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How To Create An Efficient Drainage System

Plumbing is an important system that runs around a house or a building. An efficient drainage system disposes liquid waste promptly to prevent the accumulation of wastewater and spillages around the home or building. 

If you’re building a home from the ground up or doing major renovations in an old building, designing an efficient drainage system should be one of your priorities. 

Here’s how to create an efficient drainage system:

Use The Right System Design

Before you design the materials and these drainage pipe fittings, you need to work on your whole system layout and design. Thus, the first step in planning an efficient drainage system is to create an appropriate plan based on your home or building’s design. 

The plan should establish a direct line between the sewage point and the drain head. It should have a fixed drainage trap point, which will be the central waste outlet. 

Also, make sure that the design provides flexibility in the drainage system, especially when you have more than one bathroom. 

Determine The Layout of the Drain

Before you can work on the materials needed for the system, you need to have a rough sketch on the drain layout. The layout of the drain depends on the type of drain you need or want. 

Depending on your preference and needs, there are different types of drain you can choose from. You can choose from the following: 

  • Swale Drains – these are ditch lined with turfgrass and are broader and shallower drains. Swale drains help slow down and control water runoff outdoors. These drains are usually found around landscapes or gardens. 
  • Point Drains – a subsurface system that requires the floors to be sloped in the drain direction. Point drains collect water from a single point, so it’s normally found in the middle of a shower. 
  • French Drain – help redirect water from where the drain starts to the sewer. These drains are used to help the water’s natural flow from a higher level to a lower surface. These drains can be found near landscaping. 
  • Slot Drain – considered the most versatile system as it works well for industry or residential use. It comes with various material options and included durable food-grade stainless steel, making it a perfect system for your kitchen. 

The layout of the drain also includes its size and optimum velocity. To create an efficient drainage system, make sure that it can self-clean by letting the water pass through it with optimum velocity. To achieve its optimum velocity, you need to check the gradient and pipe diameter as these determine the water speed. Letting the water run at optimum velocity helps remove the solids that get stuck in the pipeline. 

Aside from that, to provide enough ventilation and facilitate the self-cleaning process, you need to ensure that the system maintains adequate liquid to air ratio. 

Choose The Right Materials 

To ensure that the system is working efficiently, you need to use the right materials and pipes. 

One of the problems with old homes is that their drainage systems use overused and worn-out pipes and materials. If you’re renovating an old home, there’s a huge chance that you need to update its drainage system and check its existing pipes. 

Here are different types of plumbing pipes you can choose from:

  • Stainless Steel – used in areas where it’s subject to corrosion or if you’re living near coastal areas. These pipes are efficient but very expensive. 
  • PEX Piping – flexible plastic piping that’s popularly used in residential buildings. It’s more expensive but has minimal maintenance and fast installation process. 
  • Copper Pipes – it’s corrosion-resistant and great to be used for hot and cold water. 
  • PVC Pipes – used for cold and hot potable water and sewage applications. It comes in various thicknesses and configurations, depending on its application. 
  • Red Brass Pipes – rust-resistant piping and is usually made with 85% copper. Best for hot water and large distribution systems. 

Continue To Maintain a Health Drainage System

Once you build the drainage system, it’s your responsibility to maintain it to keep it running efficiently. The best way to maintain the efficiency of the system is to prevent clogging from happening. 

Here are some of the ways to prevent clogging from happening in your drainage system:

  • Using a drain guard reduces the number of solid wastes getting washed down in the pipes. Thus, use a drain guard on all plug holes. 
  • To maintain all the drains in the home or building, use a drain cleaner. 
  • Pour hot water to regularly wash the drain. Hot water keeps oils in the food products running down the drain and prevents the oils from building up in the pipes. 
  • Look for early signs of trouble and correct them immediately. Take time to fully inspect your drainage system regularly to see if there are any signs of leaks or blockages in the pipes. 

Summary

Creating an efficient water and waste system around a building is more than just choosing the right water pump. You need to consider plans, layouts, and the right materials to circulate water around the house and effectively lead wastewater to the sewer. 

To make sure that the drainage system runs efficiently at all times, you also need to properly maintain it so leaks and clogging will not occur.

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