PLUMBING 

(which comes from the Latin word plumbum, which means lead, as pipes were once made
from lead) is the job of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures for drinking
water systems and getting rid of waste. A plumber is someone who fixes or puts in piping
systems, plumbing fixtures and equipment such as water heaters. The plumbing industry is
an important part of every developed economy because people need clean water and safe
ways to move and store waste.
Plumbing also refers to a system of pipes and fixtures put in a building to move water and
the get rid of waste that is in water. Plumbing is different from water and  sewage systems
because plumbing system serves one building, while water and sewage systems serve a
group of buildings or a city.

MATERIALS
Pipe is a hollow tube with round cross section for the conveyance of products. The word
pipe is used as distinguished from tube to apply to tubular products of dimensions
commonly used for pipeline and piping systems. A pipe is usually made by casting
or welding, where a tube is made through extrusion. Pipe usually has thicker walls and
may be threaded or welded, where tubes have thinner walls, and needs special joining
techniques such as 'brazing', 'compression fitting', 'crimping', or for plastics, 'solvent
welding'.
There are numerous kinds of materials available for plumbing installation but so far, the
most popular and commonly used are:
 Cast Iron Soil Pipe
 Acid Resistant Cast Iron Pipe
 Asbestos Pipe
 Bituminous Fiber Sewer Pipe
 Vitrified Clay Pipe
 Lead Pipe
 Galvanized Steel Pipe
  Galvanized Wrought Iron Pipe
 Brass Pipe
 Copper Pipe
 Plastic or Synthetic Pipe

CAST IRON SOIL PIPE

HISTORY
Cast-iron pipe began to become available in the mid-1700s for municipal water service. The first
large-scale use of cast-iron pipe for distribution of water occurred in 1664 at Versaille, France. A
15-mile cast-iron main was installed from Marley-on-Seina to the palace at Versailles; the
system is still in service today. The bell-and-spigot joint was developed by Sir Thomas Simpson
in 1785 (London) for cast-iron pipe and has been in use ever since. The early versions used
"butt" joints sealed with metal bands.

The first cast-iron pipe manufactured in the United States was produced in a foundry in
Weymouth, New Jersey, in the early 1800s. The city of Philadelphia began installing cast-iron
pipe in its water distribution system (approximately 1804-1810) to replace some deteriorated old
spruce log wood pipe (reinforced at the ends with bands of wrought iron). In fact, Philadelphia
was the first American city to use cast-iron pipe exclusively -- due to its greater longevity and
the fact that water pressure that could be maintained with it was higher than wood pipe could
handle. For years, the higher quality cast-iron pipe made was cast with a "P", indicating that the
pipe met the rigorous standards of Philadelphia's water system.

[NOTE: When Philadelphia began using cast-iron pipe, it physically removed a lot of the wood
log pipe. It was still in such good shape after being in the earth for 50-60 years that it was sold to
the City of Burlington, N.J., in 1804 and was reinstalled there. That same wood pipe remained in
service until 1887, when it was replaced with larger pipe.]

By 1898, there were 71 foundries (in 17 states) in the United States making cast-iron pipe -- both
pressure pipe and soil pipe (coated inside and out with coal tar). By the late 1800s, several
foundries were devoted to making soil pipe, often used for plumbing systems within/under
buildings. Cast-iron pipe began to be more widely used for sanitary sewers, especially in
"structural" situations.

INSIGHTS:
 Most popular material for drainage system
 Good and durable material for house sewer, drain, soil, waste, and vent pipes
 To a certain extent, it is affected by corrosion caused by the action of carbon
dioxide, sulfur oxide, and methane gases
 Vibrations loosen the lead calk joint between the pipes causing unwanted sag and
water leak

TWO TYPES OF CAST IRON PIPE

1. SV Type – used for building installations
2. XV Type – extra duty pipe used for underground installations

FOUR VARITIES
1. Standard Pipe – use for well-fitted hub and spigot connections
 2. Single Hub – recommended when the length of the pipe needed is more than
150cm long wherein cutting is not necessary
3. Double Hub – preferred when a piece of pipe needed is shorter than 150cm long,
when the pipe is cut, both ends have hubs to serve as joint connectors
4. Hubless Pipe – use on lieu of the single hub to do away with caulking of joints

ACID RESISTANCE CAST IRON PIPE

A cast-iron pipe containing between 14.25 and 15% silicon and small amounts of
manganese, sulfur, and carbon; manufactured in the same dimensions as cast-iron pipe.
Manufactured in the same dimension as cast iron pipe. Made from alloy of cast iron aand
silicon.

USES AND PURPOSES

 Widely used in chemical laboratories, industries, and other installations where acid
wastes are being discharged
 For garbage disposal because it is highly resistant to the grinding and abrasions
that may be caused with food and particles going in and out daily.
ADVANTAGES
 Good in handing high pressure and load of water
 Has a high resistance to corrosion
 Durable and convenient to stall
 Cheaper in cost
 Has thicker wall than ductile iron and steel

DISADVANTAGES
 Deteriorates when subjected to heat
 Pipes made in shorter length
 Brittle in character
 Not advisable to use in inaccessible places

AVAILABLES SIZES:
The first standardization of cast iron water pipes in Britain occurred in 1917 with the
publishing of BS 78.
This standard specified a dimensionless nominal size, which approximately corresponded
with the internal diameter in inches of the pipe, and four pressure classes, Class A, Class
B, Class C and Class D, each with a specified wall thickness and outer diameter.
It is noted that the outer diameter is identical between classes with the exception of sizes
12 to 27, where Classes A and B share one diameter and Classes C and D have another,
larger diameter. BS 78 was finally superseded when the U.K. harmonized with
incompatible European standards, however, the specified outer dimensions continue to
remain in effect (albeit in metric form) as the standard pipe outer diameter for ductile iron
pipe in Australia and New Zealand through the descendant specification, AS/NZS 2280.
ASBESTOS PIPE

Asbestos cement pipe, also commonly referred to as transite pipe, was constructed from
cement and asbestos fibers. It was highly resistant to corrosion and was widely used in
drainage systems and gas lines. Because asbestos-containing cement pipes were laid
underground, installation and maintenance work took place in ditches. Asbestos cement
pipe was commonly used up until the late 1970’s when it was replaced with plastic or
PVC piping because of the health dangers it posed to workers.

Working with or around asbestos-containing materials can cause mesothelioma and other
asbestos-related diseases. There is generally a latency period of ten to fifteen years
between exposure to asbestos fibers and the development of mesothelioma. Pipe fitters
and plumbers who worked with asbestos cement pipe prior to the late 1970’s are just
beginning to experience symptoms of mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

Due to the unique texture of asbestos cement pipes, workers, including plumbers and pipe
fitters, used a handsaw or a cutoff saw to cut the pipe to length. It was also necessary to
cut the pipe to accommodate corners or additional fittings, including valves, or attaching
the pipe to a hydrant. An asbestos cement “collar” was attached as a way of fitting two
sections of pipe together. When an asbestos cement pipe was cut or fit, a great deal of
dust was generated putting workers at risk of inhaling the dust and years later developing
mesothelioma or lung cancer.

Asbestos cement pipe, a whitish-grey color, was produced in a variety of widths and
lengths. The 8” width pipe was most commonly used, but different jobs could call for pipe
that was thinner or thicker.

Asbestos cement pipe was well suited for its use, but it was also relatively fragile. It could
smash completely if dropped, and would show definite signs of wear after having been in
place for even a short amount of time.

INSIGHTS :
 Made of asbestos fibers and Portland cement
 Thickness of the pipe of twice that of the standard cast iron pipe
 Could be use as waste, soil, ventilation, and downspout
 Remarkably superior for embedment in concrete structure