Plumbing and heating are two vital components of a home that many of us take for granted and many know little about except to turn on a tap. For example, if you were to ask 10 homeowners where their water shut-off valve was only about 5 could tell you. So if there were an emergency 5 household might be up to the knees in running water.
Water Supply
The water supply begins with a pipe coming into the home from either a municipal source or a private well. Pressure propels water through the pipes which is why you can get the same pressure - 35 to 85 pounds on average - in the upstairs bathroom as you can in the basement. The temperature of this water is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit and for hot water it has to be heated in a water heater. Any type of water heater can be installed quite easily but it takes a gas plumber with a certification to put in a tank heated with natural gas. The water supply is controlled with a water shut-off valve that is usually situated in the basement or storage room
Wells
If the home relies on well water the system is pressurized in a holding tank for distribution throughout the home especially an upstairs bathroom. There are two basic types of wells: dug and drilled.
Dug Well: A dug well is the old, traditional style which was dug by hand until water began filling up the bottom of the hole. Then the diggers dug down until the water coming in exceeded the rate a man could empty it baling by hand. Then the sides were reinforced with stones. Later, electricity made it possible to pump water into the home when it could be stored in a tank. When the tank got low a trip mechanism started the pump and let it take water until it was full.
Drilled Well: A newer innovation these wells, also called “bored wells,†are drilled with bits. As each length goes down another section of pipe is added. When water is struck a meter measures the rate and the drilling continues until a certain gallon-per-minute rate is reached. The well is then capped off and a submersible pipe is lowered. An umbilical cord of wiring relays both electricity and signals to the pump directing it to go on when the pressure in the holding tank is low.
Sewer
Waste, both solid and liquid, needs to be drained from the home and the municipal authorities provide a drainage pipe which, in most cities, flows to a sewage treatment center. This includes all the wasted from toilets, garbage disposals and “gray water,†the drainage from showers, sinks, washing machines and dishwater. In some areas where water is at a premium this water is saved, treated and used either for toilets or irrigation of outdoor lawns and shrubs. There are two main types of sewage disposal: Municipal; and Septic Tank.
Municipal Sewer: Up until the 1840's almost every home had an outhouse in the back yard, even the wealthy. The invention of indoor plumbing allowed plumbing entrepreneur, Thomas Crapper, to exploit the indoor flush toilet and soon indoor toilet plumbing became the rage. The waste went right into the London sewers and into the Thames but it was still a marvel at the time.
Today sewage disposal has been mechanized in some places the solids are composted. However, it takes a licensed plumber to set it properly: drainage, traps, pressure.
Septic Tank: The septic tank provided rural people to do away with outdoor toilets. In effect it is a holding tank that allows bacteria to break down the solids so that it can drain out into a leaching field. Homes using this method must be careful a out what they put into the septic tank because even laundry detergents can kill off the anaerobic bacteria cause the system to clog or overflow. In all cases a septic tank has to be pumped out every few years because sludge will develop.
New Home Plumbing
Proper plumbing installation of a new home is performed license by a licensed plumber under the plumbing contractor's watchful eye. The architect or designer will have a set of construction plans for the plumber to go over and decide what bid to tender based on the work and the materials involved. Heating and plumbing can be two different trades but both overlap to a certain extent. For example, you will find both a plumbing contractor and a eating specialist both putting in a hot water heating system and an on-demand water heater. As well, the gas company will have their own gas plumber to hook up the system to the main line but a residential plumber will have it all set to go.
Go With a Professional Plumber
In most cases a plumbing problem is an emergency and plumbers are ready to respond. This is the big part of plumbing: to help homeowners in trouble. In other cases their speed and diligence are required in new home building. Builders need plumbing completed on schedule by licensed plumbers because plumbing installation has to be completed before the interior walls of the home can be put in. In many cases the building contractor will have the name of the plumber who installed home system and many problems can be rectified quickly by the source contractor.
Posted by: TrustedProsSuggested Reading For You
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