Mechanisms Of Plumbing

How plumbing works

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Mechanisms Of Plumbing

By: Raina Gullo, Journalist

Plumbing is simpler than you might think. It usually uses natural laws, pressure, and gravity. A plumbing system in a home has two separate systems, one for the fresh water that comes into the house, and the other system takes the wastewater out of the house. 

The water going in is under pressure. The pressure is used to help the water upstairs, around corners, and wherever it is needed. To help this along, drainage pipes have a downward slope, which guides the waste to sewage lines or a septic tank. The waste drainage piping is connected to the venting system.

The word, plumbing comes from the Latin word for lead, plumbum. The idea of civil plumbing has been around since the Roman time. Limited and somewhat crude indoor plumbing dates to the late 1700s.

In rural areas, water is pumped from a private well and through a pressure tank. In both cases, pressure drives the water upwards and out and is controlled by valves throughout the building until it’s allowed to escape via a specific faucet or appliance.

Though they are considered a part of your plumbing system, your water supply system and your drainage system are not connected. Instead, you have what plumbers refer to as bridge fixtures. Examples of bridge fixtures could be: sinks, faucets, washing machines, etc.

Your water supply will enter a fixture, and leave through completely different drainage pipes.

Natural-gas plumbing delivers fuel to gas-burning cooktops, furnaces, water heaters, and clothes dryers. Pipes and other fittings are commonly made of plastic, copper, or galvanized iron. The pipes are from 1/2 inch to 4 inches or more in diameter.

The drain-waste-vent system collects waste water from fixtures and waste from toilets and delivers them to the sewer or septic system. Near each of the sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets, vent pipes exhaust sewer gases up and out the roof and provide air pressure so wastes can flow freely.

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