How Does The Plumbing Work In A House?

The plumbing system in your home is not as complex as it appears. At the very basic, it is made of a water supply system and the drain system. These systems rely on gravity to move water into and out of your home.

While the supply system brings fresh water into your home, the drain system removes the dirty and unwanted water. In this write-up, we shall educate you on the intricacies of the plumbing system in your home.

The Water Supply System

This is the system that supplies water through the main valve, which is a connection to the city water supply system. The water coming into your home is usually at very high pressure and that is how it is able to reach where it is needed in your home.

Most people rely on the city water supply, which is done through the main pipe that is laid parallel to the street. Others have a well from which they pump the water to give it pressure that is enough to reach the taps and shower.

Your plumbing system usually has a stop valves just before and after the municipal meter. Shutting down the fresh water from the main supply before you do some plumbing work is made very easy.

The water supply system usually includes pipes that take water to the showers, water heater, toilet, bathroom, bathtub, exterior taps, and kitchen. It ensures that you are always supplied with instant, clean, hot or cold water wherever and whenever you need it in your home.

This water should come into your home with a pressure that’s enough to run showers, wash-ups, toilet flushing, and wash food objects. The water should be able to travel upstairs and move around bends.

The Drain System

After flowing around and through your home, the end result is waste water which must find a way out of your home. As observed earlier, the water supply system relies on pressure. The drain system, on the other hand, depends on gravity. That is why all the drain pipes are usually directed downwards so that gravity can push the dirty water out.

If anything, the drain system is more complex than the supply system. That’s because it requires lots of vents, traps, and other features to make it easy for gravity to move the water out. While the vent pipes drive the water downwards, the traps are meant to hold all the solids accidentally dropped into the drain. The vent pipes drive the water from your home and into the septic tank or sewer system.

The drain system also features a cleanout plug designed to make it easy for you or your plumber to remove the worst clogs.

Of course, the drain pipes have a wider diameter than the supply pipes to enable them to carry away water and other waste materials. The drain pipes just have to be wider to make that easier.

Conclusion

Working with a trained and experienced plumber will save you from the need to know the intricacies of the plumbing system in your home. Contact Oakville Plumbing Services for more information on plumbing system installation and repairs. We serve clients in Oakville Ontario and the surrounding areas.