Understanding How Plumbing Works
Your plumbing system is a vital part of your home. It brings in water for cleaning, cooking and drinking and removes waste.
Your water supply comes in from a main line pulling from the municipal water source (city or well). It travels along supply pipes under pressure.
Water Pressure
Water pressure is an important part of how your plumbing system works. It affects everything from the quality of your shower to your utility bill.
Most residential areas get their water from a municipal supplier, which may use groundwater sources or surface water – lakes, rivers, and reservoirs – to deliver the water. This is usually pumped to treatment facilities and then to pressure tanks located at high points throughout the distribution area (in some communities, tall water towers are used).
The height of these tanks relative to your building, along with the weight of the water in the tank, generates water pressure. It is typically between 30 and 80 pounds per square inch (psi) – too low can cause water to drip from your fixtures, while too high will result in damage to pipes, joints and faucets.
Water Flow
Water flow is the rate at which water passes through your plumbing system, and it’s measured in gallons per minute (gpm). The diameter of pipes and the amount of pressure surging through them affects water flow.
Moreover, the length of pipe runs is also an important factor. Shorter runs of pipe tend to be less effective at supplying a flow of water than long runs.
Another important consideration is your tap connection, which is the portion of your water service line that connects your house to the public water main. If your tap connection is too small, it will significantly reduce the amount of water that reaches your house.
It is important to understand that while water pressure and water flow are often referred to as being the same thing, they actually don’t have anything in common. Rather, they are separate issues that can have a negative impact on your plumbing system. So, if you are experiencing poor water pressure or bad water flow, we recommend calling in a professional plumber to help pinpoint the problem and get it fixed.
Drainage System
Drainage, or DWV, is the part of plumbing that takes used water from fixtures and sends it away to either a municipal sewer line or septic tank. Its main purpose is to safely remove waste from buildings without contaminating clean water or leaking sewage into the environment.
Unlike supply systems, drainage systems do not rely on pressure to move waste; instead, they rely on gravity to pull waste from the house and toward a municipal sewer line. This is why all pipes in your home pitch downward and towards the sewer.
This system includes drain pipes, traps, and vents. Each trap, which is often a U- or P-shaped piece of pipe, creates a seal to prevent sewer gases from entering the house.
These traps are surrounded by a series of other pipe, which acts as a vent for fresh air to enter the system. This helps to keep the water flowing and equalizes the pressure in the pipes. The entire system is called a DWV (drain-waste-vent) system, and it’s important to make sure it’s working correctly.
Fixtures
Fixtures are devices that are permanently connected to the plumbing system in order to provide water or remove wastewater. These include toilets, tubs, showers and kitchen sinks, among others.
Fixture flow varies according to the fixtures being used, such as lavatories and water closets that give a small flow and bathtubs and showers that provide a large flow. Small flows tend to cling to the sides of the pipe, while large ones form a slug of waste as they drop down the soil pipe.
As the slug of waste falls down the pipe it creates back pressure in the soil pipe. This air pressure causes a trap seal to push up the pipe into the fixture.
This prevents the waste from reentering the soil pipe or contaminating the water supply. It also limits the potential for odors to accumulate in the drain system. When a trap is damaged or the vent stack is not properly installed, these odors may enter the house.
General Contractor In Lawrenceville GA
Your plumbing system is a vital part of your home. It brings in water for cleaning, cooking and drinking and removes waste. Your water supply comes in from a main line pulling from the municipal water source (city or well). It travels along supply pipes under pressure. Water Pressure Water pressure is an important part…