People need plumbers. As more homes and apartment buildings are constructed, so are plumbing systems. That's why, according to FieldCamp, the industry as a whole is projected to grow roughly 4% between 2019 and 2029. There are some myths about plumbing that need to be debunked, though. Here are a few of them.

1. You Can Use Drain Cleaners

When you notice that your drain is getting backed up, many people go to the nearest store and get one of those drain cleaner gels. The water might go down to normal and drain as it should, however, the cleaner can damage your pipes. Store-bought cleaners will slowly erode your pipes and lead to bigger problems down the line. Contact your local plumbers instead. They'll have safer and more effective treatments for drain cleaning.

2. You Can Pour Hot Water Down Your Drain to Prevent Blockages

Your parents or another relative might have told you to pour hot water down your drains to prevent blockages. The thinking is that it will melt any grease that is in the pipes and clear up the drain. The problem is that the grease will get stuck in the nooks and crannies of your pipes and then solidify, which will then back everything up. The hot water won't be able to touch it; a drain snake won't work either. Instead, you're going to have to call up some plumbers and have them clear it.

Now is also a good time to note that you should not be pouring grease down the drain. The best method for getting rid of it is to allow it to solidify in the pan (or whatever cooking ware you're using), then use paper towels to scoop it up and throw it in the garbage. This will prevent grease blockages altogether.

3. You Can Use Ice to Sharpen Your Garbage Disposal Blades

If you have a garbage disposal, you may have heard that pouring ice down the drain and turning it on will help to sharpen the blades. However, there is one primary flaw in this logic -- garbage disposals don't have blades. Rather, they have impellers. These impellers are actually dull, so there is no need to attempt to sharpen them. Save your ice for a refreshing drink instead.

4. You Can Use Flushable Wipes

The packaging might say that the wipes are flushable. Most septic systems aren't equipped to handle them, though, which means that they can quickly back things up and cause a lot of problems. Even if you don't have a septic tank, these wipes are notorious for getting stuck in pipes until they back the whole system up. It's better to use regular toilet paper. If you insist on using these wipes, then the best option is to just throw the used ones in the garbage.

5. You Can Put a Brick in Your Toilet Tank to Save Water

This one is unusual, but some people seem to think that it works. It supposedly conserves water by limiting how much water is flushed. The problem is, the brick is going to break apart the longer it's in the tank. That's bound to cause pieces of it to interfere with other moving parts. It's a very, very short-term gain. Instead, you'd be better off investing your money in a high-efficiency toilet. You can have quality flushes and conserve water.

6. You Can DIY Plumbing Repairs

Perhaps the biggest myth is that you can handle any plumbing issue yourself. That's true if you happen to be a professional plumber yourself, but while you might be able to fix some minor things, you risk doing major damage if you tackle a larger project without the proper know-how. That's best left to the experts.

There are a lot of myths being circulated out there that could wind up causing some major damage to your plumbing system. If you notice something is out of the ordinary with your plumbing, then you should enlist the help of some local plumbers, especially experienced ones. They've probably seen a lot of things over the course of their careers and will gladly tell you. Doing that could wind up saving you a good number of repairs in the future. Are you looking for plumbers in your area? Contact The Witmer Company today!