The History of Plumbing

Plumbing is one of the most important technological discoveries in the history of mankind. We rely on plumbing for hydration, waste management, cleaning and much more. Without it, the world as we know it would not exist. It took thousands of years and hundreds of innovations to get plumbing to where it is today. From the primitive plumbing systems of the Indus River to the complexity we see today, let's take a deeper look into the wonderful history of plumbing:

1700 B.C
The Indus River civilizations created the first sewage system on record. They used underground tunnels, wooden spouts and a grid system that was far ahead of their time.

312 B.C 
The Romans invented the aqueduct system to carry fresh water into the capital city. At their peak, the aqueducts were carrying over 1 billion liters of water a day!

1596 
John Harrington, the godson of Queen Elizabeth, invents the first flushing toilet in England. The original toilet was called “The John,” and that nickname still stands today.

1854 
A cholera outbreak in England forces governments around the world to take sewage seriously. A year later, Chicago became the first American city to build a comprehensive sewer system.

1890
The world's first drinking water treatment systems are built in Massachusetts to reduce microbial contamination. The techniques they invented there are still in existence today!

1920
Tank toilets emerged on the market and reduced previous water consumption by 40%. The tank was made possible when William E. Sloan invented the flush-o-meter 10 years prior. The flush-o-meter used the pressure from the water supply system to help flush waste down the drain. Both of these inventions helped conserve as much as 200 million gallons of water a day.

1966
Due to a copper shortage, plastic piping was invented as an alternative. Today, we refer to this plastic piping as PVC pipe.

Present
The plumbing industry employs close to 500,000 people per year and grossed over $100 billion dollars in 2015.

Looking for more information about modern day plumbing? Connect with Nassau Plumbing and Sewer Rooter on Facebook and Twitter! Give us a call at 516.874.7937 or visit us on the web to learn more about our services.

Plumbing Tips for the Holidays!

The holidays are the perfect time for family, friends and the occasional plumbing issue! If your hosting a holiday party or Christmas dinners at your home, those extra guest put a serious strain on a home's plumbing system.

Big holiday meals for plenty of people usually require a busy kitchen. Too much grease can find its way into kitchen drains, eventually leading to the pipes being clogged. If you have several guests staying over the holidays, your shower drains might have an issue. With an overload of hair and soap, showers are quickly clogged.

Here's some tips to avoid plumbing issues over the Holiday Season.

In the Kitchen:

• Don't pour fats, oils or grease down the drains because these will eventually solidify and create clogs.
• If you have a garbage disposer, avoid putting hard-to-grind objects in for disposal.
• Run cold water down the disposer drain to clear the waste down.
• Run the dishwasher at night or at off times to conserve hot water for shower.

In the bathroom:

• Plan to spread out showers throughout the day. This will help conserve hot water and give the drains a chance to clear out.
• Turn up the water heater slightly to retain hot water.
• If shower pressure is weak,  pour a cup of vinegar into a plastic bag, place it over the shower head, and let it soak for 2-5 minutes. After, use a toothbrush or towel to scrub off mineral deposits to help restore water flow.

Avoid holiday congestion during the Holiday week, call us at (516) 874-7937 for more information or visit our website  http://www.nyplumbingandsewerrooter.com/.

Happy Holidays from everyone at New York Plumbing & Sewer Rooter!