Historical Plumbing - By: Sarah Saadoun

While many people are often amazed at the tools and techniques of modern plumbing when it comes to finding solutions for their problems, they’re often equally amazed to learn a little about the history behind the trade. Plumbing is a craft that stretches far back beyond any individual plumber – Manassas is only kept dry through centuries of practise and development. Although today’s techniques can make the best use of modern technology (such as video cameras to inspect otherwise-inaccessible places), the ancient issues and techniques of plumbing are fascinating to study in their own right as an insight into the day-to-day lives of ancient cultures.

Ancient Rome

The first man-made water wells date back to the Neolithic period, where vessels could be filled with water and carried by hand. Because there weren’t any real means of transport, human settlements sprung up around easily available sources of water. It’s a far cry from the modern needs for a plumber – Manassas and other similar places wouldn’t have been able to grow so large if all the water provided had to be carried by hand to where it needed to go! The ancient Romans knew that in order to create bigger cities and expand their civilization, they had to solve the problem of getting water from here to there. They created a system of large aqueducts and smaller pipes that arrived in people’s homes, and established a series of public fountains and wells to make sure the Romans had enough access to water. Even though the Roman Empire never quite stretched to American soil, the techniques their ancient plumbers came up with became the basis for some of our modern methods.

Modern Plumbing

Modern plumbing came into its own in 1845, with the invention of the screw-down water tap. Water towers were invented and came into prominence around the late 19th century, along with steam and diesel fuelled water pumps. As skyscrapers were built in New York City, they actually needed water towers on their rooftops to make sure all the floors could be supplied with water. It must have been a huge job for a plumber – Manassas homes pale in comparison to the size of skyscrapers! By the time of the skyscrapers, the practice of plumbing had altered with the developments in technology to encompass more of the services offered in places like Manassas today. For example, the first district heating system was introduced in New York in 1877 – probably not a winter too late as well! The practice of being a plumber, Manassas or elsewhere, owes a lot to these ancient and recent innovations.

About the Author

Sarah Saadoun works for HMS Plumbing, a family-owned business in Northern Virginia. If you’re looking for a plumber, Manassas based Herve and his dedicated employees at HMS are proud to be serving the needs of residents and businesses. For a Manassas plumbers HMS Plumbing is your first choice.

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