Under your floors, inside your walls, and all around you are little pipes. We don’t often think about these trusty pipes, until something goes wrong. Then, we call in the plumber and he does… something.
If you want to avoid more plumbing problems in the future, then it’s best to understand exactly how all your pipes, toilets, sewers, drains, and faucets fit together.
Your House Could Be Leaking Already
Plumbing service professionals say that average household leaks waste about 10,000 gallons of water a year (270 loads of laundry), and that simply fixing these leaks could save you 10% on you water bills. All that water is piped to your home through public water mains, then fed through a water heater to supply your toilets, washing machines, showerheads, etc. with hot and cold water. In the average American home, water usage breaks down like so: anywhere from 20-30% for toilets, 12% for showers, 15% for washing machines, 11% for faucets, and up to 30% for outdoor watering.
But you also have a system of pipes moving water and waste away from your home. First, many homes have a drainage system that starts in your gutters and helps move water away from the foundation of your home. Inside the home, you also have a system of sewer pipes that collect wastewater and move it away from your home to the public sewer system. In the United States, homeowners are responsible for maintaining the sewer lines on their property.
Common Household Plumbing Woes
The most common problem fixed by licensed plumbers? Clogged toilets and drains. You’ve likely called a plumber to snake your drains in the past. For persistent clogs or slow-draining pipes, you’ll require a thorough drain cleaning. Techniques vary, but plumbers use drain cleaning tools to clear out a drain clogged with debris or fatty buildup from cooking grease. While you know when you need a drain cleaning (because your drains won’t empty), a clogged sewer is a much more serious problem.
Because by the time you realize you have a clogged sewer, it could already be backing up inside your home! Tree roots are the most common cause of a broken sewer, but normal wear and tear can also cause these old pipes to break. If you’re lucky, plumbers can instead provide hydro-jetting services for your sewer or water lines, restoring normal function.
So if you’re experiencing common plumbing problems, don’t let them get any worse! Call quality plumbing services in your area ASAP!
