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Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in the United States currently earn a median pay of around $55,160 per year. A lot goes into the process of installing, repairing or replacing the plumbing system in your home. Most homeowners consider this process too intricate with the many fixtures and fittings involved.
In fact, home plumbing might appear complex even in the smallest house. However, with some minimal understanding of the plumbing basics, you’ll realize how straightforward residential plumbing is.
If you need to know how a basic plumbing system works, we invite you to keep reading to learn what you need to know.
Interestingly, most residential buildings have similar water pipe systems. While this does not mean that all home plumbing adopts a one-fit-all approach, your understanding of how plumbing works helps you deal with most common plumbing problems.
Plumbing Systems 101
Your home’s plumbing comprises of two separate subsystems. One subsystem brings freshwater into the house, while the other directs wastewater out. Gravity and pressure are important components of this process.
The water entering your home can either be from the municipal supplies or private wells. Either way, the water mostly passes through a meter first. This helps keep the water consumption rates in check.
Wastewater leaving your home goes out into a septic tank in the backyard or a wastewater treatment plant. The drain system within your home depends on gravity to ensure wastewater flows downhill through a series of large drainpipe system. The process of letting water in and wastewater out depends on certain critical plumbing systems.
• Water Supply System
Whenever there’s a problem with the flow of water into your home, the most probable cause could be a cut off from the main water supply system. Your home’s plumbing system routes water supply from the municipal water system, which branches to other parts of the home. Your fixtures, faucets, toilets and bathtubs depend on this steady supply to keep water running.
Your home plumbing depends on water pipes, fittings, service valves and faucets to keep the water running. The material used to make these fixtures and pipes could either be plastic, copper or galvanized iron. Some of the most common problems with these fixtures include the risk of cracking, clogging or corroding.
If there has been a problem with your water supply at some point, the possible reason was either a crack, a clog, or corrosion. You might require to call in F.H. Furr experts in such cases to help you deal with plumbing issues.
Your water supply system depends on moderate pressure to distribute water to all the fixtures. Your home plumbing system should have pipes with a larger diameter size to ensure adequate flow. Most pipes range from ½ inch to 4 inches in size.
• Wastewater System
The wastewater system is the other side of home plumbing you would want to wish away. This is given that this part of home plumbing isn’t the most glamorous. Even so, this is the most crucial part of any home plumbing.
• The Drain-Waste Line
The drain-waste carries water from the sinks, bathtubs, showers, and toilets to the septic tanks or the public sewer systems. Any problem with the drain-waste system can cause unprecedented damage to your home due to flooding or overflowing.
Close to 14.6 million properties in the United States are currently at risk of potential flooding in case of a major storm. This is due to the inability of most sewer systems to discharge excess water. Your home’s drain–waste system depends on the efficiency of the sewer lines to keep the wastewater flowing away from your home.
• Vent-System
Most homeowners understand little about the vent system. The drain-waste piping helps to ventilate the sewerage gases out of the house which helps to minimize build-up in the house.
Your plumbing system also needs the vent to help maintain the right pressure for proper drainage.
Most of the vent drain pipes are out of sight, tact within the walls but play an important role in controlling the wastewater pressure going down the sewer systems. Furthermore, clogged vents and drains have a major negative effect on the proper function of the wastewater system.
A problem with the wastewater system can potentially lead to damages to property in case of wastewater overflow. The vent can also cause a nauseating stench in your home if left unchecked for a while.
• What to Do in Case of Plumbing System Failures
Nothing is more frustrating than a sudden problem with your plumbing system. Whether it’s a sudden cutoff of water supply or an issue with the waste drain, plumbing system failures can be frustrating. With these home plumbing basics, you now understand how water flows in and out of your home.
You might be able to deal with basic issues such as tightening a loose faucet through DIY. However, other, more intricate issues require expert intervention. Some of the main concerns with plumbing systems include clogged toilets, low water pressure and slow draining sinks.
Before you try out basic DIY to deal with such issues, it might be best to call in a plumbing expert. Some of these plumbing issues might worsen in case of delayed interventions. If you notice a problem with your plumbing system, it will help to call in a technician immediately.
Know Your Basic Plumbing System
Your home’s plumbing system might seem intricate if you lack a basic understanding of how it works. The flow of water from the moment it enters your home to the point where it’s discharged as waste depends on the efficiency of the plumbing system.
Your home has faucets, fixtures and drain lines that help keep the water flowing. In case of a slight problem in either of these parts, your home may be at risk of flooding. You need to call in an expert as soon as possible in case of a plumbing system failure.
Are you looking for DIY inspiration, interior design tips or architectural insights? Below you will find links to more insightful articles about all things design for your home or business.
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About the Author: Ashley Edwards
