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Plumbing is known as a specialized expertise in working with pipes and other plumbing appliances for potable water and waste drainages. The person who gains expertise in this trade is known as a plumber. A plumber's work involves installing or repairing plumbing systems, equipment and related appliances.

Having got its identity from the Latin word Plumbum, this expertise traces its roots back to 2700 B.C. to the times of Indus Valley Civilization and also other ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, Persia, and China. Considering that need for water has existed forever, be it for drinking water or disposal of drainage water; the civilizations have done well to have some or the other method to take care of their water systems. They have been using utensils for water made out of stone, clay, bamboo, and lead for their urban water requirements.

Modern plumbing systems and techniques have come a long way since the days of earthenware, clay, lead, bamboo or stone. Until the 19th century, no drastic developments happened in plumbing techniques.

However, the pressing need to channel drainage waste through separate and underground systems as compared to open sewage drains and cesspools, pipes began to be manufactured using highly durable materials such as copper, brass, plastic, steel or other nontoxic material.

Even though installation of plumbing parts is a one-time practice, maintenance is something that keeps cropping up. Appliances like boilers and other fuel-burning machinery require continuous maintenance. In fact even, complex equipments like water supply systems, boilers and central heating systems tend to break down constantly and a plumber's services are required to keep the system up and working.

Apart from the usual pipes and tubes, there is a whole gamut of fixtures and valves that make a plumbing system fully workable. Some of the common fittings and valves used in a typical plumbing system are Elbow, Street elbow, Tee, Cross, Cap, Plug, Nipple, Closet flange, Clean-outs, Trap primers, Combo-Tee, Sanitary Tee, Double Sanitary Tee Sanitary Cross), and Wye fitting.

Plumbing fittings and fixtures are used in systems like water meters, pumps, expansion tanks, back flow preventers, filters, water softeners, water heaters, heat exchangers, gauges, and control systems.

Some pertinent classifications of Plumbing systems are potable supply of hot and cold water, traps, drains, vents, Septic systems, Rainwater, surface, and subsurface water drainage, and Fuel gas piping.

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