Home Design Guides: Plumbing

Just because water from the tap has been used, it doesn't mean it can't be used again. See how grey water systems can help reduce your water waste.

Find out what the law says about the installation and operation of water meters, how they work, and what you can and can't do with them.

See what the law says about water sub metering for apartment blocks, and using smart meters to assess and manage your water usage.

Lagging is the insulation that goes around pipes to help keep heat in and control noises from inside the pipes. Find out more about what lagging is and where it's required.

A variety of different kinds of valves are used in home plumbing systems. Learn more about air admittance valves, tempering valves, thermostatic mixing valves, check and isolation valves and more.

There are many different types of plumbing systems in your home. Learn more about these - and about the equipment that makes them work.

Proper drainage is vital to good hygiene and cleanliness. See how drainage and sewer systems operate, and how they are connected to your home.

Not all houses can be connected to a sewage network. In some cases, houses will instead have their own septic systems to deal with effluent. Find out more about how septic systems are used to treat waste.

In areas where there's a lot of rain, people may choose to install a large tank and harvest that water to use around their homes. Read about how rainwater systems work, and what they can be used for.

For safety's sake, one of the most important parts of demolition is ensuring that things like electricity and gas have been properly disconnected. Find out how this is done, when it's done, and who's responsible for it.

Normally before construction begins, it's important that certain services are installed (if they're available). Not only will plumbing services need to be built through the subfloor, but they will also be used by tradespeople.

There are several regulations in Australia that affect how you buy plumbing products, how they need to be positioned in relation to other parts of your kitchen, and how they need to be installed.

Plumbing is installed using many different pipes, joints, couplings and other things to control noise and temperature. Learn more about the bits and pieces behind the scenes in your home's plumbing system.

Plumbing fixtures are the functional devices attached to plumbing pipes; bathtubs, bidets, traps and drains, pumps, tanks, taps and shower heads, among other things. Learn about different types of plumbing fixtures.