Plumbing is a complex system involving two subsystems that push fresh water into your home and remove wastewater.

Knowing how these systems work can be smart for homeowners and help them diagnose plumbing problems before they occur. It’s also helpful for plumbers as they communicate with customers about the issue.

Water Supply

Your plumbing system is an essential part of your home. It brings clean water in, and it also safely carries wastewater away.

Your water supply comes from the city water mains, a series of buried pipes that run to your home. These pipes are usually made of plastic, copper, or galvanized iron.

Once the water reaches your home, it goes through a buried supply line that travels to your sinks, showers, tubs, and toilets. In addition, your water system has a hot-water supply line that carries water to your heater and appliances.

Throughout the house, you have stop valves that allow you to shut off water to individual fixtures in an emergency. These valves are an excellent way to identify and isolate the source of an issue without affecting your entire water supply.

Drainage

Drainage is part of a plumbing system that takes used water from fixtures and moves it safely to either the main sewer line or a septic tank. It also keeps sewer gases from escaping through the pipes.

A drainage pipe is typically made of plastic or metal and carries the waste to its destination. The system also includes bends in the pipes called traps that collect and seal wastewater to prevent sewage gases from escaping.

Understanding how drainage works from a Seattle plumber is essential because poor drainage can cause structural damage and low-lying flooding areas, resulting in property loss and health risks.

A proper drainage system removes excess water from soils by directing it away from the buildings and other structures through gutters, downspouts, and drains. It can also improve ground stability for landscaping, construction, or horticultural projects. Subsurface drainage can be done through deep open drains or buried pipe drains. Those that are having issues with their drainage will need to call out Drainage control services so that the problem can be dealt with effectively. Failure to do so can result in property damage which can become quite costly to fix.

Waste Water

Wastewater is created by various activities such as bathing, washing, using the toilet, and rainwater runoff. It is a common source of water pollution and can lead to many health problems.

Several different treatment processes can be used to remove pollutants from wastewater. These include chemicals, air stripping, pH adjustment, and aerobic/anaerobic treatment processes.

A wastewater treatment plant typically begins with a preliminary stage that involves flow monitoring and screenings removal. First, it removes string-like materials, rags, and larger foreign objects, such as sticks or errant golf balls, that may damage pumps and other mechanical equipment.

Then the wastewater enters sedimentation tanks, where sludge (the organic portion of sewage) settles out and is pumped away. The sludge is then processed in large tanks called digesters. This process breaks down the sludge into nutrients that plants can use.

Vent

Venting refers to the air that allows water to flow through your plumbing system. It also lets sewer gases escape from your pipes to the outside and keeps oxygen in the waste pipe for aerobic sewage digestion.

The purpose of venting is to prevent clogs in drain traps. A clog in your drain trap causes a negative pressure in your pipe, which can cause a blockage or gurgling sound.

A plumbing vent consists of several pipes that extend from the waste pipe to the outdoors, often through the roof. It is to allow sewer gases and toxic fumes to exit your home instead of entering it.

Most vents run level or plumb, but some are sloped to help airflow in the pipe. They must also be one size larger than the drain they serve and have a clean-out on both ends.