Getting Back to the Plumbing Basics

Many people think plumbing is an elaborate and complex system. However, plumbing uses the basic laws of nature that have been made by their creator, like gravity to work a system of using water to free people from tasks that were once a lot more difficult and disgusting. In this article we are going to discuss the simplicity and basics of plumbing so you can get a better basic understanding of how they all work and function within your home. Save yourself the trouble of calling a plumber, when one isn’t necessary and take care of these issues on your own.

Plumbing systems in your home consist of 2 systems. One system is allowing the cool refreshing beautiful water to come into your home and the other is removing that nasty gross putrid water out of your home. Water that is entering the home is pressurized to travel and go against gravity to be forced into the home. Wastewater on the other hand simply uses the easy breeze gravity it is so endowed with to be released from your home. Meters calibrate the amount of water used in a home so don’t be a greedy little person and try to use up all the water, because that’s expensive. The meter is generally endowed with a shut off valve very near it. When the water situation has become extra spicy it’s imperative to know where this emergency shutoff is located and rush there immediately. Some of your fixtures may have their own shut off valves. In these instances where the whole system doesn’t need to be shut down use those to get the individual job done.

As you may already know the process to get cold water into your home differs from the process of getting the hot water going. The cold water is the first step in entering the home and to get hot water when you turn your faucet to the right is to run that water by the hot water heater. That hot water line flowing out of the heater is able to carry the hot water to all the other locations it needs to travel to in a home. Most home water heaters are set at a balmy 140 degrees F. You can totally turn it down 20 degrees and save yourself some money at 120 degrees and this will usually be adequate for most homes’ uses.

The next exciting topic we want to share with you is the drainage system and how those fun guys really work. Drainpipes are able to release wastewater from your house due to all the pipes angling downwards from the water source. The gravity will continue all the way to a waste management facility. Ain’t that really neat? Air from the roof of your house will allow air into the pipes, which is a necessary ingredient for the release of the water in addition to gravity’s work. Traps under sink are used to remove water and are those S shaped pipes you will see when you open cabinet usually. These systems prevent a backup of toxic gases into your home. Learn about the supply and drainage system and much more at the article titled “Plumbing Basics” by Fix-It Club.