Check Out These Patriotic Plumbing Tidbits
While society might be a little prude about plumbing talk, plumbing has been one of the most significant developments in human history. One can track societies throughout history based on their sanitation and plumbing practices. Even today, comparing societies with poor plumbing infrastructure to societies with good plumbing infrastructure can give accurate information about public health and longevity.
This Independence Day, celebrate independence from all of the problems that poor plumbing can cause. These plumbing experts offer facts to help everyone celebrate the human accomplishment that is plumbing technology!
American Contributions to Plumbing Technology
- American Hospitality: The Tremont Hotel in Boston was once the pinnacle of the hospitality industry. Engineered around newly developed technology, it was the first hotel to offer its guests indoor plumbing. Other notable firsts include free soap, locked rooms, and a special dining room where women without a gentleman escort could dine alone, out of sight.
- Early Toilet Paper: Many materials have been used for wiping over the thousands of years that toilets have existed. From material scraps to sponges on sticks, commercial toilet paper is a relatively new norm. Popularized in the late 1800s, Joseph Gayetty manufactured the first available toilet paper from Manila hemp. He was roundly condemned as a quack doctor when he offered aloe-medicated sheets of his toilet paper for hemorrhoid relief.
- Presidential Plumbing: Many people don’t think about it, but the nation’s earliest presidents didn’t have access to plumbing. As indoor plumbing, both fresh water and sanitation services, became more popular in construction, it took decades to be installed in the White House. The earliest presidents bathed in nearby rivers and took care of their business in chamber pots and privies on the White House lawn. It wasn’t until President Fillmore that the White House had all of the functioning components of a modern bathroom.
Fast Facts About Toilets
- Which Direction Do They Flush? A common myth is that toilets flush in different directions depending on the hemisphere they are in. This is false. Toilets all over the world flush in both directions, and it is influenced more by the currents in the water than the rotation of the Earth.
- Why Are They Porcelain? As society transitioned from doing their business in chamber pots and outdoor privies, the logical jump was to make toilets out of wood. Wooden toilets, however, were difficult to clean and couldn’t hold up to the expansion and contraction that flush water caused. Porcelain quickly became the material of choice since it was more sanitary and cheap to mass-produce.
- Clean Public Restrooms? The first toilet in the row is statistically much less used than every other toilet in the bathroom. Therefore, it is cleaner.
General Plumbing Facts
- Irrigation systems led to a population explosion and the development of human civilizations. The earliest irrigation systems date back to 6000 BC in the Middle East. The earliest irrigation systems in the US date back to 1200 BC in the Southwest
- Cell phones and computer keyboards carry many times more bacteria than toilet seats.
About Zing Plumbing
Zing Plumbing in Tucson, AZ is the local choice for residential and commercial plumbing excellence. Focusing on long-term solutions instead of short-term fixes means they are always committed to excellence and quality. Emergency plumbing services are always available 24/7.
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