How Does Water Move Through Your Home?

If you are like a lot of homeowners, you know that plumbing and pipes move water through your home but know very little about how this actually works. At Handyman Connection, we believe that everyone should know the basics of plumbing and other parts of their homes. This can help you to better understand what is happening in your home and how to maintain it more effectively. Of course, when there is a problem, we recommend using our professional plumbing services in Edmonton.

How Water Comes From the Source to Your Home

In Edmonton, most homes are connected to the city’s water system. Some homes have wells or other water sources, but this is uncommon in areas like Edmonton. The water coming from the mains is pressurized, so it is being pushed into your home’s pipes. Of course, this is centralized. Thus, some homes may have lower pressure if they are far away from the nearest pumping system.

The water reaches your home’s pipes via a water supply line. This is typically at least two centimetres in diameter. This pipe is buried underground at a depth that will prevent it from freezing.

How It Gets to the Tap

From the water supply line, the water is delivered to your taps via a series of much smaller pipes. These are set up in a network made up mostly of straight lines and 90-degree angles. There is a slight difference between your cold and hot water supply.

Cold Water

The cold water in your home usually comes straight from the water supply line. In a city like Edmonton, the water has already been treated, so it is safe to drink right from the tap. The delivery of cold water is extremely simple, often just using the pressure from the water mains. However, some homes may have auxiliary pumps to maintain good pressure, especially across multiple floors. Others may have filtration systems, especially if they are receiving well water.

Hot Water

Hot water is a little more complicated because it needs to be heated. Most homes either have a tank that is heated with gas or electricity, or they have a tankless water heater that heats water on demand using an exchanger (a coil with a heating element).

The hot water is then delivered to your taps in much the same way that cold water is. There are separate lines in your home for hot and cold water. It is then mixed by the tap or the appliance to achieve the desired temperature. When you need water, you simply open a valve at the faucet or appliance and the pressure in the system pushes it out.

How It Leaves

Finally, your home also has pipes for drainage. These take all the wastewater from basins, baths, showers and appliances and send them to your sewage. In Edmonton, this is typically handled by the city’s sewage system. However, some homes have septic tanks or other systems for handling wastewater.

Ultimately, most of this water will be treated and recirculated through the system. If you are not connected to a sewage system, your water is likely released into the ground through a special system that will clean pollutants.

Get Help With Your Plumbing in Edmonton

The plumbing in your home helps you to live a comfortable life year-round. When it isn’t working, you quickly realize how important good plumbing is to your life. Therefore, when you have a problem, you should call Handyman Connection for the plumbing services Edmonton residents can count on year-round. We provide high-quality home repair and improvement services backed by a satisfaction guarantee. Get a an estimate for your project or repair to get started.