Plumbing began long before the modern bathroom.
Some of the earliest organized plumbing systems appeared in ancient civilizations that needed dependable ways to bring clean water into growing communities and carry wastewater away. Archaeological evidence from the Indus Valley shows standardized earthenware drainage and plumbing systems dating back thousands of years. Other early systems developed in parts of Greece, Persia, China and India.
Rome brought plumbing to a remarkable scale.
Ancient Rome is especially well known for its aqueducts, public baths, fountains, sewers and extensive water-distribution systems. Roman engineers used gravity to move large quantities of water over long distances, and plumbing became an important part of urban life.
Roman systems also made extensive use of lead pipe. Although impressive from an engineering standpoint, lead is now recognized as hazardous and is no longer considered an acceptable material for modern potable-water plumbing.
Sanitation helped shape the modern city.
After the decline of the Roman Empire, water and sanitation infrastructure developed unevenly for many centuries. As cities became increasingly dense during the Industrial Revolution, contaminated water and inadequate waste disposal became serious public-health problems.
During the 1800s and into the 1900s, cities increasingly built separate underground systems for drinking water and sewage. Water treatment, sewer networks and modern plumbing codes eventually transformed plumbing from a convenience into a fundamental part of public health.
Plumbing materials continued to change.
Galvanized steel was widely used for water piping in American buildings during the late nineteenth and much of the twentieth century. Copper later became a common choice because of its durability and suitability for potable water. Modern plumbing also makes extensive use of approved plastic piping systems, depending on the application and local code requirements.
Older homes can therefore contain very different plumbing materials depending on when they were built and whether they have been remodeled. Knowing what is behind the wall can be just as important as identifying the fixture where a problem appears.
Modern plumbing is about more than moving water.
Today's plumbing systems incorporate backflow protection, venting, pressure control, water-efficient fixtures, safer materials and detailed installation standards. Modern water heaters and fixtures can also use substantially less energy and water than older equipment when properly selected and installed.
The technology has changed considerably, but the basic goal has remained remarkably consistent: deliver usable water where it is needed and safely carry wastewater away.
Plumbing in Kingman and Mohave County
Here in Kingman and throughout Mohave County, plumbing has to perform in a desert environment where water quality, mineral buildup, temperature and the age of a home's piping can all affect fixtures and equipment. R & N Plumbing works on both older and newer plumbing systems, from everyday faucet and toilet repairs to water heaters, sewer and drain problems and pipe leaks.