Fun Facts About Plumbing

Do you think there’s anything funny about plumbing?  Nah, neither do most people.

Still, plumbing can be made funny when you put it in the right setting.  At another level, it becomes a more interesting topic when, for example, you learn about more primitive plumbing applications from days of yore.

Whatever your particular interest, we think you’ll have some fun as you read the following fun plumbing facts.

1. The word “plumber” was a Roman invention where pipes were once from plumbum, the Latin word for lead. People who worked with lead were called Plumbarius, which eventually was shortened to – you guessed it – “plumbers”.
2. Since 1963, there has been enough copper piping installed in American homes to wrap around the Earth 200 times – about 5.3 million miles.
3. In Japan, some urinals have voice-activated flushing mechanisms.  The urinals respond to several commands, including “fire.”
4. Albert Einstein was named an honorary member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union after saying publicly that he would become a plumber if he had to do it all over again.
5. If a drip from your faucet fills an 8-ounce glass in 15 minutes, it will waste 180 gallons per month and 2,160 gallons per year.
6. The Tremont Hotel in Boston became the country’s first hotel to incorporate indoor plumbing in 1829.
7. At least 85% of the prescription drugs people ingest are filtered through the kidneys. The drugs leave the human body during urination. This has raised concerns for the EPA, because there are large quantities of pharmaceuticals in sewage systems due to urination.
8. The term “plumbers” was a popular name given to the covert White House Special Investigations Unit established during the presidency of Richard Nixon in response to the leaked “Pentagon Papers” documents. Their job was to plug intelligence leaks in the U.S. Government relating to the Vietnam War; hence the term “plumbers.”
9. The flushable commode dates to 1596. It was created by Sir John Harrington. This is where the toilet got one of its many nicknames, “the John”. Globally, there are over 100 slang terms and nicknames for the bathroom.

While we didn’t invent plumbing, Eagle Service Company stands ready to service all your home plumbing needs. Contact us today or any time for the service you need, when you need it.