Plumbing supplies and parts

Home plumbing for the kitchen and shower are just a few of the topics which APlumbing.com was created to address. Our site was designed to be both a reliable and unbiased resource of facts, news, and advice related to these matters.

While plumbing may not seem like a very fascinating topic to most, it is a very important aspect of daily life. Many people take a functioning system for granted until problems arise. The tips covered in this site aim to keep our visitors informed whether they are dealing with existing systems or about to set up an entirely new one within a new home.

To begin to understand the importance of a well-functioning system as well as relevant problems faced today, it is useful to recap the history of the technology and techniques related to this area.

Plumbing systems have actually existed since ancient times. The oldest example discovered to date is that of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC). This society was actually one of the oldest civilizations we know of today. Their plumbing systems were incorporated by 2700 B.C. at the very latest.

Every home within the civilization was connected to a drainage system. This is true of even the smallest buildings located at the outermost edges of a town. The plumbing pipes used were standardized forms of earthenware. This means they had a general clay construction which was utilized at a standard size. Asphalt was used in these plumbing systems to prevent leaks. There is speculation that these systems not only drained away water, but may also have brought in fresh water as modern day versions do.

Plumbing systems that we know for a fact to have been more complicated than simple drainage strategies were developed in many ancient civilizations. These include within the Chinese, Indian, Persian, Roman and Greek cultures. Public baths and a need for drinkable, or “potable”, water were the reasons for the development of such plumbing systems.

Although plumbing has been around for several centuries, developments were very slow beyond ancient times. After the ancient Roman’s aqueduct and lead pipe system, virtually no progress was made until the 19th century. While indoor toilets had been built before that time, it wasn’t until the Public Health Act of 1848 was passed that they began to become more widely accepted. This Act required every home within England to have some sort of sanitary arrangement. This could have been an ash pit or privy as well as a flushing toilet.

Plumbing is a matter which should be taken seriously, due to its strong relationship with sanitation. The cleanliness of a community’s environment directly impacts health and safety of the people living within it. For this reason, plumbing regulations have become the domain of governmental agencies in the United States.

It is possible for the average person to complete many simple home plumbing needs with the right set of tools. Clogged drains and leaky faucets are examples of such easy jobs. Other tasks are better left to the professional. In fact, many repair or installation jobs may require a permit to accomplish legally. On one hand, it may be easy enough for a homeowner to acquire specific plumbing supplies and read up on how to hook up kitchen or shower plumbing. On the other hand, when it comes to reselling a home or other financial related activities, not having had a permit for certain plumbing alterations can post some significant problems.

Thank you for visiting APlumbing.com! Please browse the rest of our site to read more about plumbing supplies and the various aspects of home plumbing- from the kitchen to the shower.

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