A Brief Lesson in Home Plumbing Basics
A new school year is beginning, and kids are heading back to class for their daily dose of knowledge. But while the kids are off at school, the adults can take the opportunity to absorb a little useful knowledge themselves. And for homeowners, there’s hardly a better place to begin than with the plumbing.
Sure, a home’s plumbing system may seem pretty self-explanatory, but a lot is going on that most homeowners aren’t aware of. And when it comes to reducing water waste, preventing mishaps, and avoiding costly repairs, knowledge is power. So keep reading for a crash course in home plumbing!
How a Home Gets Its Water
Every home has its own water main, which runs underground between the house and the city water main (or a private well in many rural areas). The home’s water main passes through the water meter to measure usage, then continues on toward the water heater. There’s usually a shutoff valve on the water main, located near where it enters the home or in an underground utility box in the yard. Every homeowner should know the location of this valve in case of emergencies.Before it reaches the water heater, it splits into two subsystems - one for cold water and one for hot. The hot and cold supply pipes are usually made from copper, galvanized steel, or PEX tubing and run parallel to one another to deliver water to every fixture in the house (though outdoor hose bibs and irrigation systems only receive cold water).
A home’s drainage system also features a main drain pipe (called a lateral line), which delivers all the home’s wastewater to the city sewer line (or septic system). Each drain in the home uses gravity to send wastewater down the pipe, past a curved section of pipe called a P-trap, which prevents sewer gases from coming up into the house. Every drain pipe also connects to a vent pipe, which runs straight up to the roof and releases air pressure to ensure smooth drainage.
Home Plumbing Fixtures and Appliances
No home plumbing system is complete without the fixtures. The water supply and drainage systems are designed never to meet directly. Still, since any water that enters a home must eventually leave it, every supply fixture has a corresponding drainage fixture. Faucets have sinks, showerheads have tubs or shower basins, toilets and washing machine outlet boxes have supply valves, and waste drains built-in, etc.
Unfortunately, since they see so much direct interaction, fixtures usually wear out or break down quickly compared with the rest of the plumbing (copper pipes can last 50 years or more!). Valves get jammed with mineral scale, gaskets wear out and crack, internal parts snap in half, and so on. Older fixtures with high flow rates can also waste enormous amounts of water - those who live in older homes would do well to upgrade their outdated fixtures.
How Regular Drain Cleaning Can Save the Day
Another thing every homeowner should understand about their plumbing system is that it requires plenty of maintenance. The drainage system, in particular, can get pretty ugly if neglected for too long. Clogs can occur as far down as the lateral line as grime and debris get washed down and become trapped - grease is perhaps the most common culprit since it congeals and sticks in the cooler underground pipes.
Most people only call for a drain cleaning when there’s a clog, but they don’t realize that regular drain cleaning can prevent most clogs from happening in the first place. Professional plumbers use hydro-jetting to blast away obstructions and scour the pipe walls with a special high-pressure water nozzle.
Because it’s so effective and can be used to clean the home’s entire drainage system down to the sewer line, annual or semi-annual drain cleanings (performed by a trusted pro) are an integral part of a home’s preventative maintenance routine.
About Force Plumbing and Heating LLC
The family-owned and operated Force Plumbing and Heating has been serving the Holmdel, New Jersey community with pride for years. They are licensed, bonded, and insured for the safety and peace of mind of every customer. They offer 24-hour emergency services, a rewarding membership program, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee on every job.
