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Plumbing System Information:
Water for a building is supplied either by a municipal water supplier or is pumped from a private well. Regardless of the source of the water, it travels through underground pipes and into the building. These pipes are buried below the frost line to prevent freezing during the cold winter months. If the building is served by well water, there is usually a water storage tank in the basement. If your water comes from a municipal water supplier, the water is usually metered. The water meter is often located where the main water line enters the building. Many communities now locate the water meter outside the building to facilitate reading of the meter. In these buildings, you will see a cover, typically labeled Water Meter, outside the building. There is no need to meter private well water. If you see a water meter, you know the building has municipally supplied water.
If your building is less than six stories tall, the pressure supplied from the street can usually push the water up to all the levels of the building. Taller buildings, and buildings in areas with low street pressure, need supplemental pumps. Otherwise, water may not be available on the upper floors. During hot and humid days, water supply pressure sometimes drops. This is usually caused by large volume water usage. In urban areas, fire hydrants may also be opened on these humid days. On a hot and humid day, you should expect lower water pressure than usual.
Water supply lines are made of copper, brass, galvanized steel, plastic, or lead:
Some buildings and homes have an underground sprinkler
system. The underground pipes for most underground sprinkler systems are made
of plastic. Since the pipes are underground, leakage problems may be difficult
to find. Often, leaks are found only when a building owner or homeowner
observes that part of the lawn in not being watered properly.
Many homes and buildings are heated by hot water (hydronic heat) or steam. Hot water is typically pumped by a circulator pump while the steam rises naturally. Steam or heated water are distributed in pipes throughout the building:
The drain lines carry wastewater through the building and into the sewer, septic tank, or cesspool. The wastewater flows due to gravity. Therefore, the waste water lines are considerably larger than water supply lines. Drain lines are typically made of copper, cast iron, brass, or plastic. The most common problems with drain lines are leakage, and stoppages.
Your plumbing is more than just the pipes, you must be able to use the water. The water has to be turned on and off, the water flow rate has to be controlled, and the water temperature needs to be adjusted. Plumbing fixtures are used to accomplish these tasks. Some fixtures have a one handle control. Other fixtures have a separate control for hot and cold water. Some bathtub fixtures have additional controls to adjust whether the water comes out of the tub spout or shower head. Checking a plumbing fixture may seem relatively easy, but there is more to it than just seeing if the fixture either leaks or does not leak. Your REAL PLUMBERS ® technician will always check for flow rate problems, other functional problems, insufficient water pressure, and the possibility of scalding hot water.
One of the more common questions
REAL PLUMBERS ®
are asked is “Can you
show me the location of the shut off valves?”
Our Technicians will always inform you of the exact location
of the shut off valves if the location can be determined. Often, we find these
valves are hidden by stored material and not plainly visible. After you move
into a building, or home, make sure that you do not block or cover the
shutoff valves.
Natural Gas is distributed to most buildings at low pressure. The gas comes either from pipes that run under the street (called natural gas) or from propane storage tanks. The propane storage tanks are either located behind a building or are buried underground. A perfume is added to natural gas. It is this perfume that you detect when you “smell gas.”
If you smell gas, or even think you smell gas, always contact the gas company immediately.
Only qualified individuals, or “The REAL PLUMBERS ® Service Teams” should repair gas leaks. Natural gas is distributed throughout buildings or homes through pipes. Natural gas is almost always distributed in black iron or galvanized lines. Propane gas may be distributed in copper lines. However, many communities prohibit copper lines due to the risk of damage and leaks. Gas is perfectly safe as long as the gas equipment is installed and maintained properly. To assure your safety, always ask your Service Technician to check for visible problems with the gas plumbing whenever they are working in your residence.