In
the US, plumbing leaks waste 1 trillion gallons of water annually equivalent to
40 million swimming pools. Most of these leaks don’t even need the attention of
a real plumbing professional.
Armed
with a wrench and a few plumbing basics, you can fix some of the most
persistent leak problems. Fixing leaks yourself is obviously economical, but
you need to know when to call in the professional plumbers.
Plumbing notes
Home
plumbing is pretty straightforward. The interwoven mesh of pipes and valves may
seem overwhelming but they are simple, logical and under strict rules.
Understanding a few plumbing basics will see you navigate the mesh like a pro.
House
plumbing has two systems: Water supply system and drain-water vent system or
DWV. The basics of the water supply include the system of pipes that brings
fresh water into the home. The system is highly-dependent of pressure.
Water source
City
water enters your house from a huge pipe, the main pipe that’s usually parallel
to your street. If your connection to the main has a problem, you need to call
a professional. Damage to the main can result in civil lawsuits and hefty
fines.
People
who don’t have access to city water usually get their fresh water supply from
wells. Water must then be pumped into the home at high pressures. Reduced
pressure keeps water from reaching the furthest and highest parts of your
house.
Some problems
Running
showers and faucets are usually the first victims of low pressure. Factors affecting
pressure range from leaks to blockages. If the leak is caused by a loose
connection, it’s easily handled in-house.
If,
on the other hand, the leak necessitates re-piping, your best call is a
professional plumber. If you can read more plumbing problems you should leave them
to a plumber.
The
main pipe is connected to your water meter. There’s a shutoff valve before or
after your meter. The valve cuts off the water supply system making it useful
when doing repairs.
Some plumbing tips
Correctly
installed piping is leak-proof. The system, however, disintegrates with time.
In some cases, a plumber may find it necessary to do a complete overhaul of the
plumbing.
The
water supply system performs optimally when pressure is high. This makes the
system rather sensitive to damage.
Leaks and pressure
To
illustrate, a leak in the drainage system will only cause damp-related
problems. By contrast, leaks in the water supply system take things a step
further because they affect water pressure. Low pressure makes it impossible to
run showers and flush toilets.
Evidently,
leaks are most harmful in the water supply system. Due to the sensitivity of
the system, its problems are best handled by professionals.
Drain water vent
system
Basically,
they don’t overlap with the water system. However, there are connections
(called bridges) all over the home where the systems meet. They are called
bridges fixtures.
These
fixtures are any point of water use. Clean water enters a fixture, wastewater
leaves. We know them as sinks, faucets, washing machines, and others. Their
main components are the drain pipes, the drain traps and the drain vents.
