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How To Install Plumbing in Your New Sydney Home
Generally, plumbing works using a concept in which water flows in and out of a pipe network. A newly built home requires a plumbing system.
The main components of plumbing that have to be installed in a newly built home include the main water supply, drainage, and plumbing fixtures/appliances.
In most areas, plumbing installation should only be done by licensed plumbers or an apprentice working under the supervision of a certified and licensed best plumber in Sydney.
Local plumbing codes for NSW outline the standards that have to be met when plumbing in Sydney. However, in a newly built home, the placement of plumbing fixtures, pipe size, and pipe routing is dependent on the individual layout of the home.
Installation Timetable
Basically, stubs for accommodating the sewer system are set prior to pouring the home’s concrete foundation. However, most of the installation work takes place at a later stage.
The plumbing phase known as rough-in takes place alongside the duct and wiring phase, and is done once framing is finalized but prior to hanging the drywall.
During this phase, the main drains are installed in the floors and connected to the main stack. In this phase, rough-in fittings for the drain such as the tubs and sinks are also installed.
Water supply lines or supply tubing and toilet flanges are also installed in this phase.
Plumbing Fixtures
Since shower units and tubs are quite large, they are typically set upon framing the doorways and walls.
Since there’s quite a lot to do on the construction at this phase, it’s advisable to cover shower units and tubs with rugs, cardboard, or old blankets to keep them protected from scratches.
Commodes and sinks should be set and connected last, that is after getting done with the floor and walls.
Water Supply Lines
The main water supply pipe should enter the home below the frost line. It is then split into two supply lines; one for the cold water supply and another for connection to the water heater.
The two supply lines, which are the cold and water lines, are then connected to the respective appliances or fixtures. Some homes feature a manifold type of water supply system.
The manifold system comes with a panel that is fitted with blue and red valves for controlling the cold or hot water supply to an appliance or fixture.
The manifold system is advantageous in that you can easily turn off the water supply to a specific fixture without affecting the supply to other fixtures.
Drainage Pipes
The main vent stack has a diameter of 4 inches and runs vertically all the way from the bottommost floor to some inches beyond the roofline.
Drain lines are connected to the vent stack directly or via branch vents. The drain lines direct waste matter to the sewer drain.
The main sewer line exits the house below the frost line. It’s then connected to a private septic system or the local council sewer system for treatment. You may also be interested in reading this guide on draining the plumbing system in your home.
Vent Pipes
If the drainage system lacks proper ventilation, water locks will be created in the drainpipes. The water locks can cause serious clogs. Thus, all drain lines require proper ventilation.
The vent stack installed behind the sink is also used in serving other appliances and fixtures that are connected within a distance of 10 feet from a common drainage line. Generally, branch vent pipes have a diameter of 2 inches and are connected to the main vent stack.
If a fixture is located far away from the main vent stack, then a branch vent pipe is added from the main vent to serve the fixture. Some home layouts may also have more than one stack vents to serve fixtures that are located far away from each other.
Traps
The tub, shower, or sink drain comes with a small U-shaped piece of pipe known as the drain trap. The trap is usually located beneath the fixture’s drain opening.
The trap prevents the backup of sewer gases into the home. It works by retaining some water after using the fixture.
The retained water works as a seal that keeps sewer gases contained within the drain. Each and every plumbing fixture, apart from a commode, requires a drain trap. Commodes come with an inbuilt trap at the base.
It can be rather stressful to make sure that all of the things mentioned are in order if you are not a certified technician.
Always contact licensed and certified plumbers to make sure you have a perfectly stable plumbing system before you move into your home in Sydney.