Plumbing Basics: Key Terms and Definitions

Key Terms and Definitions

• Plumbing involves installing pipes and fixtures to safely supply water and dispose of waste in buildings.
• A plumber is skilled in sanitation, derived from "Plumbarius" from the Roman era.
• Plumbarius was a Roman sanitation worker using lead (plumbum) for its malleability and acid resistance.
• A plumbing cycle encompasses water supply, usage, waste disposal in a system.
• Clean water is delivered to fixtures and appliances via the water supply.
• Water usage includes consumption for drinking, cooking, cleaning, etc.
• Drainage and waste removal involves wastewater removal via a drainage system.
• Wastewater can be treated and reused for irrigation or industrial purposes.
• A plumbing system is a network of pipes, valves, and fixtures for water supply, waste removal, and ventilation.
• Water supply systems deliver potable water.
• Drainage systems remove wastewater and sewage to sewers or septic systems.
• Vent systems ensures proper drainage by allowing air circulation to prevent trap siphoning.
• Stormwater drainage systems collect and direct rainwater to disposal points.

Historical Timeline

• 2900 BC: Rudimentary plumbing systems were in use.
• 312 BC: Romans built aqueducts to supply water to Rome.
• 100 AD: Lead pipes were widely used in Roman cities.
• 500 AD - 1400 AD: Sanitation and hygiene declined during the Dark Ages.
• Mid-1300s: Sanitation improved in European cities, the first water supply pipe being laid in London.
• 1596: Sir John Harrington built one of the first known water closets in England.
• 1625: England enacted the first plumbing apprenticeship laws.
• 1775: Alexander Cumming invented the S-trap.
• 1848: England passed the National Public Safety Act.
• 1652: Boston established the first waterworks using wooden pipes.
• 1804: Philadelphia introduced cast iron piping for water mains.
• Mid-19th Century: Practical water and sewage systems were developed in the U.S.
• 20th Century: Thermoplastics like PVC were introduced into plumbing.
• 1911: Kohler Company introduced the first one-piece recessed bath.
• 1926: Kohler launched the Electric Sink, a sink and dishwasher combination.
• 1993: The U.S. Green Building Council developed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

Plumbing in the Philippines

• 17th Century: Plumbing was established by the Spaniards in Intramuros.
• 1902: The government officially recognized plumbing as a trade.
• 1935: NAMPAP (National Master Plumbers Association of the Philippines) was established.
• 1955: Republic Act No. 1378, Plumbing Code of the Philippines, was signed by President Ramon Magsaysay.
• 1999: The Revised Plumbing Code of the Philippines was approved by President Joseph Estrada.

Objectives of Plumbing

• To supply water to different parts of a building.
• To remove and discharge waste into public sewers or septic tanks.

Conditions for Effective Water Supply

• Provide sufficient water to supply all fixtures.
• Prevent backflow of used water into the water supply system.

Drainage System Requirements

• Ensure fast waste removal with minimal leakage and drain blockages
• Prevent entry of vermin and gases via the piping system.

Plumbing Fixtures

• Fixtures are receptacles attached to a plumbing system to collect or retain water/waste for discharge.
• Water closets receive and discharge human waste via a waste pipe.
• Lavatories, also known as wash basins, are for washing hands or face.
• Kitchen sinks consist of a basin with a water supply and drain.
• Urinals, are sanitary fixtures equipped with a drain for flushing urine.
• Bidets are fixtures for washing the middle part of the body, also called a Sitz Bath.
• Bathtubs are tubes for bathing installed for one person's use.

Water Closet (Toilet) Types

• Siphon Washdown: Least expensive, noisy, small standing water, prone to fouling.
• Siphon Jet: Quiet, large standing water, efficient and expensive with a submerged jet.
• Siphon Vortex: Creates a swirling action, quiet, efficient, and sanitary.
• Reverse Trap: Has a trap in the rear, large water area, quiet, and aesthetically pleasing.
• One-Piece: Bowl and flush tank are a single unit.
• Closed Coupled: Flush tank attaches separately to the toilet bowl.
• Pail Flush: Bowl without flush tank, water poured from a bucket for flushing.
• Squat Bowl: Used in an Eastern-style, squatting position,.
• Flush Tank: Holds water supply for flushing (5 to 6 gallons).
• Flush Valve (Flushometer): Requires 10-20 psi, valve supplying water directly, no tank needed.
• Round Front: Compact, suits limited spaces.
• Elongated Front: Comfortable, occupies larger space.
• Free Standing: Floor mounted.
• Wall Hung: Wall mounted.

Lavatory (Sink) Types

• Wall Hung: Mounted on the wall.
• Pedestal: Has a basin and pedestal leg.
• Counter Type: Over-counter or under-counter.
• One-Piece Lavatory: Integrated design.
• Center Set: Suitable for single-hole or 3-hole basins with a deckplate.
• Widespread: Requires 8 to 16-inch centers, without a deckplate.

Kitchen Sink Types

• Single Bowl-Single Drain
• Double Bowl-Single Drain
• Double Bowl-Double Drain
• Triple Bowl
• Corner Sink

Urinal Types

• Wall Hung
• Pedestal
• Stall
• Trough

Other Fixture Types

• Bidet: Used for washing the middle body part; also known as Sitz Bath.
• Bathtub: A fixed plumbing installation for bathing.
• Slop Sink: Deep sink for janitors.
• Drinking Fountain: Provides potable water.
• Laundry Tub: Deep, wide sink for washing clothes.
• Shower Bath: Apparatus for body spraying.
• Scrub Sink: Located in hospitals for surgical hand scrubbing.

Fittings

• Cap: Seals the end of a pipe.
• Plug: Seals a pipe, often threaded.
• Cleanout Plug: Provides access for drain cleaning.
• Coupling: Connects two pipes.
• Elbow: Changes pipe direction.
• Tee: Connects pipes in a T-shape.
• Nipple: Short pipe extension under 12 inches.
• Closet Flange: Connects toilets to drain systems.
• Union: Allows pipe disconnection.
• Reducer Coupling: Connects pipes of different sizes.
• Adapter Coupling: Joins different types of connections.
• Repair Coupling: Used for unthreaded pipe repairs.
• Street Elbow: Has one male and one female end.
• Sweep: A gradual bend for better flow.
• Reducing Elbow: Changes pipe size while changing direction.
• Straight Tee: Has three equal-sized openings.
• Reducing Tee: Has one smaller opening.
• Sanitary Tee: Curved branch to help waste flow.
• Cross Tee: Has four female openings.
• Wye Bend Tee: Has three openings at a 45° angle.
• Trap: Prevents sewer gases from entering buildings.
• P-Trap: Retains water to block gases.
• Offset Closet Flange: Used when the drain pipe is incorrectly positioned.
• Floor Flange: Connects pipes to walls, floors, or flat surfaces.

Accessories

• Soap Holder
• Paper Holder
• Toothbrush & Tumbler Holder
• Towel Holder Bar
• Seat Cover

Modern Plumbing Fixtures

• Whirlpool Bathtub: Water jets for relaxation.
• Kohler Numi Toilet: Tankless, remote-controlled, heated seat.
• Iota Folding Toilet: Space-saving, water-efficient.
• Waterfall Sink: Temperature and flow control.

DWV System

• Drainage, Waste, and Vent System is a complete system divided into drainage, waste, vent, and sewer subsystems.

Drainage System

• Drainage System: A structure's piping network for conveying sewage, rainwater, or other wastes to a disposal point.
• Drainage Pipe: Wastewater is transported from fixtures to the house drain through it.
• House Drain: The horizontal pipe inside a building directs waste to the house sewer.
• House Sewer: Connects the house drain to the public sewer or septic tank, from 5 ft outside the foundation wall.

Waste and Vent System

• Waste Pipe: Receives fixture discharge, excluding connections to soil branches/pipes or house drains.
• Vent Pipe: Allows air circulation, ensuring drainage and preventing trap siphoning.

Soil Pipe

• Soil Pipe: Conveys water closet discharge to the house drain or sewer.
• Soil Stack: Vertical soil pipe.
• Soil Branch: Horizontally installed soil pipe.

Fittings

• Long Sweep: A fitting allowing for smooth directional change.
• Tee: A fitting connecting pipes at right angles.
• 45 Elbow: Connects pipes at a 45-degree angle.
• Y Fitting: Creates a Y-shaped branch for drainage.

Fixture Unit (DFU)

• Fixture Unit (DFU): Measurement of fixture discharge flow rate (approx. 7.5 gallons/minute).

Storm Drain System

• Storm Drain: Collects rainwater and directs it to suitable outlets like public drains or natural water bodies.
• Roof Leader: Downspout that conveys roof water to the storm drain.
• Inside Storm Drain: Located under basements or within walls in congested areas.
• Outside Storm Drain: Installed outside the building's foundation wall.
• Overhead Storm Drain: Used when drainage elevation is higher than the basement floor.