Plumbing and Sanitary Systems Fundamentals

PLUMBING

the art and technique of installing in building the pipes, fixtures, and other apparatuses for bringing in the water supply, liquids, substances, and/or other ingredients and removing them and such, water, liquid, and other carried wastes affecting health and sanitation and hazardous to life and property, and fixtures after installation

PLUMBING SYSTEM

refers to the network of pipes, fixtures, and other components that distribute potable water and remove wastewater within a building or structure.

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The Latin word plumbum means “____”

MASTER PLUMBER

 a person technically and legally qualified and licensed to practice the profession of Master Plumbing without limitations

In essence, a _________ is more of a public health and environmental specialist, while a _______is a plumbing expert with a focus on building systems.

Sanitary Engineer, Master Plumber

PIPE FITTER

responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining piping systems for heating and cooling, high-pressure transport, oil and chemicals, natural gas, and more

APPRENTICE PLUMBER

a beginner at the trade who usually serves for 3-5 years as a helper to a Journeyman

JOURNEYMAN PLUMBER

has served his apprenticeship and is competent to perform the tasks of installing and repairing plumbing

NAMPAP

National Master Plumbers Association of the Philippines

PSMPE

Philippines Society of Master Plumbers and Plumbing Engineers

SHAFT

A vertical opening

E.g. elevators, dumbwaiter, light ventilation, or similar purpose

CHASE

A vertical shaft

I.e. for pipe stacks

Plumbing Unit

A minimum standard quantity of plumbing fixtures that discharge wastes into a plumbing installations including:

PLUMBING Fixture

Basic plumbing unit where water is used.

PLUMBING Appliance

Special fixture with mechanical/electrical function.

PLUMBING Appurtenance

Supporting device, essential for safety/regulation.

PLUMBING Accessory

Extra, non-essential add-on

Fixture Unit

Arbitrary quantity of the load producing effects or water requirements on the plumbing system expressed in some arbitrarily chosen scale.

Bathroom

Equipped with shower stall or bathtub.

Full Bath

a bathroom with a water closet, lavatory, shower, and bathtub.

Three Quarter Bath

a bathroom with a water closet, lavatory, and shower.

Half Bath / Powder Room

a bathroom with a water closet and lavatory

Bidet

Washing the middle part of the body, especially the genitals. A Sitz Bath.

Water Closet

Receptacles which are used to provide, receive and discharge water, liquid, and water-carried wastes into a drainage system with which they are connected to.

Flushometer Tank

part of a water closet where it is Air accumulator vessel; to discharge a predetermined quantity of water for flushing purposed

Flushometer Valve

part of a water closet where To discharges a predetermined quantity of water for flushing purposes; actuated by direct water pressure

Latrine

a water closet with continuous trough containing water.

Lavatory

washing of the hands or face.

AIR GAP (WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM)

The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank

Airbreak

physical separation / a lot inlet into indirect waste receptors from fixture, appliance, device indirectly connected.

Indirect Waste Pipe

A waste pipe that does not connect directly with the building drainage.

Receptor

Approved plumbing fixture/device to adequately receive discharge from indirect waste pipes.

AIR GAP (DRAINAGE SYSTEM)

The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the outlet of a water pipe and the flood level rim of the receptacle into which it is discharging.

Flood Level

The level in a fixture at which water begins to overflow the top or rim of a fixture

FLOOD LEVEL RIM

The top edge of a receptacle from which water overflows.

Battery of Fixtures

two or more similar adjacent fixtures with discharge into a common horizontal or soil branch

Ground Water

the water that is standing in or passing through the ground

Surface Water

portion of a rainfall or other precipitation, which runs off over the surface of the ground

Potable Water

satisfactory for drinking, culinary, and domestic purposes

Contamination

its is the presence of a substance (water) where it should not be or at concentrations above background.

Pollution

it is contamination that results in or can result in adverse biological effects to resident communities.

Water Treatment

device which conditions/treats water supply to improve water quality, remove suspended solids by filtration

Water Supply System

Consists of water service pipe, water supply line, water distributing pipe and necessary branch pipes, fittings, and all appurtenances required for the supply of potable water.

Direct / Upfeed System

Water is provided by the city water companies using normal pressure from public water main

Air Pressure/ Pneumatic System

Used when pressure supplied by city water supply is inadequate. Compressed air is used to raise and push water into the system.

Downfeed / Overhead feed / Gravity System

Water is pumped into a large tank on top of the building and is distributed to the fixtures by  means of gravity.

Sewerage / Sewerage Works

construction, collection, transportation, pumping treatment and final disposition of sewage

Sewage

the liquid wastes from buildings, and with such ground surface, and storm water as may be present/any wastewater (animal or vegetable matter) in suspension and solution and may include liquids containing chemicals in solution

Sewer

pipe or conduit for carrying sewage and waste liquids

Drainage System

Includes all the piping within public or private premises. Conveys sewage or other liquid wastes to a legal point of disposal. Does not include the mains of a public sewer system or a public sewage treatment or disposal plant 

Liquid Waste

discharge from any fixture, etc., which does not receive fecal matter

Industrial Waste

all liquid or water-borne waste from industrial or commercial processes except domestic sewage.

Special Waste

require special methods of handling use of indirect waste piping and receptors, corrosion resist

Sanitary Drainage System

the drainage pipe of a plumbing system takes the wastewater from the plumbing fixtures and delivers it to the sewer or some other outlet that does not include the mains of a public sewer system, public sewage treatment, disposal plant.

House Sewer

Is that part of a plumbing system extending from the house drain at a point 0.60 meters from the outside face of the foundation wall of a building to the junction with the street sewer

Main Sewer / Public Sewer

A common sewer directly controlled by public authority to which all abutters have equal lights of connections.

Private Sewer

privately owned/not directly controlled by the public authority / building sewer

Private Sewage Disposal System

A septic tank with the effluent discharging into a subsurface disposal field and seepage pit

Septic Tank

A watertight receptacle which receives the discharge of a sanitary plumbing system or part thereof, designed and constructed to retain solids, digest organic matter through a period of detention and to allow the liquids to discharge into the soil outside of the tan

Cesspool

a pit for the reception or detention of sewage/non-watertight lined excavation;

Leaching Cesspool

A cesspool that is not watertight

Sèepage Pit

Loosely lined excavation in the ground, receives discharge of septic tank; seep through pit bottom and sides

Privy / Outhouse

structure used for the deposition of excrement

Privy Vault

a pit beneath a privy in which excrement collects

Vent Piping System

Pipes installed to provide flow of air to or from a drainage system

Combination Waste and Vent System

Specially designed system of waste piping; horizontal wet venting of one or more sinks/floor drains by a common horizontal waste and vent pipe

Storm Water

That portion of the rainfall or other precipitation which runs off over the earth surface after the storm.

Pipe

A cylindrical conduit or conductor conforming to the particular dimensions commonly known as pipe size denoted by its interior diameter or I.D.

Bell and Hub

sufficiently enlarged to receive the end of another pipe of the diameter for making a joint

Invert

the lowest portion of the inside of any pipe

Grade

the slope or fall of a line of pipe in reference to a horizontal plane

Supports / Hangers / Anchors / Brackets / Cradles

devices for holding/securing pipe and fixtures to walls, ceiling, floors, or structural members

Trap

A fitting or device designed and constructed to provide, when properly vented, a liquid seal which prevents the backflow of foul air

Return Bend

an open return bend, made up of two 90° bends with inside threads and outside threads; 180° bend in copper tubing

Tailpiece

pipe or tubing that connects the outlet of a plumbing fixture to a trap

Dead End

the extended portion of the pipe that is closed to one end

Durham System

soil or waste system where all piping are of threaded pipe, tubing, rigid construction using, recessed drainage fittings

BACKFLOW

The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures, or substances into the distributing pipes of a potable water supply from any source or sources other than the intended source.

Backflow Connection

condition/arrangement where reverse flow can occur

Backpressure Backflow

occurs due to an increased reverse pressure above the · supply pressure (pump, boilers, gravity/other source of pressure)

Siphonage

a suction created by the flow of liquids in pipes (pressure less than atmospheric)

Vacuum

an air pressure less than atmospheric

Vacuum Breaker

Backflow preventer

Sump

approved tank or pit, receives sewage or wastewater located below normal grade of the gravity system and must be emptied by mechanical means

Clarifier

intercept or to separate, and prevent the passage of oil, grease, sand

Grease Trap

device to retain grease from one to four ·fixtures (maximum)

Grease Interceptor

interceptor of 3 cubic meters. capacity

Standpipe

a vertical pipe or a reservoir, into which water is pumped to give it a head

Wet Standpipe

water pressure maintained at all time

Dry Standpipe

having no permanent water inside the pipe