DIY Network

Plumbing: Bringing Water to the Indoor Fixtures From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-201

Figure A

So far you've learned about the water supply and the different types of pipes you can use to bring the water to your home's fixtures. But how does it travel from the curb?

The water piping system starts at the meter and it goes from a water service line from the water meter into the house. Also at the meter is a device that ensures the water pressure is appropriate for home usage -- the water-pressure regulator (figure A).

A water-pressure regulator is located at the curb at the meter. When the city sends the water at very high pressure, it reduces that pressure as it gets dispersed throughout the house. This is done so when you turn on the water in your house, you don't have a fire hose coming out of your faucet.

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	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

The water comes into the house at a place called the main shut off valve (figure B), which is like the light switch for your entire property in that once you close it the house, the yard, nothing has water anymore.

At this point you may decide to add a water-filtration system (figure C). A couple of advantages to installing a whole-house filter is that not only will it improve your water quality, but by filtering out particles and harsh chemicals, it will also extend the life of appliances such as dishwashers and laundry machines.

Note: A filtration system can be located at either the main water supply to the house, where it's dispersed throughout the entire house, or it can be located locally, such as a sink or ice maker.

The water flows through a single 1" or 3/4" diameter pipe right into the water heater and then that divides into your hot-water line and your cold-water line -- and they run parallel throughout the house and deliver the water to your fixtures and appliances.

Tip: An efficient way to organize your water-supply lines is to install a manifold (figure D), which can be used hot or cold on water piping. It has a larger size pipe that feeds it and distributes the water to the fixtures throughout the house.

At this point the water-supply lines are often reduced to 1/2" piping. This helps maintain the water pressure throughout the house. Finally, the pipes are attached to the fixtures.
But before you can turn on the faucet you want to make sure that you install a shut-off valve on each fixture so that you'll be able to service that location (kitchen sink, bathroom sink, tub, etc.).

In the final segment we'll take a look at the hot-water heater.

GUESTS :

Anthony Grisolia
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IBACOS, Inc.
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Building Wisdom
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