Essential Information about Your Home’s Plumbing

Your home’s plumbing system affects your safety and comfort, whether you own or lease the residence. When it comes to plumbing basics, San Diego residents will have an advantage if they arm themselves with some essential knowledge. Understanding basic plumbing is advantageous for beginners. Plumbing follows the fundamental laws of nature, including gravity, pressure, and water flow. Knowing this, you’ll understand the fundamentals and be able to make minor fixes to your plumbing system.

Basics of Plumbing Systems

Your home’s plumbing system is made up of two subsystems. One of them brings fresh water in, while the other takes water out. The two systems have a network of pipes that supply water—drain pipes and vent pipes.

Planning is an important aspect of your plumbing system. A properly designed plumbing system delivers water to faucets and fixtures efficiently. It then carries wastewater out without clogs. Planning can also reduce plumbing expenses by locating kitchens and other rooms in close proximity so they share parts of the plumbing system. Water coming into your home is always under pressure. This force allows it to move upstairs and to other parts of the house. In the process, it passes through a meter that records the amount used.

Water Shutoff Valves

The water shutoff is located on the meter of the plumbing system. In case of an emergency, you should close the valve because your home will be flooded if a pipe bursts. If the emergency is contained in a tub or sink, you may not have to turn off the whole water system. Some plumbing fixtures have one supply shutoff valve. You don’t need to close the parent shutoff during repair time, but it’s a great idea to ensure your family knows where your house’s main shutoff valve is. They should also know how to use it.

Kitchen & Bathroom Plumbing

Your kitchen has a plumbing system composed of water supply lines and a gas supply inlet. The visible part of the kitchen’s plumbing system is situated below the sink. The plumbing system has cold and hot water supply pipes connected to the outlet. It also has hookups for a disposer and an ice maker. These are connected to the plumbing of the sink.

Upstairs showers, basins, and toilets run into a soil stack in modern plumbing systems. In older systems, they run into an outer pipe mounted on the wall of the house. The vent collects wastewater from faucets and toilets and delivers it to your septic system. Next to the showers and toilets is another vent that pushes water and gases out through your roof. Wastewater from your bathroom goes to a large vertical pipe. It then goes into the underground drainage system. In modern homes, the water goes into a soil stack.

Maintenance

To maintain your plumbing system, you should call in a plumber to inspect the state of the faucets and pipes. An additional trick is to ask for suggestions from professionals when purchasing plumbing equipment.

Homeowners who aren’t familiar with the basics of plumbing should always call on professionals when they experience issues with their plumbing systems. When they need high-quality professional residential plumbing services, San Diego homeowners reach out to Burke Contractors. Our plumbing contractors are the best available, and you can count on them to solve any and all of your plumbing issues. To schedule an appointment with one of our plumbing contractors, call us today at 858-208-7765.