The Basics of Home Plumbing

Plumbing 101 for Homeowners

If one thing in a home simply has to work, it’s the plumbing. It wasn’t long ago that plumbing wasn’t a feature in every home. Still, with the busy nature of modern-day society, families need fast and easy access to water and sanitation provided by plumbing.

Whether dealing with the hassle of having a clogged toilet or needing to renovate due to a burst pipe, plumbing problems are a nightmare. Luckily, with a little knowledge, homeowners can protect their plumbing and ensure that it is always there to provide reliable service. Here is a quick introduction to the basics of home plumbing from local experts.

How Does the Plumbing Work?

Water enters and exits the home through two separate systems: the freshwater system and the sewer, respectively. Both systems tie into larger systems that handle freshwater delivery and sanitation through the city or local municipality. The system in the home starts at the water meter where the city delivers fresh water. The city uses the meter to bill the proper amount based on water usage. Usually, sewer costs are determined by the water used as well. From the meter, a single pipe enters the home before it splits up to serve the various fixtures in the home.

In almost every case, a freshwater source has an associated drain. That’s because water must be dealt with once used and must be regarded as soiled. By plumbing codes and common sense, drains feed from each fixture to meet up with one central sewer line for the home. This line collects all water from drains and all waste from toilets and delivers it to the city’s sewer lines for treatment.

Residential Plumbing Fixtures

Plumbing fixtures are designed to give access to clean water and make waste disposal safe. Each plumbing fixture has various features that meet these goals. Common plumbing fixtures in the home are:

• Sinks
• Toilets
• Showers
• Appliances
• Hose bibs
• Drains

According to plumbing codes, each of these fixtures meets minimum safety requirements. However, upgrades can be installed that offer benefits like water savings and added convenience.

Plumbing Maintenance Tips for Every Home

The plumbing in a home is easy to understand, but it is also a large system that does a lot of work daily. As a result, it needs some attention from time to time to ensure that everything in the system is working properly and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Professional plumbing maintenance is an annual service offered by most local plumbing contractors that can bestow benefits like reduced utility bills and greater reliability. Some of the things that plumbers do during plumbing maintenance are:

• Water heater maintenance, i.e., drain the water heater, flush the water heater
• Inspect visible plumbing
• Pressure test the system to check for leaks
• Inspect drains and clean them to prevent clogs
• Test toilets for leaks

By scheduling annual plumbing maintenance, homeowners can look forward to another year of reliable plumbing.

About A & W Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

A & W Plumbing and Heating, Inc. is a second-generation, family-owned plumbing service serving customers in Murphysboro, IL. Their trained technicians handle all plumbing problems for residential and commercial plumbing customers. Call today for honest plumbing service backed by a satisfaction guarantee.

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