Plumbing - what materials are we using?
Water systems in ancient times used gravity to move water. They used pipes or channels usually made of clay, lead, bamboo or stone. Today, water-supply systems use a network of high-pressure pumps, and pipes are now made of copper, brass, plastic, or other nontoxic material. Drain and vent lines are made of plastic, steel, cast-iron, and lead. Lead is not used in pipes today because it can be poisonous.
The 'straight' sections of plumbing systems are of pipe or tube. A pipe is usually made by casting or welding, where a tube is made through extrusion. Pipe usually has thicker walls and may be threaded or welded, where tubes have thinner walls, and needs special joining techniques such as 'brazing', 'compression fitting', 'crimping', or for plastics, 'solvent welding'.
As well as the straight pipe or tubing, many fittings are required in plumbing systems, such as valves, elbows, tees, and unions.
Plumbing fixtures are designed for the people who use the water. Some examples of fixtures include water closets (also known as toilets), urinals, bidets, showers, bathtubs, utility and kitchen sinks, drinking fountains, ice makers, humidifiers, air washers, fountains, and eye wash stations.
Źródło: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumbing
Water isn't going in the outflow...
Even though we landed on the moon and are able to comunicate freely across the globe in real time, we still are sometimes stumped by mundane things like clogged pipes - what do we do then, in our hi-tech, modern times?
The same thing as always - call in the plumber. There maybe quicker and cheaper solutions, of course - but unless you are sure that drain cleaner isn't going to melt your pipes, or actually just do what it is supposed to, it is better to leave it to professionals.
There are some things, in the pipes, that you don't want to see - trust me on that. Besides, expert plumber can always recommend what to do, to avoid this kind of situation, and which products to use if need be.
Other than that, it usually takes something more sophisticated than a plunger, to get rid of the clog - if you even have that to begin with. So don't fret, or take this as an insult to your aptitude, and contact with plumbing services.
Facts from Wikipedia
Water systems of ancient times relied on gravity for the supply of water, using pipes or channels usually made of clay, lead, bamboo, wood, or stone. Hollowed wooden logs wrapped in steel banding were used for plumbing pipes, particularly water mains. Logs were used for water distribution in England close to 500 years ago. US cities began using hollowed logs in the late 1700s through the 1800s.8 Today, most plumbing supply pipe is made out of steel, copper, and plastic; most waste (also known as "soil")11 out of steel, copper, plastic, and cast iron.11
The straight sections of plumbing systems are called "pipes" or "tubes". A pipe is typically formed via casting or welding, whereas a tube is made through extrusion. Pipe normally has thicker walls and may be threaded or welded, while tubing is thinner-walled and requires special joining techniques such as brazing, compression fitting, crimping, or for plastics, solvent welding. These joining techniques are discussed in more detail in the piping and plumbing fittings article.
Źródło: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumbing