Most people don’t think about their plumbing until something goes wrong. We turn on the faucet without a second thought and enjoy long, hot showers with little consideration for the pipes and fixtures that make it all possible. Yet, your plumbing system is one of your home’s most essential—and incredible—parts. Let’s take a minute to explore all that your plumbing does for you daily.
Most people don’t think about the plumbing in their homes unless there is a problem. It’s only when the toilet won’t flush or the sink backs up that we realize how important it is to have a functional plumbing system.
Plumbing is the system of pipes and fixtures installed in a building to distribute potable water and remove sewage. The word “plumbing” comes from the Latin plumbum, meaning “lead,” because lead was used in making the first pipes.
Your plumbing system is responsible for bringing fresh water into your home and safely removing waste water. It’s made up of a network of large and small pipes that run throughout your home, carrying water where it needs to go.
Your home’s water lines bring clean, potable water into your home from the main line, which is connected to your municipality’s water supply. Once the water enters your home, it flows through a series of pipes and valves until it reaches the fixtures—like faucets, toilets, and showers—that you use daily.
After you’ve used that water, it needs to go somewhere! That’s where your home’s drainage system comes in. It carries wastewater away from your fixtures and out of your home through a series of larger pipes. From there, it flows into the sewer system or a septic tank.
A well-functioning plumbing system is essential to any home or business. When everything is working correctly, we take it for granted. But when there is a problem, it can be a significant inconvenience. Hopefully, this overview has given you a better understanding of how your plumbing works and what to do if something goes wrong.
Your plumbing system is one of your home’s most important—and incredible—parts. It brings fresh water in and takes wastewater out, quietly and efficiently running behind the scenes to keep your family safe and comfortable. So next time you turn on the faucet or flush the toilet, take a moment to appreciate all that your home’s plumbing system does for you!