Plumbing Basics in the Bathroom

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There are two main functions for plumbing in the bathroom of any home: fresh, clean water needs to get in and waste and used water needs to be removed.Water Comes InWater needs to get in. The sink, shower and/or tub and the toilet all need water to work efficiently and do their jobs. Plumbing brings the water from the source, through a meter to measure usage, and into the home. The hot water heater warms the water for the sink and tub while other water bypasses this step resulting in the cold water setting.The plumbing now diverts into the different parts of the bathroom with pipes running to the sink, toilet and tub or shower. If a problem arises with the draining of the shower and not the sink, the problem is more than likely to be contained in the pipes in and around the sink. With drain problems in both the sink and the shower, the problem may be occurring farther back into the pipes and be more difficult for a homeowner to handle without professional help.Waste Goes OutEvery bathroom has materials that need to be removed from the home. Plumbing creates an outlet to remove waste and used water. Each facet of the bathroom has it’s own waste removal pipes, that all join into a larger pipe that carries out to the sewer system. Pressure is generated from vents that remove gases from the sewer out of the home by way of the roof. Stop the WaterWhen any work is being done on the plumbing of a home, the water supply to the home (at least in the area being worked on) needs to be turned off. In the case of the bathroom, there is usually a valve behind the toilet to stop the flow of water into the sink, toilet and tub or sink. Be sure to turn the valve completely and tightly to ensure no water is able to come through the system. In older homes, there may only be one place to turn the water off for the entire house. If this is the case, look for the valve under the sink in the kitchen. Fixing A ProblemWhen diagnosing a plumbing problem in the bathroom, try to determine whether the problem comes from the water coming into the bathroom or the water and waste leaving. Many times, drains can get clogged, effecting the water that is attempting to leave the house. In this case, you can easily open up the drain and check to see if there is something visibly preventing water from leaving efficiently. If you can see something, attempt to remove it, put the drain back together and run water to see if the problem was solved.

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Plumbing problems doesn’t have to be a huge challenge. You can find more information and tips at Angie’s List website. For more information, visit http://www.angieslist.com/