Plumbing Introduction

INTRODUCTION

PLUMBING is considered as the art and science of installing pipes, fixtures and apparatus in buildings to convey water and other substances including the discharge of waste, water and other liquids, gasses and other ingredients affecting the health and sanitation of life and property.

PLUMBER is the title given to a person who is a skilled worker in the field of sanitation, who fits and repairs the pipes and fixtures of a water system. It is a word derived from a Roman term Plumbarium which in turn was taken from the Latin word Plumbum meaning lead. Lead is a metal commonly used as a plumbing material and preferred for its twin properties of malleability and resistance to acid.

MATERIAL

There are numerous kinds of plumbing installations of materials available for plumbing installations. So far, the materials commonly used in plumbing installations are:

1. Cast iron pipe
2. Acid resistant Cast iron pipe
3. Asbestos pipe
4. Bituminous Fiber Sewer pipe
5. Vitrified Clay pipe
6. Lead pipe
7. Galvanized Steel pipe
8. Galvanized Wrought iron pipe
9. Brass pipe
10. Copper pipe
11. Plastic or synthetic pipe

However, not all these materials can be used system. The choice of the kind of pipe to be installed depends upon its quality, durability to external and internal contact with foreign matters, its resistant to acid waste and other chemical elements that will pass into and the cost of the installation which includes the cost of the materials and labor.

CAST IRON PIPE

The cast iron pipe is durable and is conveniently installed in most of the plumbing needs in buildings which are less than 25 storey high because water usually leaks at joints due vibrations.

Cast iron pipe is also affected to a certain extent by corrosion, caused by the action of carbon dioxide, sulfur oxide and methane gasses forming a solution of carbonic acid and sulfuric acid which attack the metallic materials, causing a slow chemical reaction or oxidation to take place forming ferrous oxide, commonly called rust.

ACID RESISTANT CAST IRON PIPE

The acid resistant cast iron pipe is made of an alloy of cast iron and silicon. It is commonly installed in chemical laboratories, industries or other installations where acid wastes are being-discharge.

The acid resistant cast iron pipe is basically brittle and cracks easily; horizontal runs have to be supported at every 1.50 meters interval to prevent damage caused by sagging which usually occurs at the joints.

ASBESTOS PIPE

Asbestos pipe is made of asbestos fibers and Portland cement. The thickness of the pipe is twice as that of the standard cast iron pipe. Generally, asbestos pipe could be used as soil, waste or ventilation pipe and downspout. Asbestos pipe is remarkably suited for embedment in concrete structure since both materials have the same properties.

BITUMINOUS FIBER SEWER PIPE

Bituminous sewer pipe is the cheapest of all types of pipe. It is light in weight, sometime recommended for house sewer and for septic tank installation6s. This pipe is slightly flexible and could take slight soil movement without the danger of cracking and pulling out of its joint. However, excessive hot water or chemical flow may soften and damage the pipe.

VITRIFIED CLAY PIPE

Vitrified clay pipe is one of the oldest materials used for sewer lines. It is made from clay cast into length of 750 mm. or .75 m. treated with glazed compound and heated in a large kiln under a temperature of 1370 degree centigrade making it impervious to moisture. The clay pipe is highly resistant to most acids and is well suited in underground installations working either as a public sewer, house sewer or storm drain or both. This pipe is brittle. It easily cracks when laid on unstable ground or base.

LEAD PIPES

Lead pipe is also one of the oldest by the Egyptians, Greeks and the Roman Architects for soil, waste and ventilation pipe. It is highly acid resistant and is very suitable for underground installation. It is never recommended to convey water for human consumption.

GALVANIZED STEEL PIPES

Galvanized steel pipe is made out of a mild steel drawn through a die and welded cast into 6.00 meters long. Its usual life span is from 15 to 25 years under normal condition. Steel pipe is subject to deposits of salt and time which gradually accommodate and eventually choke the flow of water.

BRASS PIPE

Brass pipe is the most expensive of all types of pipe. This pipe is made of an alloy of zinc and copper mixed at a proportion of 15% and 658 respectively. The brass pipe is a superior material for waste and water installation because of its smooth interior surface aside from its high resistance to acids. Fittings are of recessed drainage type similar in design as those of galvanized steel pipes.

COPPER PIPES

Copper pipe is a durable material which is extremely corrosive resistant. It is easy to install compared with other types of metal.

PLASTIC OR SYNTHETIC PIPES

Plastic or synthetic pipe is new concept in the field of plumbing. It was recently introduced in the Philippines although this type of materials was developed in Germany in 1935. Plastic pipe has become so popular. It has in many ways proven itself to be superior as sewer and cold water line. Tests indicate that plastic pipe will last for more than 30 years under normal condition.