MEP Plumbing

What is a Fitting?

A device fastened to the end of pipes to make connections between individual pipes.

What is a Valve?

A fitting used to regulate fluid flow within a system

What is a Meter?

Is a device used to measure and indicate fluid flow, such as gas or water meter

What is Polyvinyl Chloride?

Plastic pipe and fittings used for sanitary drainage and vent piping, above ground and underground storm water drainage, water mains, and water service lines.

What is Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride?

Cream colored thermoplastic material specially formulated to withstand higher temperatures than other plastics, and are used in portable water distribution, corrosive industrial fluid handling.

What is Cross Linked Polyethylene?

A mosetting plastic made from medium or high-density cross-linkable polyethylene and is used for water service piping and cold and hot water distribution piping.

What is Copper used for?

Used for water supply and distribution piping, fire suppression systems, and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning applications.

Drawn Copper Tube/Hard Copper Tube

Tubing that is pulled through a single die or series of dies to achieve desired diameter.

Annealed Copper Tube/Soft Copper Tube

Tubing that is heated to a specific temperature and cooled at a predetermined rate to impact desired strength and hardness characteristics.

Cast Iron

Primarily used for above ground and underground sanitary drainage, vent, and storm water drainage piping.

Expansion Loop

Is a loop in plastic tubing and provides an area for the tubing to expand and contract without stressing.

DWV

Drainage, Waster, and Venting applications

PVC Joining Method

Solvent cementing & Slip Joint Fittings. PVC Schedule 80 pipe and fittings, commonly used for industrial pressure applications, are dark gray in color.

PEX Joining Method

Fittings must be secured into positions using crimping rings.

CPVC Joining Method

Solvent Cementing.

Copper Joining Method

Cast copper alloy, cast bronze, or wrought copper tube fittings are used to connect lengths of copper tube.

Cast Iron Joining Method

Mechanical Coupling consisting of neoprene sleeve and band into position.

Gate Valve

"Shutoff Flow", valve with internal gate (Guillotine)

Globe Valve

"Throttling flow", valve with globe that raises or lowers over a seat which water flows.

Angle Valve

"Toilet", A globe valve in which the inlet and outlet are at 90 degrees to each other, Commonly used at elbows.

Sill Cock Valve

"Hose", angle compression stops, installed on exterior of building with integral external threads.

Ball Valve

"Shutoff valve with tighter seal", A valve in which fluid flow is controlled by a ball that fits tightly against a resilient seat in the valve body

Butterfly Valve

"Controls fluid flow with disk", A valve used to control fluid flow. It consists of a rotating disk that seats against a resilient material within the valve body.

Check Valve

"Prevents flow from reversing", a valve that allows flow in only one direction.

Pressure Reducing Valve

"Reduces PSI flowing through pipes", an automatic device used to convert high or fluctuating inlet water pressure.

What do Water Meters measure?

Water usage for a building in cubic feet or gallons.

Disk Water Meter

"Small water services", or displacement meter, used to measure water flow through small water services.

Turbine Water Meter

"Large constant water services", used to measure large and constant volumes of water in buildings.

Compound Water Meter

"Combines both Disk & Turbine", used in buildings in which there is a large fluctuation of water flow, such as an office building when there's large water use on weekdays but little on weekends.

Typical uses for PVC

- Drain, Waste, and Vent

- Outside Sewers and Mains

- Subsoil Septic Fields

- Water Piping

Typical uses for PEX

- Hot & Cold Distribution

- Water Piping

Typical uses for CPVC

- Hot & Cold Water Distribution

- Fire Sprinkler Piping

- Water Piping

Typical uses for ABS

- DWV

- Outside Sewers and Mains

- Water Piping

Typical uses for Copper

- Water Supply & Distribution piping

- Fire Suppression Systems

- HVAC applications

Typical uses for Cast Iron

- Aboveground & Underground sanitary drainage

- Vent

- Storm Water Drainage Piping

Plastics Wall Thickness terms

- Schedule 80 (gray)

- Schedule 40 (white)

- Schedule 20

- 80 is thickest, 20 is thinnest

Copper Wall Thickness terms

- Type K, L, M, and DWV

- K is thickest & DWV is thinnest

Steel Wall Thickness terms

- Nominal Pipe Size or Iron Pipe Size (IPS) is the approximate inside diameter if steel pipe.

DFU

Drainage Fixture Unit - unit of measure for the probable discharge of waste into drainage system. 1 dfu = 7.5 gal. per min.

Grade/Pitch/Slope for Drainage Pipe

- 1/8" per ft. = 1%

- 1/4" per ft. = 2%

Purpose of Cleanouts

To allow easy access to the piping for removing stoppages and cleaning the interior of the pipe.

Where should Cleanouts be installed?

Where they can be easily accessible to fix stoppage.

Purpose of Vents

To ventilate building sanitary drainage piping and prevent trap siphonage and back pressure.

Purpose of Sloping Horizontal Vents

To ensure adequate drainage and self-scouring.

Common Vents

Connects two fixture drains and serves as a vent for both fixture drains. "Connects & Vents 2 drains"

Branch Vents

Vent pipe connecting two or more individual vents with a stack vent or vent stack.

Waste Stacks

The vertical pipe that is connected to the main sewer pipe.

Stack Vents

The extension of a soil or waste stack above the highest horizontal drain connected to the stack.

Vent Stacks

Provides air circulation to and from the drainage system.

Installation considerations for Vent Terminals (VTR)

- Proximity to building openings: 10' from windows, if not, extend pipe 2' above the opening, if vent through multipurpose roof, extend 7' above.

- Roof Penetrations: must be watertight and take climate into consideration.

What is the Purpose for keeping Storm and Sanitary Waste separate?

QUANTITY, Storm water would overwhelm sewer treatment, and Storm water does NOT need treatment.

What is the purpose of a Roof Drain?

To receive the rainwater collecting on a roof surface and discharge it into a rainwater leader.

What is a Waste Inlet?

Where the waste goes in the branch/outlet.

Horizontal Branch

Sends sewage/waste horizontally to main sewage pipe.

Vertical Waste Outlet

Sends sewage vertically to the main sewage pipe.

Fixture Bolts

Holds up fixture (sink, toilet, etc.)

Flushometer Valve

Handle for toilet/fixture.

Anchor Foot

Secures fixture to slab.

What is the Maximum Water Pressure allowed in buildings?

80 psi, can never be exceeded.

What is the Water Pressure at which Buildings are tested?

150 psi

What is the average Water Pressure in Buildings?

45-60 psi

What does a Pressure-reducing valve do?

Converts high and/or fluctuating inlet water pressure to a lower or constant outlet pressure.

What is WSFU?

Water Supply Fixture Unit, a unit of measure for the estimated water demand of plumbing fixture.

What are the Pipe materials used to convey water to fixtures?

- Galv. Pipe

- Copper

- PVC

- CPVC

- PEX

What is another name for a toilet?

Water Closet

What are the Water Closet Mounting types?

Floor Set or Wall Hung

What is a Siphon Jet Water Closet?

A water closet with a siphonic passageway at the rear of the bowl and an integral flush rim and jet.

What is a Gravity-Fed Water Closet?

Water closet that uses the gravity from water falling from the water closet tank to begin the flushing action. (Rim Jet Water Closet)

What is a Blowout Water Closet?

Water closet with a nonsiphonic passageway at the rear of the bowl and an integral flush rim and jet.

What is the difference between a Siphonic Jet and a Blowout Water Closet?

Siphonic has the jet.

What is the minimum clear space in front of a WC?

Minimum of 48" in front and 32" from door.

What is the maximum height for Urinal flush valve?

44"

What is the minimum knee clearance for lavatories?

29"

What is the minimum knee clearance for drinking fountains?

27"

Washout Urinals

Most common, urinal in which liquid waste is washed from a trap rather than flushed.

Siphon Jet Urinals

A wall-hung urinal in which the trap seal is forced from the trap through a large opening at the trap inlet.

Blowout Urinals

A wall-hung urinal with a nonsiphonic passageway at the rear and an integral rim and jet system.

Waterless Urinals

Does not have a flush valve or water supply pipe connected to the urinal and contains a removable liquid cartridge with a floating liquid sealant in the drain opening at the bottom of the fixture.

Flush Devices for Urinals

Sensors and Flushometers

What is a lavatory?

A fixture used to wash the hands and face.

What are the types of Lavatorys?

- Raised back

- Ledge

- Pedestal

- Self Rimming

- Undercounter

- Vanity Top

Lavatory Mounting Types

- Wall Hung

- Pedestal

- Countertop

- ADA Compliant Lavatories

What are the Power options for electronic faucets?

Control module can either be battery powered or plugged into an electric receptacle provided for the faucet transformer.

Clothes Washer Outlet Box

Installed when washer is on a residential second floor - a plastic enclosure that accommodates the washers water supply and waste connections.

Hard Water

Positively charged "hard" calcium and magnesium ions are found in the water.

Water Softeners

Automatic system that adds salt to the water to remove calcium and magnesium ions.

Bypass Valves

Provided on the water softener so that work can be done on the softener and the water supply will not be interrupted.

Brine

The salt added to the water by the Water Softener.

Required Maintenance for Water Softeners

Salt must be add periodically depending on water hardness.

Fuel types for Water Heaters

Gas or Electric

Water Hammer

Loud noise that is created when a quick-closing valve, such as a clothes washer valve or ball valve is suddenly closed.

What controls Water Hammer?

Water Hammer Arrestor, contains bellows of air that can compensate for additional pressure.

Rough-in

Installation of all parts of a plumbing system that can be completed prior to the installation of the fixtures.

Sump Pump

Electric pump used to remove water from a basement or any collection pit.

Wet Pipe in a Fire Sprinkler System

Pipes in Fire Suppression System that hold water.

Dry Pipe in a Fire Sprinkler System

Pipes in Fire Suppression System that are pressurized with air and water floods in when pressure is lost (Used Outside).

Fire Pump

Pump that provides pressurized water from a standalone source.

Jockey Pump

Maintains pressure in pipes and acts as the air compressor in a wet system.

Invert Elevation

Elevation of the bottom of the inside of the pipe wall.

Expansion Tanks

Protects the water heater in case of over pressurization.