With the wide range of accessories on the market today, the homeowner is sure to find exactly what they are looking for. But there are standards, and these tend to frustrate homeowners who are looking for something “special” to help their home stand out. The two main parts of the system are the utilities, which handle the water supply and waste discharge, and the indoor plumbing system, which distributes the water and collects the waste.
Utility services
There are two main divisions of the utilities required in modern plumbing systems. They include the supply of fresh water (called “drinking water”) and the disposal of sewage.
The fresh water supply comes from two main types of services. If you are in a place where water lines are installed, then you would install a direct connection to the municipal water lines. In rural locations, however, you will need to use a well system. In either case, it is important to place the outside supply lines at least 4 ‘below the ground line. This will ensure that the water does not freeze in the pipes during cold weather. Most installations are completed with copper tubing, but more and more households are choosing to install CPVC tubing, because their installation cost is constantly dropping.
To establish a direct connection, the water line is run under the foundation wall and connected to a closure, installed by the local supplying municipality. Some municipalities will require the installation of a water meter to accurately determine the amount of water you use for billing.
Well-type systems are simply a hole, dug or drilled in the ground, in which water collects. These types of systems require the use of a water pump to move the water from the bottom of the well to the house. Inside the house there is an automatic control, which regulates the pressure of the supplied water. Connected to this system is also a pressure tank, which is designed to hold water under pressure, for immediate use. It is important to note that the larger the pressure tank, the smaller the pressure difference or “surge” the supply will have.
Dug wells are not one of the most popular types of systems. Although they are cheaper to install and operate, they tend to be prone to drying out and often have higher levels of bacteria. They are simply a hole, dug below the water table, with the bottom filled with approximately 12 “of crushed stone and precast concrete well pipe walls.
Drilled wells are slightly more expensive and require special equipment to install. They are a more constant supply of fresh, bacteria-free water. They are installed with a large drilling rig, which drills the ground below the water table by about six meters. Long steel pipe is inserted into the hole that remains to prevent the surface from running off and collapsing onto the upper floors.
Wastewater is the effluent that is discharged from sinks, toilets, bathtubs, laundry facilities, and other drains located within a home. These types of pipe fittings are called “sanitary waste” lines. If you are in a municipality that offers sewer services, you will probably install a direct connection. In rural areas, where sewer lines are not available, a septic or holding tank is the only option. In either case, a large diameter pipe, usually 4 “to 6” in diameter, is installed two to four feet below ground level to prevent freezing. This pipe runs from the base to the septic system or sewer line. Most of the time the effluent flows into the waste management system by gravity, but sometimes a pump may be required as the waste is expected to run uphill.
Direct connections to municipal-supplied sewer lines are relatively straightforward. The drain is installed up to the line of the lot, to which the municipality usually brings the service provided. This connection is straight in the sense that it is installed by digging below the frost line and angling the pipe towards the connection.
In rural areas, the most common installation is the septic system. It consists of a main septic tank, to which the building’s sanitary drain is connected. From this, a network of pipes distributes the liquid waste, which is dispersed over a large area on the ground. The main tank acts to biologically break down solid waste through the use of heat and bacteria. The pipe is installed in two types of systems, a weeping bed or a straight bed. The weeping bead is built with special sands, which act to distribute and retain bacteria and wastewater, to further enhance the decomposition process. Straight beds are simply dug trenches in which the weeping tile is laid on a gravel base. In any case, the Ministry of the Environment will tell you what type of septic system to install and where to install it. Always remember to locate your septic system a fair distance from any wells or water supplies you may have installed.
Another type of system, used in rural areas, is the holding tank. This is the simplest system, since it is only a large tank, to which the sanitary drain is connected, with no outlet. The main drawback of this type of installation is that the tank will be required to be pumped periodically (approximately once a month), for transfer to a certified disposal site. The only advantage of this type of system is its low initial installation cost. Maintenance fees for pumping can be as high as $ 800.00 per year.
Indoor plumbing services
Indoor plumbing services distribute potable water and collect wastewater through a network of pipes located within the building. Also in this service are plumbing fixtures, such as toilets, bathtubs and sinks.
The plumbing in the building is divided into two main divisions, the supply lines and the drain lines.
Supply lines carry fresh water to all fixtures located and used in the home. The tubing is generally installed with copper tubing, but CPVC is often used. This part of the system is pressurized to push water through the system, usually between fifty and ninety psi. Typically, the system will include a main shutoff that can shut off the water throughout the home, and is located where the utility line enters the building. It is also a good idea for the plumber to install closures on each fixture, to allow for quick and easy repair, without disabling all supply to the building.
Drain lines carry wastewater away from interior fittings and drain through larger diameter pipes. This pipe is typically installed using ABS or black plastic lines, which are glued together. Sewage lines are fed purely by gravity, so it is important that plumbers maintain a certain slope on all plumbing lines to ensure drainage of waste from the pipe. At each fixture and drain, a type of water lock (called a “P” trap) is installed, which is simply a place where the water will settle, to prevent the passage of sewer gases into the house. Additionally, each fitting requires an air vent located on the sewer side of the water traps, to prevent the lines from draining completely due to the action of the siphon. This ventilation subsystem draws air from a pipe, which rises through the roof of the building. Legislated by the plumbing code, P-traps and adequate ventilation are required in all installations.
The interior accessories are the elements that use water for their operation. They include toilets, sinks, bathtubs, laundry facilities, dishwashers, hot water tanks, and sometimes refrigerators or ovens. Most accessories come in a wide variety of colors and textures, albeit standard in design. A good example of this is the bathtub, which can be purchased in three main sizes, five, five and a half, and six feet long, with a standard depth and width. Due to this type of standardization and the requirement for legal approvals before sale, owners are protected against poor designs or unusable products. All appliances are connected to drains and most require both hot and cold connections.
Hot water is supplied by a large tank, which heats and stores enough water for use in the building. This tank is operated by a multitude of energy sources, including electricity, oil, propane, or gas, and is located near the service entrance. A common problem with luminaires is temperature fluctuation caused by using more than one luminaire at a time. Most notable is a rise in temperature in the shower, when a toilet flushes. There are two ways to solve this problem. The first uses a pressure regulating tap, which automatically balances the pressure in both supply lines. The second is a simpler solution, in which the toilets are connected to the service entrance, before connecting them to any other accessory, including the water heater.