Plumbing is an integral part of any home construction. It installs and maintains the infrastructure to supply potable water and gas, drainage or sewer, ventilation and sanitary systems.
Different materials and fixtures are used for this purpose, pipes being the main component of this entire system. Drilling and boring are not a part of the plumbing and should not be confused with each other.
However, while laying the plumbing supply system, boring or drilling may be required at some stage, especially horizontal directional drilling.
This technique is used where you need to lay pipelines without damaging an existing structure. Basically, plumbing is required to move fluid and gas from one point to another within a home.
Plumbing Process
The plumbing process involves laying pipes from the supply point to end-use points.
In other words, it is the construction of a continuous pipeline from the main supply (at the entry point in-home) to the bathrooms and kitchen when it is about the gas and water supply system.
In the case of drainage, sewer and rainwater disposal systems, the process is entirely opposite. Here we have to collect rainwater and waste and used water from different points and drop it in the main community sewerage system.
This is managed through a well-planned piping system that runs through the entire building.
The whole plumbing process comprises three phases:
Underground phase –
This involves laying of water and gas and drainage pipeline below the flooring level. The majority of drainage and disposal pipelines run underground throughout the building.
Part of the water supply system also runs underground. This phase is relatively easy to handle.
Over the ground phase –
Once main pipelines are laid underground, the next step is to connect them with bathrooms and kitchens and other places in a home.
At this stage, pipes must run along the walls, cross the walls and enter into bathrooms and kitchens. This needs more refined workmanship.
Finishing phase –
This is the most important stage of plumbing. It involves the installation of sinks, bathtubs, wash basins, commodes and showers and so on.
Types of Plumbing
Plumbing can be categorized into different types, depending on the purpose for which it is required. In-home construction’s main idea is to manage the supply of water and gas in bathrooms and kitchens. Secondly, plumbing is required for the drainage of wastewater.
Disposal of rainwater may also involve plumbing. While laying pipelines for these plumbing systems, directional boring may also come into play.
Here are some main types of plumbing systems required in home construction.
Supply of Potable Water
This is the most crucial part of the plumbing system in any building. It deals with the drinking water supply; hence it needs a very high level of expertise.
All the pipes and other materials used for this supply line must be of standard quality to ensure a water supply fit for human consumption.
A plumber should ensure that this pipeline must not be mixed up with a drainage pipeline. It should run at a safe distance from other pipelines so that drainage and sewerage wastewater may not mix with the potable water.
Despite all safety precautions, it is advisable to install a water filter in your kitchen so that you may get pure drinking water.
Supply of Natural Gas
The natural gas supply is as important as the potable water supply. It involves laying of pipeline starting from the gas meter, installed near the entry gate of the building to the kitchen.
Laying a gas supply pipeline needs a high level of expertise. It is advisable to hire a qualified gas safety engineer to lay a gas pipeline. All materials used for gas pipelines must be compatible with the prescribed standards.
Natural gas is prone to leakage that may result in any mishap. It is, therefore, very important to ensure that the entire gas pipeline must be laid carefully, ensuring that there is no leakage.
Sanitary Drainage
Sanitary drainage includes the disposal of wastewater from the kitchen and laundry. This wastewater may also have solid waste material. Disposal of this water with solid waste material is challenging.
It includes a well-planned piping system throughout the building to collect wastewater from the kitchen and bathrooms. This pipe network is then connected to the main sewerage system. Naturally, water tends to flow from top to bottom.
A major part of this system is laid using this pattern of the natural water flow. However, there may be some places in your home where you may need to install lift pumps to enable wastewater to flow out of the building.
As a safety and precautionary measure, plumbers often install a no-return valve near the point where this drainage system is connected with the main sewerage system. Normally it is near the main entrance of your home.
Rainwater Disposal
Rainwater disposal systems comprise rainwater collection from the roof and other parts of a home. It includes a series of pipes laid alongside the sanitary drainage system.
An old method of rainwater disposal was to connect it with the main sanitary drainage system. The experts believe that this should not be done.
Since the volume and flow of rainwater are very high, the drainage system of your house may not handle it. That’s why a separate disposal pipeline is used these days.
The rainwater collected from different places of the building then drops into the main pipeline, laid especially for this purpose. Normally it runs underground and is ultimately connected to the main sewerage system.
Types of Boring techniques used in home construction
During the construction of the home, you may come across a situation where boring and drilling are necessary.
Although there are many boring techniques used these days in home construction, the most used method is horizontal directional drilling (HDD). It is also known as trenchless boring.
This technique is useful when you don’t want to dig an open trench for laying pipelines. There may be a situation where you don’t want to demolish or damage an existing structure but have to lay down a pipe under it. Here the HDD technique is used.
A special drilling machine is used for this purpose, which digs a horizontal hole underneath the ground and a pipe is pushed into it.
Conclusion
Water and gas are the most important things required in any home. For the supply of potable water and disposal of wastewater, a complete infrastructure is required. Hence plumbing and boring play a vital role in home construction.
For a sustainable plumbing system, it is imperative that all pipelines (supply and disposal) must run independently. These should not be mixed up with each other. Make sure that there’s no leakage or blockage in any of them.
