Pipes. Indoor baths. Toilets.
Yes, these are modern conveniences. But it may surprise you that the origin of plumbing dates far before the last three hundred years or even this millennia. The origins of plumbing go back to the Indus Valley Civilization 4500 years ago.
You are a young up and coming civilization in the Indus Valley, somewhere nestled in modern day Pakistan, India, and China. Technology permits you to build tall buildings and huge cities, never before seen in history. The sewage is a problem.
Engineering feats of that day can be seen in excavations. In Lothal, for instance, had a large government building at the city center, the oldest dock known to humankind, and houses made out of stone. The issue was the sewage.
Like modern day sewage, the question is how to collect the sewage into one rivulet and then dispose of it. Today, there are pipes that lead to a large pipe that enters the neighborhood pipe and then towards a sewage disposal site.
The Indus people had a private bathroom in every home. To dispose of the waste, the waste was placed into small canals running through the city. When the rain or high tide came, the canals were flushed with water, thereby cleaning the city of waste.
Today, plumbing remains a trade, valuable in society. There are many reasons to call a plumber. Plumbing costs money.
10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more of water each day. And fixing household leaks can actually save a homeowner about 10% on their water bills. Clogged drains, leaky faucets…these issues can cost a homeowner money and sometimes lots of it. If the small drip of a faucet gets worse, it may cause water damage in home. A 2,000 square foot home that experiences a one-inch flood of water may face $21,000 in damages.
Plumbers face the most difficult problems but there is work you can do before calling plumbers near you, a plumbing contractor, or plumbing companies for a plumbing service. Here is a guide to avoid clogged drains.
Clogged drains are a nuisance–they back up the sink or the toilet or the bath and can cause an inconvenience for the day or week. But fortunately, many of the sources of the clogged drains can be avoided.
First, clean up the hair in the shower. This is an all-important process, including for women whose hair tends to get tangled into knots that block or clog the drain. But it goes for men too. Cleaning and paying attention to clogs is an all-gender job.
Second, make sure those disposable wipes are disposable. Remember that even wipes that say they are “disposable” may not disintegrate in the pipe immediately. Sometimes they might not disintegrate at all. Make sure the ones you’re using are disposable and always look out for any water problems.
Third, never pour oil down the drain. One of the most common issues with clogged drains during the winter involves pouring hot or lukewarm oil down the kitchen sink drain. During winter, the oil can freeze in the pipe, blocking it off and clogging it up. It’s possible to dispose of oil by putting it into an empty can and then throwing it away.
Fourth, make sure that kitchen sink disposal is working correctly. There’s little worse than throwing a bunch of hard to dispose items down the kitchen sink to find the disposal to not be working. Make sure it’s up date and mechanically operable. This can save money in the long run.
That’s a quick guide to avoiding some kinds of plumbing mistakes.