Plumbingrss

  • Waste-Pipe Trade-offs

    My town has recently started allowing plastic waste-pipe instead of cast iron in residential construction, and a lot of my competitors are making the switch. What are the big differences between the two kinds of pipe?

  • New American Home: Casual Comfort

    Savvy architects and builders know where their bread is buttered: in the kitchen, especially in one that is connected none-too-subtly to a comfortable gathering area and to the outdoors.

  • Plug and Play

    PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, AND MECHANICAL systems are among the most expensive and labor-intensive parts of a house.

  • Flush With Power

    Today, manufacturers spend millions in fluid mechanics research, use sophisticated software, and employ doctoral candidates to design toilets that use less water to remove more solid waste without clogging.

  • Project Contributors

    THE NEW AMERICAN HOME 2005 WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE without the generous support and contribution of products and services by the members of the NAHB's National Council of the Housing Industry (NCHI)/Supplier 100 and other consultants, contributors, installers, suppliers, and trade partners.

  • Piping Be Gone

    By Alison Rice. Venting a home's plumbing system through air admittance valves, rather than piping, "reduces builders' risk and cost at the same time," says Luhr, president of Quality Built, a Poway, Calif., firm that inspects new homes for builders. These vent pipes "allow a little bit of air into ...

  • Flashy Fixtures Are More Advanced

    The manufacturer answers that question with Neorest, a high-tech toilet/washlet cleansing system with new flushing technology and a wealth of techno features. People will embrace some products quickly, such as an electronic faucet, because it is familiar and affordable, but a pricey electronic showe...

  • Master Suite: Intimate Space

    The master suite is an intimate space, rather than an outlandish Vegas-style pad. Residents can enjoy the view of the golf course and mountains, a cozy fire in the fireplace, or watch the television housed in a custom wood cabinet from Collings Inc.

  • Whirlpools Still King of Relaxation

    Despite the consistent popularity of whirlpool baths, recent bathroom trends toward elaborate shower systems may make you wonder if you should swap a whirlpool for a shower tower in your next bathroom project.Although they aren't geared for the mass market, Jacuzzi's Private collection of whirlpool ...

  • Low-Flow Lowdown

    Just released: "Water Closet Performance Testing," an NAHB Research Center study on low-flow toilets. Although the study is loaded with disclaimers about the chaotic and unpredictable process of flushing toilets, the reality is that this is a well-orchestrated, long overdue, toe-to-toe comparison of...

  • New Geberit Pressure Assist Toilet Redefines Low Consumption Plumbing

    New Geberit pressure assist toilet redefines low consumption plumbing with an extra 6" to 9" of leg room. Unlike floor-mounted pressure assist toilets, Geberit's new design calls for the PF2® engineered pressure vessel and Geberit's proven in-wall carrier system to be installed between the 16&qu...

  • Cozy Up: Kitchen, Bath Products

    With homeowners cocooning more than ever, the bathroom remains their great getaway. For consumers looking for the spa treatment without the time or expense, manufacturers are incorporating steam units into showers and chromotherapy--an alternative healing method that uses color--into tubs.