Building a new home is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming and a little scary. Chances are you’ve been working hard to afford your dream home, and it would be a shame to let that go to waste by not hiring a trusted plumbing company. Even if you think adding plumbing to a new house seems like a simple “water in, water out” task, it’s a lot more complicated than that.
Plumbing Timetable of a New Construction Home
In a new home, the plumbing system features three main components: the water supply system, the drainage system and the appliance/fixture set.
First, sewer accommodation stubs are set before pouring the concrete foundation.
After the foundation is poured, tub/shower units are often set since they are too large to set once walls and doorways are framed.
After framing, rough-in plumbing is installed at the same time as electrical wiring and duct installation. This is when we install main drains in floors and connect them to the stack. Rough-in drain fittings are also installed now for sinks and tubs, and this is also when we install water supply pipes or tubing and set toilet flanges.
The main pressurized water supply line enters the house, then splits into two lines; one that supplies cold water and one that connects to the hot water heater. From there, the two lines supply hot and cold water to each fixture or appliance.
Important Components of Your Plumbing System
As we said before, if you don’t have an experienced plumber installing your plumbing system, things can go wrong in no time after you move into your home.
Drainage Pipes
A main vent-and-soil stack, which is typically 4 inches in diameter, runs vertically from beneath the ground floor to above the roofline. Waste drains connect to the stack, directing waste downward to the main sewer drain, which exits the home and ties into the municipal sewer system or runs to a septic system. If your drains aren’t properly installed, this can lead to sewer backups that you don’t want to mess with.
Vent Pipes
Without constant air, water locks form in drain pipes and cause clogs, so all drains require ventilation. Vent pipes connect to the vent-and-soil stack in the attic. It’s critical that vent pipes are located where they need to be in order to prevent annoying clogs.
Traps
You’ve seen drain traps in the bottom of your bathroom or kitchen sink. A trap is a U-shaped pipe that retains a small amount of water and prevents smelly sewer gasses from backing up into the house. All plumbing fixtures require drain traps except the commode, which comes with an internal trap in its base. If traps are not properly fitted and sealed, dangerous gases could cause health problems to your family.
Have Your New Construction Plumbing Properly Installed!
If you’re planning to build a new home in Frederick County, Maryland, call the plumbing experts at Putman. We look forward to hearing from you.
