What is the purpose of plumbing?
Having an effective and properly installed plumbing system is very important in every residential and commercial building. The main purpose of a plumbing system is to deliver clean water in every residential and commercial building and, at the same time, eliminate all wastewater. These two factors will work side-by-side to bring comfort and safety to everyone’s health.
Health has always been one the top priorities of plumbing companies in constructing effective plumbing system. But as the years’ pass and technology has developed, the purpose of the plumbing system is broadening. Now, plumbing systems also serve the purpose of the following:
- Effectively delivering clean and drinkable water to regions that are affected by water shortages. This becomes possible with the help of the latest plumbing products.
- Promoting the use of water efficiently. This is another good advantage of the latest plumbing products (e.g. pressure reducing valve) offered today because they are designed with helpful features. These products lessen the amount of water that is being used in the bathroom, kitchen and other parts with plumbing products installed. This is a great assurance for everyone that no water will go to waste.
- Effectively conserve energy. If you use less water consistently, the amount of water that you need to heat, and transport will lessen as well.
The question ‘what is the purpose of plumbing?’ may seem to be a basic or simple question. But the truth is, it is an effective way for everyone to understand the importance of the plumbing system and take care of it. The only question is, how?
How to maintain your plumbing system?
Maintenance is always the key to extend the life expectancy of your plumbing systems. You can maintain your plumbing system by following the list below:
- First on the list is installing a water heater expansion tank. This is a safety device that reduces the risk of pressure damage to your plumbing system. As a result, this will ensure long life expectancy for your faucets, water heaters, and other plumbing fixture.
- Second is to never use any drain-clearing products that contain chemicals. Chemical-based drain clearing products are well-known to help your drains clog-free. But the truth is, these chemicals will do more harm than good because it promotes oxidisation on cast-iron drainpipes. Ideally you should do it manually by using plumber’s snake or hire a professional plumber to do the job.
- Third on the list is to install pipe insulation. This is only applicable for everyone who is living in a cold climate or during the winter season. The pipe insulation will help to keep the water on the pipes from freezing, expanding or having any problems that can lead to costly damage. The common areas in the house where you can install it are the basement, crawl space, and garages.
- Lastly, install a water softener. There are areas in Australia (e.g. Around Adelaide and some parts of Brisbane) that have fresh water supplies. Freshwater is great for one’s body, but not for the plumbing because it has high levels of minerals, calcium or magnesium. These elements can corrode the plumbing’s joints and fittings.
The water softener can effectively dissolve those elements and increase the life expectancy of your plumbing system.
DIY or Hire a professional
These are the two common options for homeowners whenever plumbing maintenance comes up. Everyone advises to hire a professional instead of DIY because plumbing problems are often complicated to handle. But this decision depends on the plumbing you have at hand. If your problems lie with any of the following, you can fix it yourself:
- Installation of a new faucet
- Repairing toilet flush mechanism
- Washing machine hose replacement
A little tip: You can fix any plumbing-related problems as long as it will not involve the plumbing lines or pipes inside the ceilings, floors, and walls. Also, DIY is advisable only IF you own the right tools and materials needed. The plumbing problems that are not mentioned above must be handled by a professional plumber.