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The
type of plumbing you install, or have installed in your home can
affect you for as long as you own your home. It is "Wise"
to research this topic very well. There are several different
products that you can use to plumb a home-just ask any plumber.
To
find out if a product is certified with the National
Sanitation Foundation go to:
http://www.nsf.org/Certified/Plumbing/
Plumbing
a home includes the installation of:
Water
Distribution System
Our
main concern that my husband and I had when we were choosing our
plumbing system was potential water leaks ruining our finished
basement ceiling.
We
did not want to have to destroy our ceiling to fix water lines
and we did not want to install removable ceiling panels either.
I wanted our basement to look as if it were any floor of the
home-not a basement.
Our
neighbors, that live by our lots next to where we were going to
build our new home, told us their copper plumbing was springing
leaks. Their home was only fifteen years old and they were
having to replace much of their pipes and fixtures.
After
sharing our concerns with our plumber, he introduced us to a
wonderful plumbing system. It's an engineered manifold plumbing
system manufactured by Vanguard Engineered Piping Systems. This
system has one continuous pipe between the faucet and the
manifold.
This
means that there are no joints to leak between the floors and
ceiling. If ever a leak should spring up, it will be at either
the manifold or faucet.
Now,
if your water pipes happen to freeze, that could be a different
story. Freezing water can expand and break most anything-that's
a given with any piping.
One
of the really great benefits that my family has discovered with
the "manifold system" is that if someone happens to
flush a toilet or turn of the faucet while you are showering-the
water temperature stays the same!
Our
home is now five years old and we have not had one problem with
this type of plumbing system. This product is worthy of checking
into-and they are not paying me to tell you this either. Check
this out before you look any further:
http://www.vanguardpipe.com/mbloc.html
Please
don't confuse the Vanguard's piping system with other types
of materials that have caused some problems. Check out the
following articles below:
http://ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/nov94/leaks.html
If
you would like more information about plumbing products check
this out:
http://popularmechanics.com
Drain
Lines
This
topic is more complicated than just running pipe from your sinks
and toilets to the sewer line for removal of water/waste. Each
drain pipe must be:
Comprised
of a good material.
Proper
diameter for what it's draining.
Affixed
together to prevent leaks.
Positioned
at the correct pitch to allow proper drainage.
Installed
with traps and vents to prevent sewer gas and back-ups.
If
installed in a basement-a pump system may be required to lift
the sewer and drain lines to the main sewer line.
There
is nothing worse to moving into a brand new home and smelling a
strong stench of sewer gas, or even actual sewage coming up from
the toilets, or drains.
Discuss
preventative measures with your plumber during the planning
stages of your home to make sure that this doesn't happen to
you.
http://www.findarticles.com
Hot
Water Heaters
Don't
you just hate it when you run out of hot water while taking a
shower?
Our
plumber introduced us to this remedy: he took two 40 gallon hot
water heaters and installed them to work together. The first
tank keeps the water at a lower temperature. As the second tank
runs out of hot water, the first tank is refilling the second.
Therefore
it doesn't take long to heat the water back up and you virtually
have an endless supply of hot water. We often have several
family members visit at a time and we haven't ran out of hot
water yet!
There
are a few other types of water heaters that you may want to
spend some time researching:
New
technology has not been overlooked in the area of water so it
may be worth your while to consider a change from the
traditional ways of water. The following website offers some
great information on your water.
Go
to: http://www.eere.energy.gov/
Appliance
Hookups
If
you are going to have appliances such as a dishwasher, washer
and dryer, icemaker in your freezer, then you will need to have
the proper hookups.
It
is a must to
know exactly what type of appliances will be in your home before
a plumber figures your bid. Special appliances may require a
little different hookups that normal. Therefore, it is "Wise"
to be prepared to know when an appliance requires something
different.
Some
washers, especially the stackable types, require different
electrical hookups than normal. Don't waste your money by having
to re-hook-up before you've even lived in your new home.
Perhaps,
you have an ice maker in your freezer and you don't want it
hooked to your tap water, but prefer it be hooked up to a
filtration system. The type of lines a plumber will run will be
totally different.
Water
Softener/Filtration System
There
are many different types and manufacturers of water softeners
and water filtration systems that you can become overwhelmed.
Some systems require salt, where others don't.
If
you have hard water, or water that is not so good to the taste,
then you will want to consider this topic while you are planning
your home.
For
an idea how water softeners work check out these websites:
http://www.hardwater.org/
http://www.popularmechanics.com/
http://www.findarticles.com
Just
type "water softeners" into their seach box for their
articles.
WISE
TIP!!!
If
you are going to install a watersoftener that requires salt to
be added...
It's
a good idea not to have your exterior water spigots hooked up to
the water softener line...
Some
Softened Water Can Kill Plants and Grass!
Plumbing
Fixtures
Fixtures
come in all types of designs, qualities, and of course, prices.
You could spend a mere fortune on fixtures if you're not
careful. It is "wise" to make sure that you have a
budget set and a list written in stone for everything you need
before you begin your shopping spree. Otherwiseyou just
might end up blowing your whole budget before you get everything
you need. What is a fixture, you ask?
Well,
a fixture can include:
This
seems like a fairly short list. However, when you figure that
you may need 5 faucets, 2 toilets, 2 bath tubs, and 3 sinks for
a basic 2 bathroom home the list isn't so short after all. Just
these items alone can add up to several thousand dollars buy
just buying good quality fixtures.
Now
just think, what it would cost if you go all out and add a
shower, exchange one of the tubs for a whirlpool, add a laundry
sink, and perhaps even, an whole extra bath.
One
thing that I have learned over the years when it comes to
fixtures, "If you buy cheap it'll leak". I'm not
saying that you should go out and buy the most expensive fixture
either, but get a good quality fixture, and you'll be far better
off in the long run.
Do
your research to find the best products for your money.
Before
we leave this area there is one more issue to consider Exterior
Plumbing!!!
If
you are going to have a yard, and expect to grow flowers, grass,
and trees you'll want a convenient access to water supply...
It
is very important to think about:
Perhaps,
you won't be adding any of these items listed, but if there
might be a remote chance of future additions, make sure that it
won't cost you a bundle to add water lines around your home, or
else you may find yourself in a frenzy.
It
could save you a bundle by having the plumber put in access
lines in or around your home for future needs. Then, when it's
time to add an addition, all you have to do is hook-up the
access lines to your new addition and you are in business.
If
you don't have an access line available it could cost much more
by having to tear out and repair walls, ceilings and/or
flooring. Now's the time to consider this option-once your home
is built the cost goes way up.
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Demand
Water Heaters
