When one envisions plumbing, it might appear to be purely about pipes and the flow of water. But let us delve just a bit deeper into plumbing's very heart. Envision yourself in the midst of crafting your morning cup of coffee when suddenly, with great frustration, you discover that not a single drop of liquid H2O is emerging from your kitchen tap. It would, and did, happen to me last week. I live in a city like this one, where plumbing is a thing to consider not just within the walls of one's domicile but also, often, far beyond. (Dallas is equal parts water and plumbing; trust me.) A very wide variety of plumbing fixtures of all ages exist in the structures composing our city, from the latest half-century's worth of sleek, high-rise apartments to the much older cozy family homes that dot our shared spaces.
Water heaters—the missing link between you and long, relaxing showers. This is the big one. Make the wrong choice here, and you're buying a new something to replace it halfway through winter. The right heater, though? The right heater is more than enough to stave off most cold-weather cravings for the shower that's just around the porcelain corner.
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The same sunny disposition that can make January in Dallas feel like San Diego can also turn a March afternoon into a snow day. And whether the weather outside is fabulous or frightful, the point is: In a given year, our showers can see a gap of 90+ degrees between the water coming out of the faucet and the torture device that is the cold, unyielding shower wall.
Next is the issue of water quality and what is flowing through those pipes. Hard water is a common problem in many Dallas residences, and it carries along with it an unsatisfactory flavor and the possibility of scale buildup on certain household appliances. Water softeners and filtration systems could be the potential solutions in this scenario, zapping flavorless, hard water that’s almost too much to bear if you’re a fan of delicious H2O. You might want to ponder these systems—what you might need and what they might cost—before the moment arrives and your appliances are already between a rock and a hard place.