Bathroom Plumbing: Jackson, MI

Many of us don’t realize the value of our bathroom plumbing system until something goes wrong—then, it quickly becomes of paramount importance. Although your bathroom plumbing system is often unseen, it’s important to understand how this system works and what kind of problems can occur. With the right basic knowledge and with the help of Aspen Plumbing Services, you can preserve the systems that deliver water to and from your home. 

Let’s take a closer look at how bathroom plumbing works and the components and design principles that make up the average residential plumbing system.

The Water Supply System

The water supply system uses pressure to carry water throughout your home to your bathroom sink, toilet, and anywhere else you need it. This is basically a series of pipes, valves, fittings, and faucets. Separate pipes carry out cold or hot water as necessary.

Your home plumbing system relies on the natural properties of gravity and pressure. As water enters the pipes, it travels with sufficient pressure to move uphill, around pipe elbows, and so forth. The drainage system, on the other hand, depends on gravity to “flush” the wastewater out.

Cold Water and Your Water Heater

Cold water is always on standby and ready for use, but it goes through an extra step before you can get hot water. Cold water travels through a dedicated pipe to your gas or electric water heater, which then generates the hot water. Speaking of water heaters—your water heater is usually the second-biggest consumer of energy in your home (second only to the HVAC system). For both traditional and tankless water heaters, proper maintenance is crucial to conserve energy.

The Drain-Waste-Vent System

Rather than using pressure, drainage components rely on gravity. To encourage this process, drainage pipes follow a downward slope, which naturally guides waste to the sewage lines or septic tank. This waste then gets delivered to your home’s septic tank or public sewer system.

The venting system connects to the waste drainage piping and performs a critical role. As you’ve probably gathered, the plumbing supply and drainage systems must never mix—and the venting system prevents this from happening. Without it, the water supply would routinely get contaminated.   

To prevent any disastrous commingling, the “bridges” that exist between the drain and supply systems are vented. These vents emit air into the draining pipes, which prevents the mixing of sewer gases into the drains. In effect, this vented air causes the traps in the drains to stay shut, preventing contamination of the plumbing system. If these vents get clogged, whether it’s by critters making nests or by other types of damage, it can create serious problems. By hiring the experts at Aspen Plumbing Services you can ensure that your system will be installed correctly with all of the right components so you can enjoy your bathroom for years to come!