When designing a house, it is essential to pay special attention to the plumbing system. An efficient plumbing system is designed to preserve energy resources and save water. Short runs between various plumbing fixtures and use of quality plumbing materials are important elements of a good plumbing design.
There are two systems included in the plumbing design: a system for supplying water and a system for taking the waste away. The system that takes the waste away is called the drainage-waste-vent system. It is comprised of vent stacks that move waste through the pipes. There are certain things that should be kept in mind when incorporating plumbing elements in the layout of a house.
Planning
The major reason for inefficient plumbing is that the pipes used in the design of the layout are of inadequate length. Often plumbing fixtures are placed in different areas of a home, which results in piping congesting spaces with the electric system. Piping can potentially clash with structural and mechanical elements that require more money for materials, and more work. A plumbing design should be such that it optimizes efficiency of the plumbing system and reduces unnecessary costs.
When designing a layout of the house, it should be determined how the plumbing system and pipes can run efficiently around the house. Avoiding obstacles (electrical wiring and structural elements) can help eliminate the chances of having to redo the work or correct problems.
Plumbing Codes
Before designing a home for plumbing, waste, vent systems and drain, building codes must be followed to ensure that the design is compliant. There are a certain number of fixtures allowed on a room’s drain system, on a vent stack and in circumstances where drains and supply lines are placed inside the home.
Plumbing codes prohibit exceeding the specific number of fixtures that are allowed in different areas. Information is provided by local building jurisdictions about the codes they follow and specifics are also provided where there is a divergence from standard plumbing codes. To make sure that the design of your plumbing system meets the plumbing codes, you should contact your local building jurisdiction.
Design of the House
Water supply is a complete system that traverses between various rooms of the house that need plumbing. The same applies to the drain-waste-vent (DWV) system, which mostly runs near or alongside the water system. By grouping rooms where plumbing is required, you can make the system more efficient and save your dollars on materials.
For instance, in the design of your house, you can place the kitchen near or adjacent to the laundry room while the bathrooms can be placed near bedrooms. On the hand, if you design rooms with plumbing fixtures in opposite locations around your house, you will have to pay more for extra materials and overall installation.
Materials
If you chose cheaper materials and contractors for your plumbing system in the beginning, it will prove to be more costly later on. If you want your plumbing system to continue working efficiently for a long time, you should consider purchasing high rated materials and hire professional contractors. A joint that is incorrectly fitted or an improperly sloped drain system can lead to costly repairs. Don’t let these mistakes break your bank; include high quality material and professional contracts when designing your plumbing system.
Water Supply and DMV
Water supply and drain-waste-vent system sit near one another inside your home. When you are designing your home, you must pay close attention to these two systems. You can save on energy and water costs by creating a hot-water loop system in which the hot water continuously moves back to the water heating system. This will reduce the energy that is required to heat the water.
The Right Size and the Right Pipes
For a good plumbing system, the water pipe should be of the right size. The same is true for the pipes that are required to carry the waste. If the size of the pipe is too small, draining will be ineffective and your drain pipes will often experiencing clogging. The pipes may fail to deliver the right amount of water or there may be changes in the temperature of the water coming from the shower when you flush the toilet or when someone else in the house is using another faucet. This causes major inconvenience and the piping often needs to be replaced.
Choosing the pipe of the right size is important, but it is also important that you choose the right kind of pipe. Pipes were initially fabricated from brass or cast-iron. In some old buildings and homes, PVC and copper pipes are used, but, cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipes have become quite popular now. Different types of pipes in a plumbing system deliver the water and take the waste water away the same way. However, some types of pipes can get damaged or deteriorated more easily. Copper and PEX are good for water piping, but you should not use PVC for piping inside the house. PVC pipes are more fragile, thus not suitable for use within the house. If there is an issue of freezing, copper pipes should be avoided and PEX should be used.
As you can see, if you fail to incorporate these important plumbing design elements in the layout of your home, you will experience plumbing issues and suffer from higher utility charges. When designing the layout of your home, always focus on making the plumbing system as efficient as possible, if you wish to avoid costly replacement or repairs in future.
If the plumbing system of your house is inefficient and you often experience sewerage problems consider replacing your sewerage system. At Mesa Plumbing Company, we can replace your sewerage system and install a more effective system. On the other hand, if you only experience minor leaks or clogs, chances are that simple repairs are in order. Contact us and we’ll send licensed professionals to look at the issue and make the repairs accordingly.