Plumbing: What are the 3 Stages of Plumbing?

Importance of Regular Plumbing Inspections | by Kristina Andersson | Medium

What are the 3 stages of plumbing? So many areas of plumbing process in construction and renovation have certain stages that are required before you could even move in. 

What is the first stage of plumbing called?

The first stage is groundwork. To begin building a new home, you should bring the services into your house. You are going to need a permit from the City or State that you are living in and they will come and inspect the same time the footings are being poured.

The two points could be done either once the walls are poured for the basement groundwork can be installed, inspected, and buried, or the groundwork could be completed at the same time as the rest of the rough-in plumbing.

During this process, all of the drains will be hooked up in the main service and any basement bathrooms for the future and the main water line will need to be brought from the service to the area where the water meter would eventually be placed. If you are doing a basement development then you will see cast iron under the cement.

What is the second stage of plumbing?

Rough-in plumbing is the second stage of plumbing after the groundwork or it could also be a part of the groundwork itself. In this stage, you will install all your drains, vent pipes, and water lines. Alongside all these pipes, you are installing all your bathtubs, showers, fauces, body sprays, steamers, or shower bases that you have in your house.

You are going to need to call a plumber to inspect your plumbing rough-in. Make sure that the plumber that you have hired will test everything before the walls are closed up. Before the drywall could be put up, you are going to need all your gas lines installed.

What is the last phase of a plumbing installation?

The final stage in your plumbing system is finish plumbing. This is when you finish installing the toilets and other plumbing fixtures, shut the valves off, trimming kits, installing the water heater, hooking up the fireplaces, and other gas appliances. The wiring that you do in this stage of installation does not require inspection but always check on it. After each fixture has been installed, your plumber would check all the leaks on all the fixtures and appliances. 

What are the basics of plumbing?

Water Supply System

There are pipes that bring fresh water into the home and are highly dependent on pressure. They come from either the city water or the wells. They enter through the main pipe that is usually parallel to your street. The main pipe is connected to your water meter, where the valve cuts off the water supply system, making it useful when you need to do repairs.

You could maintain the water supply system by:

  • Make sure the pressure is high since the water supply system performs optimally when the pressure is high, but the system is sensitive to damage because of this, so you have to constantly check if it’s still okay or if it’s leaking.
  • Correctly install the piping, if you do this would prevent it from leaking. 

Drain Water Vent (DWV) System

The 2 systems do not overlap, but there are bridges all over the home where the two systems meet, and plumbers call these fixtures. The drain water vent systems are usually called by their household names; sinks, faucets, washing machines, and more.

Three main components: 

Drain Traps

These are also called the P traps. They are the U-shaped pipes that prevent backflow in a plumbing system and hold water consistently. Without the drain trap, the sewer gases would turn your house into a stink-fest since they connect our house to the swerve line. 

Drain Vents

The drain vent runs from the roof and into your drain pipe. It releases air into the plumbing to ensure smooth drainage.

Drain Pipes

They are engineered and placed in a manner that lets them play with gravity. They are angled downwards to move water from the fixture and into your sewer line.

Home Plumbing System

Kitchen Plumbing System

These are hidden in the walls and the water supply brings the hot and cold water to the fixtures.

Bathroom Plumbing System

This system is reliant on the pressure, if the pressure is low then the water comes in slower than usual. This system also separates hot and cold piping systems.

Plumbing is the factor in the house that could either make or break it and maintaining it will be hard. If you are looking for a good plumbing contractor, there are home drainage contractors in New Orleans that could help you with any of your concerns.