The Nerdy History of Plumbing
The Indus Valley Civilization
4000 BC
The first recorded occurrence of plumbing took place in Indus River Valley over 6000 years ago. The Indus cities are noted for their urban planning and their elaborate drainage systems and water supply systems. Subscribe to learn more about the plumbing history, or if you have a question about your home’s plumbing and need an expert, call the Plumbing & Cooling Nerds!
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Temple of Bel at Nippur
4000 BC
The first remnants of clay pipes were found in the Temple of Bel at Nippur in Babylon. Clay pipes are still being used today! The ability for these early plumbers to link standardized pipes together to control water flow shows how much organization the Babylonians had to work together! For any plumbing issue, call Plumbing & Cooling Nerds! Although our profession is ancient, our techniques and expertise are cutting-edge. Send us a message or visit our website.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Copper Pipes
3000 – 2500 BC
Copper was originally found in pipes dating back as far as 4000 years ago, in ancient Egypt! Archeologists discovered benches in walls and remnants of stone basins, which emptied through a copper pipe to a trough below. These can be considered the first flushing toilets! As civilization marched on, plumbing technology advanced more and more! Are you in need of plumbing services? Plumbing & Cooling Nerds is at your service! Visit us now!
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Crete
3000 BC – 1700 BC
Subscribe to learn more about plumbing history, or if you have a questions about your home’s plumbing and need an expert, call the Plumbing & Cooling Nerds!
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Ancient Water Filtration
1300 BC
Water Filtration dates back as far as the 13th century BC. Where in egyptian tombs Images depict various water treatment systems.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Romans Plumbing Golden Age or Lead Age?
500 BC – AD 476
A key invention in the history of baths was the hypocaust, which allowed the baths and floors to be heated.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Roman Baths of Bulgaria
350 BC
Roman engineers started to use lead to make pipes, replacing the terracotta and clay pipes.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Ancient Pumps
320 BC
A hydraulis is an early type of pipe organ that was powered by water.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Roman Valves
79 AD
Archaeologists have discovered plug valves after Mount Vesuvius erupted and left Pompeii frozen in time
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Harington, Cumming, and Crapper
1596
Harrington created a flushable toilet, Cumming received the first patent for a pipe that prevents sewer gas from escaping, and Crapper invented a better tank mechanism that is still used in toilets today.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
American’s Wooden Pipes
1600
The settlers hollowed out trees to make pipes, making the first American water system called the Conduit.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Cast Iron Pipe
1664
From Marly-on-Seina to the Palace at Versaille in France runs the first large-scale use of Cast Iron Pipe.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Centrifugal Pumps
Late 1600’s
Called a Centrifugal Pump, this device ran an Impeller to force water through it’s eye, found at the center of the impellers rotation.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Steam Pump
1698
Thomas Savory invented the first commercially viable steam engine.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Chilling Water
1748
William Cullen gave a demonstration on artificial refrigeration in a lecture at the university of Glasgow. His demonstration used a small pump to create a vacuum over a container of Ether When the Ether boiled it absorbed the heat from the container surrounding it thus cooling.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Mechanical Shower
1767
William Feetham patented the Mechanical Shower.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Bamboo Pipes
1800’s
Bamboo’s natural properties made it a good pipe, in its time, due to its tensile strength, vast availability, and its ease to work with.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Manhole Covers
Mid 1800’s
Originally Slabs of stone or pieces of wood used to cover trenches that carried sewage. Over the last 200 years manhole covers have been manufactured out of cast iron and are typically round.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Public Health
1832
Edwin Chadwick created the first set of laws for modern plumbing to help with economics and health.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
PVC
1838
Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC dates back much further than most might think. First discovered over 175 years ago by a french physicist by the name of Henri Victor Regnault.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Standard Threading
1841
Joseph Woodward designed an imperial standard screw thread that would change plumbing forever.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Modern Compression Faucet Valve
1845
Using a stack of leather washers as a plug, the Compression Valved took advantage of a threaded stem that was attached to a handle to squeeze the Leather into a “seat” allowing for the control of water flow.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Toilet Paper
1857
Originally Marketed as a medical product, Joseph Gayetty created this first TP with manila hemp paper and Aloe.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Septic Systems
1881
By the 19th century this was the best humanity had to offer, until a frenchman named Jean-Louis Mouras came up with a better way. By burying a concrete tank outside and running clay pipes to it from the home, Mouras invented the first Septic system. By 1881 Mouras was able to sell his system for use across the world.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Pneumatic Sewage System
1884
Before the late 1800’s if you lived in a valley or at the bottom of a hill you had an issue. Everything above you would run to you making your life a bit of a mess. Until 1884 when Captain Charles T. Liernur invented a method of using air pressure and a vacuum to move sewage up and away from its point of origin.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Water Heaters
1889
Edwin Ruud invented the modern day water heater.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Chemical Drain Cleaners
Early 1900’s
Modern Plumbers suggest that chemical drain cleaners should not be used at all in one’s home. As they can be dangerous to your health, sometimes even explosive. But most of all they can ruin your home’s drain system due to corrosion or warping a drain causing bellies in a drain line.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Garbage Disposal
1927
The Garbage Disposal was invented by John W. Hamms.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
One Handed Tap
1935
The One handed Tap. Invented back in 1935 by Alfred Moen. His creation allowed for the mixing of hot and cold water at one faucet.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Hydro-Jetter
Mid 1900’s
A Dr. Norman Franz discovered that when using a broom handle to test a high pressure boiler steam leaks, the handles would cleave. He then used a single action intensifier pump to bring water pressures up to 50,000 PSI. This when applied thru a nozzle would allow for the cutting of wood for complex furniture parts.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Space Toilet
1968
The first toilet in space was developed.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Backflow Prevention
1974
By 1974 in the United States, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), This act made Backflow Prevention Devices mandatory.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Pipe Dope
1977
No one knows who exactly invented pipe dope but we know it started to show up in plumbing a bit over a hundred years ago. In 1977 however, Franklin G Reick filed a patent for a paste-like compound that many would consider similar to pipe Dope.
The Nerdy History of Plumbing
Codes and the ICC
1994
Called The International Code Council (ICC) its a U.S. based membership association that asks members to adhere to a higher set of International standards for Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Energy.
