Plumbing

What is Plumbing?
- is any system that conveys fluids for a wide range of applications. Plumbing
uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids.
[1]
 Heating and cooling (HVAC), waste removal, and potable water delivery are among
the most common uses for plumbing, but it is not limited to these applications. [2] The
word derives from the Latin for lead, plumbum, as the first effective pipes used in
the Roman era were lead pipes.[3]
- In the developed world, plumbing infrastructure is critical to public health and
sanitation.
- Boilermakers and pipefitters are not plumbers although they work with piping as
part of their trade and their work can include some plumbing.

History of plumbing
- Plumbing originated during ancient civilizations (such as the Greek, Roman,
Persian, Indian, and Chinese cities) as they developed public baths and needed
to provide potable water and wastewater removal for larger numbers of people.
[6]
 Standardized earthen plumbing pipes with broad flanges making use
of asphalt for preventing leakages appeared in the urban settlements of the Indus
Valley Civilization by 2700 BC.[7] The Romans used lead pipe inscriptions to
prevent water theft. The word "plumber" dates from the Roman Empire.
[8]
 The Latin for lead is plumbum. Roman roofs used lead in conduits and drain
pipes[9] and some were also covered with lead. Lead was also used
for piping and for making baths.[10]
- Plumbing reached its early apex in ancient Rome, which saw the introduction of
expansive systems of aqueducts, tile wastewater removal, and widespread use
of lead pipes. With the Fall of Rome both water supply and sanitation stagnated
—or regressed—for well over 1,000 years. Improvement was very slow, with little
effective progress made until the growth of modern densely populated cities in
the 1800s. During this period, public health authorities began pressing for better
waste disposal systems to be installed, to prevent or control epidemics of
disease. Earlier, the waste disposal system had consisted of collecting waste and
dumping it on the ground or into a river. Eventually the development of separate,
underground water and sewage systems eliminated open sewage ditches
and cesspools.
- Most large cities today pipe solid wastes to sewage treatment plants in order to
separate and partially purify the water, before emptying into streams or other
bodies of water. For potable water use, galvanized iron piping was commonplace
 in the United States from the late 1800s until around 1960. After that period,
copper piping took over, first soft copper with flared fittings, then with rigid copper
tubing utilizing soldered fittings.
- -The use of lead for potable water declined sharply after World War II because of
increased awareness of the dangers of lead poisoning. At this time, copper
piping was introduced as a better and safer alternative to lead pipes. [11]

The Three Major Types of Plumbing Systems

Potable Water System
- The potable water system brings water into a structure; this water comes from
the community water main. There is a valve on the water main itself for each
structure that can be used to shut off its water supply. From there, a single pipe
brings water into the structure, and it is then distributed to individual fixtures
through a network of pipes. A meter keeps track of how much total water enters
the structure.
Sanitary Drainage System
- The sanitary drainage system removes wastewater from a building. It consists of
pipes that take out human waste and fecal matter as well as wastewater from
cooking, laundry, etc. The sanitary drainage system is connected to a series of
vent pipes that go through the roof vertically; this allows for the venting of gases
and for the entire system to operate at atmospheric pressure. The sanitary
drainage system ultimately takes wastewater to the community sewer system.
Stormwater Drainage System
- The purpose of the stormwater drainage system is to carry rainwater away from a
structure. In older structures, rainwater simply drains into the sanitary drainage
system, but in buildings that are more modern a separate system of drains
carries water into the community storm sewers. Gutters are a part of the
stormwater drainage system visible from outside the structure; other
components, such as drains and pipes, are below the ground.

Difference between pipes and tubes

- The difference between pipes and tubes is a matter of sizing. For
instance, PVC pipe for plumbing applications and galvanized steel pipe are
measured in iron pipe size (IPS). Copper tube, CPVC, PeX and other tubing is
measured nominally, basically an average diameter. These sizing schemes allow
for universal adaptation of transitional fittings. For instance, 1/2" PeX tubing is the
same size as 1/2" copper tubing. 1/2" PVC on the other hand is not the same
 size as 1/2" tubing, and therefore requires either a threaded male or female
adapter to connect them. When used in agricultural irrigation, the singular form
"pipe" is often used as a plural.[20]
- Pipe is available in rigid joints, which come in various lengths depending on the
material. Tubing, in particular copper, comes in rigid hard tempered joints or soft
tempered (annealed) rolls. PeX and CPVC tubing also comes in rigid joints or
flexible rolls. The temper of the copper, whether it is a rigid joint or flexible roll,
does not affect the sizing.[20]

Materials
- 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.
Today, most plumbing supply pipe is made out of steel, copper, and plastic; most
waste (also known as "soil")[22] out of steel, copper, plastic, and cast iron. [22]
- 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.
Steel
Main article: Galvanized pipe
- Galvanized steel potable water supply and distribution pipes are commonly
found with nominal pipe sizes from 3⁄8 inch (9.5 mm) to 2 inches (51 mm). It is
rarely used today for new construction residential plumbing. Steel pipe
has National Pipe Thread (NPT) standard tapered male threads, which connect
with female tapered threads on elbows, tees, couplers, valves, and other fittings.
Galvanized steel (often known simply as "galv" or "iron" in the plumbing trade) is
relatively expensive, and difficult to work with due to weight and requirement of
a pipe threader. It remains in common use for repair of existing "galv" systems
and to satisfy building code non-combustibility requirements typically found in
hotels, apartment buildings and other commercial applications. It is also
extremely durable and resistant to mechanical abuse. Black lacquered steel pipe
is the most widely used pipe material for fire sprinklers and natural gas.
Copper
Main article: Copper tubing
- Copper pipe and tubing was widely used for domestic water systems in the latter
half of the twentieth century. Demand for copper products has fallen due to the
dramatic increase in the price of copper, resulting in increased demand for
alternative products including PEX and stainless steel.
Plastic
Main article: Plastic pipework
- Plastic pipe is in wide use for domestic water supply and drain-waste-
vent (DWV) pipe. Principal types include: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was produced
experimentally in the 19th century but did not become practical to manufacture
until 1926, when Waldo Semon of BF Goodrich Co. developed a method to
plasticize PVC, making it easier to process. PVC pipe began to be manufactured
in the 1940s and was in wide use for Drain-Waste-Vent piping during the
reconstruction of Germany and Japan following WWII. In the 1950s, plastics
manufacturers in Western Europe and Japan began producing acrylonitrile
butadiene styrene (ABS) pipe. The method for producing cross-linked
polyethylene (PEX) was also developed in the 1950s. Plastic supply pipes have
become increasingly common, with a variety of materials and fittings employed.
• PVC/CPVC – rigid plastic pipes similar to PVC drain pipes but with thicker walls
to deal with municipal water pressure, introduced around 1970. PVC stands for
polyvinyl chloride, and it has become a common replacement for metal piping.
PVC should be used only for cold water, or for venting. CPVC can be used for
hot and cold potable water supply. Connections are made with primers and
solvent cements as required by code.[23]
• PP – The material is used primarily in housewares, food packaging, and clinical
equipment,[24] but since the early 1970s has seen increasing use worldwide for
both domestic hot and cold water. PP pipes are heat fused, being unsuitable for
the use of glues, solvents, or mechanical fittings. PP pipe is often used in green
building projects.[25]
• PBT – flexible (usually gray or black) plastic pipe which is attached to barbed
fittings and secured in place with a copper crimp ring. The primary manufacturer
of PBT tubing and fittings was driven into bankruptcy by a class-action lawsuit
over failures of this system.[citation needed] However, PB and PBT tubing has since
returned to the market and codes, typically first for "exposed locations" such as
risers.
• PEX – cross-linked polyethylene system with mechanically joined fittings
employing barbs, and crimped steel or copper rings.
 • Polytanks – plastic polyethylene cisterns, underground water tanks, above
ground water tanks, are usually made of linear polyethylene suitable as a potable
water storage tank, provided in white, black or green.
• Aqua – known as PEX-Al-PEX, for its PEX/aluminum sandwich, consisting of
aluminum pipe sandwiched between layers of PEX, and connected with modified
brass compression fittings. In 2005, a large number of these fittings were
recalled.

Plumbing Tools and Equipment a Professional Plumber Uses

Tape Measure
• This is a simple equipment which all the plumbers have. A metallic measuring
tape rolled inside a small, compact, plastic case is used to measure the
dimensions of plumbing system and components.
Various Screwdrivers
• The screwdrivers are used to screw or unscrew various connections with the help
of screws, nails, and nuts. A vast variety of screwdrivers are available with
various point sizes and shapes. The most common screwdrivers are the star-
and plus-shaped screwdrivers.
Wrenches
• This tool has fixed or adjustable, toothed or smooth jaws at one end of a long
handle. A variety of wrenches are available in the market depending on their jaw
head size, handle size, jaw head shape, the purpose of use, etc. Some of the
commonly used wrenches are the adjustable wrench, open end wrench, basin
wrench, pipe wrench, etc. Wrenches are used to hold, turn, remove, or fit
plumbing pipes and fixtures.
Tube or Pipe Cutters
• This is a wrench-and-blade setting used to cut metallic or plastic (PEX or PVC)
tubes and pipes. The head of this tool is generally adjustable according to the
width of the tube or pipe.
Teflon Tape
• This is a type of tape, generally white in color, used to secure the connections.
The tape is wound on the threads of pipes, valves, faucets, showerheads, and
other plumbing systems to make the connections tight and leak-proof.
Plungers
• These are the vacuum creating tools used to unclog drains, sinks, toilets, and
bathtubs. These have a rubber cup attached to a wooden or metallic rod
 (handle). The rubber cup creates a vacuum and sucks out the clogging debris
and materials.
Drill and Hole-Making Tool
• This is an electric equipment attached with an auger or a hole-saw that creates
holes for differently sized plumbing pipes and systems.