Building your home to the current building code doesn't automatically mean that the plumbing will be easy to access for future repairs. It is possible to design your house to make future plumbing repairs easier and less expensive without any major changes or unusual costs during construction. Here are some ways to design the plumbing in a new home with maintenance in mind.

Making a Plumbing Blueprint

A blueprint is the best way to know how every part of the plumbing runs in your house. Keeping records as the installation progresses gives you a convenient guide to use when problems do occur. Many homeowners receive a blueprint or diagram of proposed plumbing but don't update the materials as changes occur during real construction. A blueprint made during construction will be the most accurate.

Removing Clogs

There are access points that can be added to your sewer system that allows you to remove clogs easily. With these convenient drains at the lowest points or where clogs are likely, you won't have to rent expensive equipment to ream out your drain pipe. If you do have the pipes snaked, the equipment is easily inserted near the clog instead of dozens of feet away.

Adding Extra Valves

When you have broken pipes or leaks, you usually have to cut the water off for the whole house. This can be a big inconvenience when you have other people in the household that need to shower, cook or clean. You can solve this by putting in extra cut-off valves so you can isolate the leak while allowing the rest of your plumbing to function as normal, even while being repaired.

Building a Repair Corridor

Another way to make repairs on house plumbing easier is to add a maintenance hall, also known as a mechanical room or plumbing room, to the floor plan of your new home. You can run water and drain pipes where that are all exposed and easy to reach within an enclosed corridor.

Installing a Winter Drain

If you enjoy traveling for weeks at a time during the winter months or you just want to be prepared for a deep freeze, designing your house to be winterized quickly is the way to go. Winterization makes sure that your water pipes drain to a low point of the plumbing system so it can be drained dry when freezing temperatures comes. Putting in an accessible drain at the very lowest point of your plumbing systems speeds up the drainage of pipes so you can wrap up the task of emptying your water heater and gas traps.

For more information about plumbing repair, contact a professional.