Tips for planning your plumbing system when building a new home
Tips for planning your plumbing system when building a new home. Building a new home requires specific planning and considerations before beginning the construction process. If you are building a new home, you need to consider not only the décor, but also the plumbing, HVAC systems, and building materials that will be used.
Building a home without the proper preparations can be stressful and troublesome. For example, a poor plumbing system can lead to leaks and major water damage in the future. To avoid problems, make sure that the plumbing systems are properly installed.
Here are some great safety tips to use when installing a new home plumbing system.
Secure permissions
The first thing to do before installing a plumbing system is to obtain and secure the proper permits.
It may take some time to get everything done, but getting the permits will help ensure that your home meets all code guidelines and safety requirements.
For your safety and that of your family, a permit allows professionals to inspect and check for any errors in your pipe design and prevent future pipe malfunctions.
Think about your plumbing needs
It would be better to consider your present and future plumbing needs when designing a plumbing system. It means that you need to decide where your drain lines, plumbing, and sewer are installed to ensure functionality.
Incorporate every present and future need for water into your plumbing system while you can still easily access it and avoid spending money on repairs in the future.
You should also consider your outdoor plumbing needs to ensure you have enough outdoor plumbing faucet connections that you can use in your home. Also consider the seasons of the year to make sure your pipes are sturdy and will last despite extreme weather conditions, especially during winter.
Centralize the plumbing system
When installing a plumbing system, it is crucial to install everything in one place to facilitate future maintenance and repairs. Some of the appliances that you should install together are:
- Water softener
- Water heater
- Kiln
- Sewer connection
- Sewage expulsion pit
- Sump pump
You can install them together in the basement, as it is the most convenient space to put your system without it being an eyesore. If you don’t have a basement, you can install them on the main floor, and inside a utility closet so that they are still well hidden.
Consider descaling the water
If you have hard water problems, installing softeners would be perfect for your home.
You should also consider installing one even if you are not experiencing problems at the moment to ensure that you will be able to resolve these types of problems in the future. It will be a challenge to install softeners in the future, so save yourself the extra payments by installing one while you build your home.
Always think from a long-term perspective when installing something for your home. By thinking about your future needs, you can save money and avoid the stress of having to install new appliances for your system.
Share the wet wall
Sharing a wet wall can help you save money when building a home. What exactly is a wet wall? A wet wall houses the sewer lines, water supply lines, and vents.
Homes often have separate wet walls for different rooms, such as bathrooms and kitchens, to house pipes, but you can save money by sharing a wet wall. You can make a layout where the bathrooms share one wall, or where the kitchen and laundry room share a wet wall.
You can save money by having a shared wet wall because it will reduce the labor and materials you need to install them. It will also be easier to maintain and repair the pipe if the pipes are together in one place.
List the rooms that need access to water
It would be best to consider all the rooms that need access to water when designing the layout of your plumbing system. The 3 main areas that you need to consider are the bathrooms, the kitchen, and the laundry area.
Bathroom
Consider how many bathrooms you need when designing a house, and it is better to evaluate them individually. Will you have a guest bathroom? A bathtub? A Jacuzzi? A shower? The best thing would be to make a list of the luxuries that your bathroom will have along with the necessary toilets and sinks.
Kitchen room
When designing the kitchen, you have to take into account the appliances that you will have in the kitchen. It is convenient that there are water lines for the refrigerator, the dishwasher and the sink. You should also consider any future renovations you may have, such as adding a kitchen island that needs a plumbing line if you want to install a sink in the future.
Laundry area
The laundry area is as important as the bathrooms and the kitchen. You should put the connections of the washing machine in the right place so that they are easier to install and use. You should also have a proper drainage line in the laundry area to prevent water from accumulating on the floor when you are doing laundry.
In addition to these 3 priorities, you must also have a proper plumbing design if you want to have a garden, an outdoor hot tub, and a swimming pool. Prepare a layout for everything, even what you don’t currently need, to facilitate future installations.
Placement of the accessible stopcock
You may want easy access to your main shutoff valve in an emergency.
While others tend to place them in hard-to-reach areas, you should go for a more easily accessible area.
This way, you can quickly shut down your plumbing system in the event of a leak, a broken pipe, or even when you just need to do a regular maintenance check.
You can prevent major water damage and save money if you can easily access the main valve in your plumbing system.
Conclusion
Installing new plumbing lines can be expensive down the road.
Avoid wasteful spending by making sure your new home’s plumbing system design meets all of your current and future plumbing needs.
Make sure you have a safety permit, a centralized plumbing system, and back-up softeners if you need them in the future.
These simple tips will help you design a plumbing system that works well and lasts a long time.
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