What in Your House Requires Plumbing?
Understanding your plumbing system is a crucial part of being a homeowner. It can help you troubleshoot problems, plan for repairs, and save money.
Basically, your plumbing is the subsystem that brings fresh water into your home and drains wastewater away from it. This article will discuss how this works.
Water Supply
The plumbing system in your home consists of two separate subsystems; one that brings water in and the other that takes wastewater out. During normal operation, these systems are in complete harmony. However, if something goes wrong with one of these subsystems, it can quickly become disastrous.
Before beginning any plumbing work, it’s important to locate and shut off the main water valve. This valve is typically located near the water meter, and it’s the key to preventing costly flooding in case of an emergency.
Next, you’ll want to know what type of plumbing pipes are installed in your home. For example, older homes may have galvanized steel pipes, while newer constructions feature PVC or PEX. Knowing your plumbing pipe type can help you plan repairs and upgrade your home. Additionally, it’s helpful when determining whether a project requires a permit. Different cities have different requirements, but generally speaking, any project that involves installing or changing your water supply line, drainage system, or sewer lines will require a permit and a professional to ensure safety and quality standards are met.
Water Distribution
While there are some plumbing tasks that most homeowners can handle themselves, like changing a toilet flush valve, others should always be left to professionals. The key is understanding the difference between what you can and cannot do yourself.
Before water can flow into your home, it must pass through a meter and main shut off valve. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain this line from the meter to the property line, though this depends on your country’s laws.
The pipes in your home are made of a variety of materials, but PVC and copper are the most common. It is important to understand what each pipe does and how it interacts with other pipes in your home.
For example, a professional plumber in Melbourne might tell you that it is vital to have a drain with the right pitch (slope) to ensure wastewater flows properly. Without it, your pipes could clog and overflow. You should also educate your family on how to reduce the amount of waste your household produces, and be sure to schedule regular inspections with a licensed plumber.
Waste Pipes
When you flush a toilet or drain a sink, waste water goes into the pipes. These pipes, known as the drainage system (also called the sanitary system), carry wastewater and solid waste to the sewer or septic tank. They don’t rely on pressure to work; they’re sloped downward, and gravity pulls the waste down.
The drainage system also includes traps to prevent sewage from backing up into your house. You’ve probably seen these S-shaped segments of pipe under every sink, which are often referred to as P-traps. They keep wastewater from escaping the drain, and they also let air into the pipe so that it doesn’t build up with steam or odors.
Plumbing vent pipes, which stick up through the roof, are another important part of the drainage system. They allow sewer gases to escape, while keeping fresh air in the pipes so that the wastewater keeps flowing. Together, these systems make up what’s called the drain-waste-vent (DWV) system.
Fixtures
When designing a house's plumbing system, plumbers take into account the location of fixtures and the amount of water needed to operate them. They also consider factors like gravity, pressure and the tendency of water to seek its own level.
To ensure that water flows properly, pipes must be installed with proper joints and connections. They must also be properly vented to prevent odors and the buildup of hazardous gasses.
The law defines a fixture as anything that is physically and permanently attached to real property and will convey with the sale of that property. It's important for homeowners to understand what items are considered fixtures so they can determine whether the item in question should be included in a home sale. To help with this, many real estate professionals use a mnemonic device called MARIA to remember the five tests for determining whether something is a fixture or not. This helps to avoid potential disputes between buyers and sellers over things like chandeliers or light fixtures that the seller intends to pack up and move with them.
