Plumbing System

Photographs of plumbing system elements found during home inspections.

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P-trap under sink

another p-trap
Here
are two P-traps under a kitchen sink. Most homes will just have one,
but a second way was hiding behind a disposer. At one point work was
done on the wall behind these pipes, so the stains in the back are
from this work not water stains. However, you will see water stains
on the tubes. You can also see that there is rust on a conduit tube
in the picture on the right (running through the middle). Water was
leaking there, but I found no leak now. The piece coming out of the
sinks drain in the right hand picture is called a tailpipe, and it is
new, so the leak was probably from that older pipe.

water heater

access to burner on water heater
This
is a gas water heater. The vent on top is to take fumes from the
burning process out of the house, so you can think of it like a
chimney flue. The cold water supply will have the valve on it to shut
the water off. On the right is the burner compartment. The second
cover can be seen lifted to the right; another cover goes over this
assembly. The longer thicker tube provides the gas for the burner.
The thinner tube provides gas for the pilot light.

The
brass object attached between the hose bib and the hose is an
anti-siphon device. It prevents standing exterior water from back
flowing into the home’s drinking water supply.

You will not see this part of your home on a normal basis: the plumbing coming out of the foundation. The larger pipes are for waste with smaller pipes for supply. The blue pipe is PEX. The blue color indicates that this is for cool water supply. The pipes have been capped, because this commercial site has been sitting vacant (hence the weeds).