Much like under the hood of a car, the workings of a plumbing system is a total mystery to most normal people. When something goes wrong, we basically have to call a professional and leave it in their capable hands. But by having greater knowledge on plumbing setup around the house, it can give you confidence to assess many smaller problems yourself when they arise.
Unbeknownst to most, a home has multiple plumbing systems. There are specific pipes that bring water into the house and send it to the various fixtures such as washroom sinks, baths and toilets, as well as appliances such as dishwashers. Other pipes known as drain and waste plumbing removes the dirty water and associated waste. And vent
piping helps flush out sewer gases and ensures the drain pipes have suitable pressure.
Fresh water is delivered from external utility pipes onto your property. It passes through a meter which assesses usage and hence contributes to your water bill. Once in the house, it is passed along pipes to your taps, appliances and other water-using fixtures, as well as to your hot water system. A separate pipe goes from the hot water system to all the taps, fixtures and applicances that require heated water. Both pipes usually run alongside eachother.
The pipes that focus on waste drainage, use gravity to send waste towards the sewer line. These pipes have a curve in them not far from the drain, know as a P-trap. The purpose of these is to prevent fumes from the septic tank come back up the pipes and into the bathroom. Coming off these pipes are also vent pipes which run to the roof and allow the air pressure to escape. The waste drainage pipes empties into the sewer, or in some cases, to a septic tank. The latter is more common in rural areas such as farms.
In older houses, pipes are generally galvanised steel, which can clog and rust over time. This can cause leaking which will obviously need to be addressed immediately. Copper pipes are non-corrosive and prevents leaking for several decades. But these days a lot of new homes have plastic supply pipes which can be installed fast and last almost forever.
If a tap is leaking, it is unlikely to be from a leaky pipe. There are 3 washers that may be the reason the tap is dripping and could need replacing. These can wear over time and are quite easy to fix. Before replacing them, make sure you turn off the water main in the house. Put the plug in the basin so you don't lose any tap parts, then remove the tap cover with a screwdriver. Undo the screw underneath and remove the handle.
Next you unscrew the tap bonnet and you should see the three washers. Replace these, re-assemble the tap, and then turn back on the water main. You will be then able to assess if the leaking has stopped. Obviously this is just a brief overview of fixing a leaky tap, so if you're not comfortable with doing it, calling a plumber is a good option.
Unbeknownst to most, a home has multiple plumbing systems. There are specific pipes that bring water into the house and send it to the various fixtures such as washroom sinks, baths and toilets, as well as appliances such as dishwashers. Other pipes known as drain and waste plumbing removes the dirty water and associated waste. And vent
piping helps flush out sewer gases and ensures the drain pipes have suitable pressure.
Fresh water is delivered from external utility pipes onto your property. It passes through a meter which assesses usage and hence contributes to your water bill. Once in the house, it is passed along pipes to your taps, appliances and other water-using fixtures, as well as to your hot water system. A separate pipe goes from the hot water system to all the taps, fixtures and applicances that require heated water. Both pipes usually run alongside eachother.
The pipes that focus on waste drainage, use gravity to send waste towards the sewer line. These pipes have a curve in them not far from the drain, know as a P-trap. The purpose of these is to prevent fumes from the septic tank come back up the pipes and into the bathroom. Coming off these pipes are also vent pipes which run to the roof and allow the air pressure to escape. The waste drainage pipes empties into the sewer, or in some cases, to a septic tank. The latter is more common in rural areas such as farms.
In older houses, pipes are generally galvanised steel, which can clog and rust over time. This can cause leaking which will obviously need to be addressed immediately. Copper pipes are non-corrosive and prevents leaking for several decades. But these days a lot of new homes have plastic supply pipes which can be installed fast and last almost forever.
If a tap is leaking, it is unlikely to be from a leaky pipe. There are 3 washers that may be the reason the tap is dripping and could need replacing. These can wear over time and are quite easy to fix. Before replacing them, make sure you turn off the water main in the house. Put the plug in the basin so you don't lose any tap parts, then remove the tap cover with a screwdriver. Undo the screw underneath and remove the handle.
Next you unscrew the tap bonnet and you should see the three washers. Replace these, re-assemble the tap, and then turn back on the water main. You will be then able to assess if the leaking has stopped. Obviously this is just a brief overview of fixing a leaky tap, so if you're not comfortable with doing it, calling a plumber is a good option.