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).

This is an example of corrosion at the water heater fittings, caused by galavanic action. This can lead to a leak.

This is a photo of the toilet drain and the flange which holds the toilet down. The silicone outline is from where the toilet was.

The water shut off to the property can be at the water meter (top, this meter has the radio transmitter to send readings to the truck) and/or under a hose bib. The picture shows the valve stem without the handle. This is more common than one might imagine. Wen the handles break for the shut off, homeowners forget to add a new one, because they hardly ever have to shut off the water to the home.

Cleanout for the home’s drainage system. The cover has a hole where the plug for the wrench should be. This can cause problems with the plumbing system or with pest intrusions. This was probably damaged by a lawnmower.

There are a few things wrong in this picture, but we are looking at the white pipe running along the ground. The homeowner wanted a hose bib in a certain spot, so he tied this pipe into his water supply system. He then simply laid the pipe on the ground to where he wanted the hose bib. The hose bib was brought up to a height of about three feet. Problems: this pipe can freeze and burst causing a leak; lawn equipment can damage it, since it is exposed; and a leak may occur simply by normal use, since the hose bib was not secured as well. You may not realize that this solution is common, but this is how many people create new hose bibs.

On a home inspection report, you will find mentions about vents in the roof covering section, but I wanted this vent here to help explain the plumbing system. Your pipes need access to air for the water to flow, so vents like this one come through the roof. This vent has lead flashing covering the pipe. This type of flashing lasts longer, but still needs repairs over time. Plastic plumbing vents have seals which can crack, that will allow water to enter the home. Most damage to these metal flashing comes at the top of the vent. The metal should be wrapped over the edge of the pipe end. If there are gaps, you can have leaks.

Water supply pipes for the home can come up inside the house, but often you will find them on the exterior. Insulating the pipe prevents damage from freezing, and the insulation helps prevent the transfer of heat through the wall. This pipe has some insulation that has been partially torn.

If there is a hole in the ceiling where there is plumbing, expect a leak. Once the water was turned on, the leak began when I was testing the equipment. These are the drains under the second story floor of a bath.