#FlashBackFriday | Invention of the Toilet

Can you imagine your home without a toilet? Hard to believe, isn’t it? Well, many centuries ago, people didn’t have toilets. Instead, they had other hygiene practices. And it wasn’t until 1956 that the first modern flushable toilet was invented.

Want to know more about the evolution of this essential plumbing fixture? If so, then read on:

What was the first flushable toilet?

The first device is described as a two-foot deep oval bowl that needed to be fed water from an upstairs cistern. This pot required 7.5 gallons of water, but when water was lacking, up to 20 people could use it before flushing. In doing so, they could conserve more water. Next came the invention of the S-shaped pipe below the toilet bowl, which used water to create “a seal preventing sewer gas from entering the toilet”. But it wasn’t until the 19th century that the first successful flushable toilet was manufactured, with a better tank-filling mechanism, closer to the one we have today.

Who invented it? 

Sir John Harington, the godson of Queen Elizabeth I, described the very first two-foot oval bowl. Harrington called this the Metamorphosis of Ajax - a pun on the term “a jakes”, which was slang for toilets. While these devices were popular for people to use, it wasn’t until 1775 that Alexander Cummings granted the first patent for a flush toilet. Then, it was Thomas Crapper who built the very first widely successful, flushable toilet. Although many names attribute to the invention of the toilet, it took many years for this device to become what it is today - easy-to-use and highly functionable.

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Having trouble with your plumbing? Nassau County Plumbing & Sewer Rooter is here to help you out 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Give us a call at 516.874.7937 or visit our website for more information. 

Flushable Wipes Clogging US Sewer Systems

Bathroom wipes are becoming increasingly popular.  These pre-moistened towelettes are often advertised as flushable, meaning they are safe to dispose of in your toilet.  Recently these bathroom wipes are being blamed for creating clogs and backups in the nation's sewer systems.

Many of these wipes, even the ones labeled flushable, are going down the toilet but not breaking down quickly.  This is costing some municipalities millions of dollars to hire crews to unclog the pipes and pumps and even replace and upgrade machinery.  Manufacturers insist wipes labeled flushable aren't the problem, blaming it instead on things like paper towels, feminine hygiene products and baby wipes clearly marked as non-flushable.  The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry recently specified seven tests for manufacturers to use to determine which wipes to call flushable.  For more information on how these bathroom products are affecting our sewer systems please visit http://goo.gl/P0lMEL.

Be sure to carefully check the label of any bathroom products you intend to dispose of in your toilet.  If you experience any problems with your plumbing call NY Plumbing and Sewer Rooter at
516-874-7937. 

NY Plumbing & Sewer Rooter What We Can Do For You!

Our highly trained professional plumbers provide sewer and drain cleaning services as well as other plumbing services.  We Specialize in clogged sewer lines, clogged drains to residential and commercial customers.  If you have any sewer or drain emergency then call us and we will be there within 30 minutes, 24 hours a day 365 days a year.  We unclog any sewer or drain:

• Sewers
• Toilets
• Sinks
• Showers & Bathtubs
• Yard Drains
• Laundry Basins
• High Pressure Water Jetting
• Video Camera Inspections
• Floods Pumped

We service all of Nassau County as well as Brooklyn, Suffolk County, Queens and much more, we can handle any and all sewer or drain clogs, and get there in 30 minutes or less.  That is our guarantee!  We charge by the job, not by the hour, which can save you money.  Our customers always receive the highest quality workmanship at a reasonable price! 

Call us at 516-874-713-8136 or visit our site online at http://www.nassaucountyplumbingandsewerrooter.com.