Plumbing Trivia

Did you ever wonder who invented the toilet? When indoor plumbing became the norm rather than a luxury? How much a gallon of water weighs? Air Specialist A/C Heating Plumbing & More of Houston has your plumbing trivia! Read on for some fun plumbing facts, and be ready to best your buddies at the next plumbing trivia challenge you encounter.

Toilet trivia

The first flushable toilet was invented in 1592 by Sir John Herrington, who was the godson of Elizabeth I. His invention of a raised cistern and small downpipe didn’t catch on, though – the public seemed to prefer chamber pots. 🤷However, when you call the toilet “the john,” you’re paying homage to Herrington and his invention. But what about Thomas Crapper? You’ve always heard that his name has lived in infamy because he invented the toilet. No, Mr. Crapper was actually a plumber who made some improvements to the device, making his name synonymous with, you know.

Other fun toilet facts:

• World Toilet Day is November 19.
• Most toilets flush in the key of E flat.
• Your toilet drains clockwise or counterclockwise due to its design, not because you are in the northern or southern hemisphere.
• The ancient Chinese are credited with using paper for personal hygiene duties as early as 589 AD. Toilet paper became commercially available in 1857 when it was sold in sheets. The first roll of toilet paper was introduced around 1890 by the Scott company.
• Speaking of toilet paper, 70 percent of people queried want the toilet paper to roll over the roll.
• The first time a toilet was shown on American television was during a 1957 episode of “Leave it to Beaver” when Wally and Beaver were hiding a pet alligator in the tank.

Water, water everywhere

You’ve probably heard that most of the earth is covered with water, and most of that water is salt water. If you want to get specific, water covers more than 70 percent of the world’s surface, and only 3 percent of our planet’s water is fresh water. Water is an important component of plumbing systems, whether it’s coming through the pipes to clean your clothes or exiting your house after a hot shower. Let’s learn more about this essential liquid.

• A gallon of water weighs 8.33 pounds.
• The United States uses approximately 400 billion gallons of water daily.
• The average American uses 100 to 175 gallons of water per day.
• A leaky faucet that releases one drip of water per second will waste more than 3000 gallons of water each year. That’s a lot of wasted water AND a lot of wasted money on your energy bill. (Got a leak? Air Specialist can help.)
• Water is a finite resource. It flows between the oceans, atmosphere, and land, but our planet does not create new water.

What else can you tell me about plumbing?

Are you looking for more plumbing trivia? Let’s talk about pipes. Pipes play an important role in moving water in, out, and around your home. Most residential homes rely on PVC pipe, which is affordable and comes in different fittings and sizes. Other common plumbing materials are cast iron, chromed brass or copper, galvanized iron and PEX, a cross-linked polyethylene material.

More fun plumbing facts:

• Albert Einstein once declared that if he could do it over again, he’d choose to be a plumber. We may be biased, but we think plumbing is a noble profession, and obviously, Einstein was onto something with this remark.
• Al Moen invented a single-handle faucet in 1939. This allowed you to control hot and cold water in just one turn.
• The most famous plumbers in the world are Mario and Luigi of Mario Brothers fame.
• The word plumber is derived from the Latin word “plumbum,” which means lead.
• Want to save even more money? Insulate your home’s pipes and cut down on the amount of heat that’s lost as water travels from the water heater to your faucet.
• Your garbage disposal is great for taking care of the bits and pieces left in your sink after doing the dishes. But bones, pits, grease, and fat can lead to clogs or broken blades.

Plumbing is a much more fascinating subject than it gets credit for, and Air Specialist A/C Heating Plumbing & More is proud to offer plumbing services on top of the heating and cooling services we have been known for in the Houston area. If you need plumbing services, or if you’re considering upgrading your plumbing equipment like your faucet, toilet, or sink, reach out to us now at contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’re here for all your plumbing, heating, and cooling needs.