10 Fun Facts About Plumbing You Probably Never Knew

If you’re like most Canadian homeowners, plumbing is not on your mind on a daily basis. You know that your pipes are behind walls or under cabinets, and you trust them to keep bringing you the water you need.

Plumbing isn’t all serious problems and issues, though. Sometimes it can be fun – like these ten facts that you probably never knew.

Plumbing Isn’t Modern

Standardized plumbing dates back thousands of years, to 3,000 B.C. when residents of the Indus River Valley used earthen pipes to move water and waste. Plumbing was all about comfort and included brick-made toilets and baths.

Toilet Paper Research – Cost: $100,000

Over or under? It’s the (silly) bathroom question of the ages. Should the toilet paper flap come down over, or stick out under the roll?

There was serious research done on this question, and it cost $100,000. The result? 75% prefer the flap to come down over the top.

Einstein Wished He Were a Plumber

Einstein announced near the end of his life that he would have been a plumber if he could do his life over again. As a result, the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union main Einstein an honorary member.

We’re glad Einstein was who he was, but how interesting that he had other aspirations!

Other Famous Plumbers

A lot of famous folks worked as plumbers before they were stars. Ozzy Osborne was once a plumber, and actors Michael Caine (from The Dark Knight) and Bob Hoskins (from Hook) were both plumbers before they became actors.

In fact, Hoskins plays a plumber in some of his films, a fun nod to his past.

How Long on the John?

We know that we spend a third of our lives sleeping, but what about the time spent on the toilet? The average person spends about three years of life sitting on the toilet.

That’s a lot of time scroll on your phone!

Why is it Called the John?

Ever wonder why we refer to a toilet as “the John?” It turns out the flush toilet was actually invented by a guy named John – John Harrington, way back in the 1590’s.

The invention was later popularized by a fellow named Thomas Crapper, but the origin of the word “crap” goes back farther than Mr. Thomas.

The World’s Most Famous Plumbers

The world’s most famous plumbers aren’t real plumbers at all – they’re Mario and Luigi from the Mario Brothers video games. They’ve appeared in over 200 games since they were created in 1985.

Water Waste

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

How much is a drip? If you have a faucet that drips only twice a minute, you’ll still waste (and pay for!) over a gallon of water per week.

If you’re facing a more serious plumbing problem than a leaky faucet, don’t hesitate to call a plumber in Newmarket. The issue can be fixed quickly and you can minimize the damage.

Know Your Plungers

If you use the wrong plunger in the wrong place, you’ll be frustrated and wondering why you aren’t getting results. Remember that a sink plunger is flat, while a toilet plunger is more narrow at the bottom so it can fit into the toilet hole.

Use the right one for the job!

What’s in a Circle?

Ever wonder why manhole covers are round? It’s so that no matter how they are rotated, they cannot fall into the hole they are designed to cover.

Square drain covers can easily be rotated and pushed into the hole, causing problems for the pipes below.

There you have it, ten interesting facts you never knew about plumbing. Now you can entertain friends with trivia and enjoy knowing new tidbits about this field. Get immediate estimate on plumbing repair and maintenance.

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