Plumbing a House From Scratch: What You Need to Know
If you’re fortunate enough to have a trust fund or hit the lottery, you probably have a few years to learn how to go about plumbing a house from scratch. Anyone else will most likely need to hire a professional.
In the past, cast iron drains and brass pipes were considered state-of-the-art plumbing by those in the trade. Today, however, these elegant metals have given way to materials such as PVC and copper.
Whether your pipes are metal or plastic, it’s a plumber’s expertise and skill that makes your system work properly. However, it helps to know some plumbing system basics before starting your hunt for a plumber you can trust.
Choosing a Plumber You Can Trust
You more than likely put a lot of effort into finding a new doctor, barber or hairdresser. You probably asked friends, neighbors, and coworkers for recommendations. Maintain this same energy as you look for a plumber in Brisbane.
More importantly, make sure that your plumber is licensed and insured. You need to know that their insurance covers the cost of repairing your property if they damage something. Additionally, hiring a reputable plumbing contractor in Lexington ensures you receive professional and reliable service.
Also, you can do internet research to find a good plumber. However, you must invest time in the task. Don’t think a few minutes of browsing contractor reviews will do the job. To do this, whether you’re looking for plumbers near Waukesha or nearer your location, you can search ‘best plumbing company near me’ online to find the most trusted people in your area for the job.
At some point, you’ll narrow down your choices. When you do, get a second opinion.
Also, ask for referrals, and revisit the people you asked for recommendations in the first place. Hopefully, one will have experience with the plumber you intend to hire.
The work you put into choosing a plumber can contribute significantly to the success or failure of plumbing a house from scratch. Learn more about choosing a great plumber here.
Plumbing a House From Scratch
Your plumbing system is one of the most essential features of your house. Before hiring a plumber, it helps to understand how to plumb a house from scratch.
You may not think about it, but it’s two separate systems. One system brings clean water in, and the other takes used water out.
Pressurized air moves water through your home. Air pressure enables it to travel upstairs, around corners, and wherever you need it.
As water enters your home, it passes through a meter that measures how much you use. Plumbers usually install the water main shut-off near the meter. You must know where the shut-off valve is in case of an emergency.
When water enters your house, the cold water is ready for you to use. However, the hot water must travel to your water heater before reaching the right temperature.
How Water Moves
The hot water line carries the heated water to your household fixtures. Your thermostat maintains the temperature that you choose. The setting you pick determines how much the heating elements heat the water in your system.
The average temperature for hot water is between 140 degrees and 160 degrees. Like many people, however, you may want to save money. You can turn your hot water to 120 degrees to save some coins.
Clean water typically enters your home at 50 to 60 psi. Gravity, however, removes dirty water.
Air also plays an integral part in your plumbing system. Vents that connect to your plumbing system keep your pipes clear and clean.
Considerations During Construction
If you’re plumbing a new house or doing a renovation, remember to have your plumber install any fixtures before putting up the doors and walls. It’s easier for the plumber to install accessories such as tubs, sinks, and showers before contractors install walls and doors.
During construction, make sure that the plumber covers new fixtures with cardboard or plastic. These coverings will protect your new fixtures while contractors finish up their work. You also might want to consider purchasing an emergency shower system from Absorbents Online just in case an accident happens during their renovation or repair work.
Septic System
Your septic tank is the most complex part of your plumbing system. You should know whether your septic system is big enough for your home. You can calculate the septic tank size you need based on the number of bedrooms in the house.
The septic tank separates liquid and solid waste. Then, microorganisms break down the solid waste. Again, vents allow air to escape your plumbing system so that nauseous gases don’t seep into your household. Sometimes they back up, so you will need to look into Septic Tank Pumping.
Scoping out the Project
Figuring out how to plumb a house is straightforward. Start by learning the fundamentals of plumbing.
However, you must realize that there are a lot of small details that go into installing a properly functioning plumbing system. Also, every home is different.
For example, your plumber can help you determine the best location for your main stack. Typically, the main stack runs from the basement to the roof. Wherever the plumber installs the main stack, it must run uninterrupted.
Also, drain and vent pipes must have at least a quarter-inch per foot decline to drain correctly. It’s also crucial that the main stack joints are smooth and don’t have sharp angles.
Finally, you need a trap for every fixture. Traps catch water and keep gas from leaking back into your house.
You must also vent every fixture. You should have 5 feet of the main stack connected to every fixture, allowing air and water to pass through the system. This assembly is called wet venting.
If you notice any bubbles or gurgles in your toilet, it means that there is unusual suction building up in the line, causing air to push back, which creates bubbles, and even sometimes, it causes the toilet to flush. Toilet bubbling can lead to unwanted waste overflowing the toilets, tubs, and showers, creating even larger awful issues.
Why You Should Hire a Pro When Plumbing a House
There’s more to plumbing a house than complying with local zoning codes. Installing a quiet, efficient, and leak-free plumbing system is an art.
Most of the work that plumbers do is unseen. Still, they take great pride and care in doing their work.
Unfortunately, plumbers typically hide their work behind drywall, fixtures, and tiles. The only way to know if a plumber is worth their salt is to ask around.
Now that you know the basics about how to plumb your own house, you can start your quest to find a plumbing professional. By taking the time to investigate a potential plumber carefully, you’ll make the process of installing new plumbing go much smoother – and you might save some money in the process.
To learn more about caring for your house and home, visit the other articles on our site.
