Knowing why some water is considered 'hard' while some other water is 'soft' will allow you to understand why a water softener could make your life a little more pleasant and might even save you some money. While both hard and soft water are safe to drink, hard water generally contains large amounts of two minerals - magnesium and calcium.

In the old days plumbers had to work with messy (and heavy) cast iron pipes to run water and and drain pipes in a home. Then, copper replaced cast iron and was the material of choice for a number of years (primarily up to the 1970's), but while copper was easier to work with than cast iron, it was still inflexible and heat was required to join pipes and fittings.

Plumbing systems made of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)  are widely used in all manner of residential and commercial construction.

PVC may be most commonly found in the home’s plumbing system, but there are a number of different ways you can take advantage of this strong, versatile and resilient tubing.

It’s true; PVC is like an adult version of K’Nex. You can combine different lengths and fittings to create some truly unique and functional works of art. Here are a few suggestions.

The PVC Bird Feeder

If you don’t have a vent pipe already installed in your house you may want to add one to reduce the odor of your septic plumbing. If you happen to notice a smell from your plumbing you will need to install a vent pipe. The vent pipe helps prevent vapors from getting caught in your plumbing system.

There are three basic types of copper tubing including type "M", type "K", and type "L" copper tubing. There are some codes which require the use of a specific type of tubing, so it is important to know when to use type "M", type "K", or type "L" copper tubing.

A trap is an important fixture in plumbing because it prevents the vapors from waste from entering the building. If your trap needs replacing you can do it yourself even with very little plumbing experience.

The soil stack is the part of the toilet plumbing that runs vertically, usually behind a wall. Whenever you can’t get your toilet unplugged you’re going to have to work with this part of the plumbing to get it fixed. This is probably a job for a skilled professional, but if you have experience with plumbing, a soil stack shouldn’t be too difficult to fix.

Schedule ratings are used to rate how thick and strong a pipe is. Schedule 40 pipe is considered the normal strength and thickness for plastic piping and is generally used for drainage pipes and plumbing systems in residential construction.

What is Schedule 40 Pipe Used for?

Splendor

Flush toilets are a wonder of modern invention. They have revolutionized modern hygiene and waste disposal, and are a sign of a truly industrialized nation. The interconnected systems of sewage disposal that are required to have efficient flush toilets throughout a city are a sign of urban sophistication.

History