Plumbing

In any house, there are either some major or minor plumbing issues. Most of the plumbing problems happen either in the kitchen, washrooms or bathrooms. Also falling under the plumbing line are water heaters and the septic system.

Some of the common plumbing faults include:

• Kitchen sink leaking
• Blocked bathtubs
• Clogged toilets

These are just some of the common plumbing problems that are found in a home. You need to be prepared for all these eventualities since they happen at a time when they are least expected. There is some back knowledge every house owner needs to have which they can use to salvage an otherwise serious problem. The first thing to do is to ensure that you have plumbing tools in the house. You can fix the minor problems like replacing a washer in a faucet or unclogging a sink without necessarily calling a plumber to come and have a look at it. You should also have the contacts of an experienced and dependable plumber that they can call at any time.

Most houses come with two systems namely:

• Water supply system – in every house, there is a main water pipe where water passes through. At the entry point, there is a water meter and a shut off valve. Water travels through the pipes under pressure to both the hot and cold supply pipes. There are air chambers that cushion the pressure driven water when the taps are open.
• Drain Waste Vent (DWV) system – this is the system that carried away waste from the house. Waste pipes carry water while the soil pipes carry away the discharge from the toilets. There are taps that are fixed under each drain to ensure that no dirty and smelly water sips into the house. There also are roof vents that are fixed and they help gas from the sewer to escape hence balancing the air pressure in the system.

There are many types of pipes that are used in the plumbing work of a house. Each of them have a specific function. Plastic pipes come in different types:

• CPVC (Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride) – used for water supply. They have a high resistance to high temperatures.
• PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – used for drainage and vent systems

There are other types that are made of metal. Brass, copper and galvanized pipes are the most common. They are rust resistant and are used for water supply. There are also other types of plumbing pipes that are used for gas supply. When buying pipes, it is always important to remember to put an allowance for the overlap ta the joints.