Introduction to Plumbing

Date

Bellwork

0Fill out your KWL sheet about plumbing

0What do you Know about plumbing?

0What do you Want to learn about plumbing?

0Leave the L column blank because we will fill in what we learned at the end of the unit!

Objectives

0Identify four different types of plumbing systems

0Identify eight different types of commonly used pipes

0Describe one application for each type of pipe

Where do you see plumbing on a daily basis?

Plumbing…What is it?

0Plumbing is the installation and repair of water pipes and fixtures including pipes for handling wastewater and sewage

0Latin word plumbum meaning lead0Pipes are rigid tube-like materials0Fittings connect pipe to pipe or other objects

to pipes0Flexible pipes are called tubing

0The plumbing system is really made up of two systems: 0 The supply system that brings in fresh water0 The drain-waste-vent system that takes out used water

and sewage. 0The drain-waste-vent system, commonly abbreviated

DWV, also lets air in and waste gases out.0Between these two systems are the fixtures (sinks,

tubs, toilets, etc...)

Plumbing…How does it work?

Types of Pipe: Steel Pipe

0 Black pipe is painted black and has little resistance to rust

0 Galvanized pipe is coated with zinc inside and outside to resist rusting for many years

0 Bursts if frozen solid 0 Used mainly for natural gas lines

today0 Galvanized water supply lines can

still be found in older homes 0 Usually threaded joints; can be

welded

Types of Pipe: Copper Tubing & Pipe Advantages

0Copper is frequently referred to as tubing0Can be purchased in the soft, annealed form or the

rigid form0Tubing can be easily bent around irregular parts of

buildings but is usually hidden due to ugly appearance0Copper is preferred over steel for water lines because

it resists corrosion0Easy to handle0Withstands mild freezing0Coded for potable water

Copper Tubing & Pipe: Disadvantages

0High initial cost0High degree of expansion0Bad taste created if water is

acidic 0Green stains in sinks and tubs

due to the reaction between acidic water and copper

0 Is not coded for DWV systems

Cooper Tubing & Pipe

0Three basic types based on wall thickness0 K, L, M

0K has the thickest wall0L has a medium wall thickness0M has the thinnest wall0L is generally coded as the minimum acceptable size for

use in buildings0K is generally required when pipes are to be buried0 Soldering is the most common method for joining

copper

Types of Pipe: Polyethlene (PE)

0Used extensively for cold water lines0Typically black, somewhat flexible, and available in

rolls0Popular for direct burial, pump installations, and

surface water lines0PE is assembled by pushing the pipe over the grooved

section of the fittings and is then secured to the fitting using a rustproof stainless steel clamp

Types of Pipes: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

0Rigid & white or gray in appearance0Used largely in DWV applications0Easy to install0Light in weight0May be cut with any saw and

assembled using liquid cement and primer

0Not coded for potable water

Types of Pipes: Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC)

0Rigid & cream in appearance

0Used for cold water lines0Assembled using CPVC

specific cement0Approved for hot water

lines0Coded for potable water

Types of Pipe: Acrylonitrite-butadiene-styrene (ABS)

0Black in color0Used for sewage and underground

applications0Tests seem to indicate that it will

last almost indefinitely0 Guaranteed for 50 years

0Light weight0Assembled by cementing pipe to

the fittings; does not require a primer

Types of Pipe: Cast Iron Pipe

0 Thick walls make it most appealing for sewage systems

0 Cast iron is heavy & hard to handle0 Preferred for buried sewer lines0 Resistant to rust0 Durable0 Resistant to crushing0 Popular in old houses prior to plastics 0 It has largely been replaced by ABS and

PVC0 Assembled using flanged fittings or

using a “lead and oakum” type joint

Types of Pipe: Pex

0 Flexible0 Resistant to scale and chlorine0 Does not corrode or develop pinholes0 More resistant to freeze-breakage than copper or

rigid pipe0 Does not transfer heat as readily as copper 0 Relatively inexpensive0 Assembled using barbed fittings and special

crimp rings0 Easier to install because less connections and

fittings are required0 Can bend 90 degrees without the need for elbow

fittings0 Approved for both hot & cold potable water lines

Corrugated and Perforated Pipe

Used in drainage systems

Ceramic Pipe

0Historically used for drainage and sewer systems0Gravity fed0New technology has allowed them to be used in

industrial systems0 Reinforced with silicon carbide

0Hard, wear-resistant0Excellent thermal conductivity

Summary

0Each type of pipe has advantages and disadvantages0When making repairs it is sometimes easier to repair

systems with the kind of pipe used in the original installation

0When planning a new system it is IMPORTANT to consider the merits of each kind of pipe

0Review Objectives