Risers are used in plumbing to raise drains above the ground or to a higher point. Risers are also used in plumbing to allow drains, valves, and other components to be at different heights.
Risers are made from a variety of materials, but they all have one thing in common: they all allow a drain to be at a different height. They are also known as “rise drains,” “risers,” or “stirrup drains.”
In this article, we will be discussing what a plumbing riser is and how it can be used. To do this, we have to understand how your plumbing system works and what drains are.
What Is a Plumbing Drain?
Plumbing runs beneath every building and home. From sinks, showers, and toilets to water heaters, dishwashers, and garages, a properly functioning plumbing system is essential for a home. When your plumbing isn’t working properly, water can’t flow as it should. This can lead to overflowing toilets and sinks, backed-up drains, and even structural problems such as leaks and breaks.
A drainage system is an infrastructure that allows water to flow from your home’s plumbing fixtures to the drain in your yard or the city sewer.
Plumbers have to calculate the diameter of each drain to make sure that the water can flow smoothly in it. If you have more fixtures, the drain has to be wider. This can make it harder to install though.
Drains are commonly made out of materials such as PVC or PE. These plastics can last a long time and are quite easy to install. They are glued or welded together. It is important to make sure that they are connected well as it can lead to leaks if the fittings are not done well. In older homes, they can be made out of cast iron. These drains will break over time so they have to be replaced. Generally drains should last more than 20 years. People tend to renovate their houses every 20 years so this is the perfect moment to replace the drains as well. When people install a new bathroom or kitchen, they tend to add new drains as well. Keeping the drains introduces risks as they can start to leak and you might have to break open your renovated kitchen.
Drains also have to go in at the correct angle. If there is an issue with this, the water might flow too fast or not fast enough. If the water doesn’t flow fast enough, you can get clogs and this can require a lot of work to get removed. If the water flows too fast, it is possible that it leaves some residues and this can lead to clogs as well. Furthermore, the drains can break when the water flows too fast as it puts a lot of pressure on them. Plumbers have to create a plan and think about how they will install the drain in advance.
Plumbing risers are often installed in a hallway or in a place where they can be hidden from sight. They should be still accessible as it might be needed to work on them if there is an issue. They have become more important in recent years as Appartement buildings have become more popular. People have also started to add more bathrooms in their homes and plumbing risers are used to transport this water.
Plumbing risers make the water flow from one floor to another. This vertical drain is connected with all the drains on a floor and transports the water to the main drain. From there it is brought to the city sewer system. If the drain is higher than 2 stories it needs a vent to work properly.
What is a plumbing vent?
Each plumbing riser should have a vent to let air in it. This air pushes the water down and makes sure that it doesn’t get stuck. In smaller homes, a vent can be added at the end of the plumbing riser. This is installed in the attic or through the roof.
For larger buildings, we have to add a more advanced system. A plumbing vent is in this situation an additional pipe that runs parallel to your vertical drain, often located in the roof, and serves as a channel for excess air to escape.
Your entire plumbing system is interconnected, so any blockage or leak can cause water flow to be impeded throughout the entire system. This can lead to flooding in various areas of your home, and can cause a lot of damage. For this reason, it is important that you don’t flush items that don’t dissolve such as paper towels.
Conclusion
In general, using a riser can solve many plumbing issues and provide you with the additional height you need. It is used in homes that have multiple stories or apartments to transport the wastewater downwards.
They have to be properly installed and vented for them to work well. It can create clogs if there are issues. This can cause a lot of damage as water can back up in your toilet and sinks.
