphere?
Despite the popular myth, water does not go down drains in the opposite direction south of the equator - at least not always. A physical phenomenon called Coriolis force affects the rotation and direction of large-scale systems like cyclones and hurricanes, essentially pulling them north or south away from the equator. This pull, combined with the Earth's rotation, causes these systems to spin clockwise if they're in the Southern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise if they're in the Northern.
Coriolis force may theoretically play a minor role in the water's rotation in the case of a draining bathtub or sink. Still, it will be superseded by more immediate factors like the basin's geometry or any recent interaction with the water. Similarly, the design of a specific toilet will dictate which direction the water flushes - namely, the direction of the jets around the rim of the bowl.
How Much Water Does a Dripping Faucet Waste?
The constant sound of "drip, drip, drip" from a leaky faucet is enough to drive anyone up the walls. But far worse than this torturous sound is the amount of water lost down the drain. Even a relatively slow drip can waste dozens of gallons each month. An average drip rate for a leaky sink faucet is around 10-12 drips per minute, equating to more than a gallon of water per day, or close to 400 gallons per year.
A leaky faucet is usually caused by a worn or damaged valve or gasket. Leaks of this nature tend to get worse and worse over time, and can even cause mold growth, so it's best to have them repaired as soon as possible - before even more water flows uselessly down the drain.
About B&L Plumbing
B&L Plumbing has been providing friendly expert service to Colorado Springs, CO since 1999. As a veteran-owned local business, their unparalleled customer care, workmanship, and community involvement have earned them consistent 5-star ratings and several awards. B&L provides transparent, competitive pricing, financing, and 24/7 emergency plumbing service with no after-hours fees.
