Common Drain Problems in Newer Homes

Have you ever wondered what plumbing is and why is it so important to check your drains and sinks often? There is nothing like the feeling of having a clean and beautiful-looking drain. A dirty and clogged drain can be unsightly and can even cause some health hazards for you and your family if left uncorrected. If you are a homeowner who lives in an older home, you should make sure that you are familiar with the common problems that older houses have and how to fix them. This will help to keep your home looking nice for all those years to come.

One problem that many older houses have is a lack of adequate plumbing. Many older houses simply don't have the plumbing technology to deal with the amount of waste that they receive. As waste builds up, so does the weight and pressure on the pipes. Even a small movement can cause a lot of damage to your pipes. Small movements can also mean larger ones as well, and these move in concert with larger water currents from outside, slowing down or even stopping them.

Older houses might also lack the proper connectors to their drains. Many connectors are just too large to fit within the pipe of each drain. This is easily solved by simply buying new connectors that are smaller than the ones you have. You might also need to get a diverter, which allows you to turn the drain off and on without turning the whole drain. Some newer homes offer this type of accessory along with a larger main drain. These are a great combination for anyone who has a smaller home.

Another problem with older plumbing is blockage of any pipes. For this, there are a couple of solutions. One option is to enlarge the opening of the pipe or enlarge the diameter of the pipe. Sometimes, though, this isn't possible or a larger hole would be required.

Blocked drains aren't the only problem you'll find though with older houses. You might also encounter problems with backing up of the water, especially with storm water. Old houses tend to be less likely to have standing water due to poor drainage. This means that the pipes might back up even with low levels of liquid inside. Sometimes the only way to fix the problem is to replace the pipes that are affected.

With more modern plumbing technology, backed up pipes are something that is not a problem for houses built in the modern age. Modern pipes don't move water around as much. Also, materials have been developed over the years that do not contribute to the problem. Modern materials such as PVC pipe are designed to resist backing up. So this means that older houses can have the same drainage system as newer houses, if they just make sure they have newer, lower-quality pipes.

In older houses, older and worn out pipes might be a problem. Older houses might require an entire system to be replaced, so you will have to assess the situation on an individual basis. For some people, pipes might need to be replaced completely. If you have determined this is the case, you might want to look at replacing the entire plumbing system, or even have a plumber take a look at the drainage field to see if he can help there.

A clogged drain is a common drain problem that you might find. While this type of drain is not typically a major problem, it does call for some attention. Sometimes this type of drain gets clogged when it's time to empty a garbage container. You can remove the garbage container yourself by opening it and removing the stopper, which connects the pipe from the drain to the waste pipe. Then you might have to call a plumber such as www.fixitrightplumbing.com.au/ to replace the pipe and clean out the clog.

In sum, it is not only older houses that can have drain problems, even newer homes have common drain problems as well.