Building Utilities 1

Plumbing and Sanitary

Systems
Taken from UST Architecture exams by Arch. Rafael Alli
Recommended review material for UST Preboard Exam
Prepared by: arkireviewph.multiply.com

Types of Plumbing Piping

Materials
Cast iron pipe
Galvanized iron/steel pipe
Plastic pipe
Brass pipe
Copper tube
Lead pipe
Asbestos cement pipe
Glass pipe
magnesium pipe
Aluminum pipe

Types of Flexible Plastic Pipes

Polyethylene
Polybutylene

Types of Rigid Plastic Pipes

Polyvinylchloride
Chlorinated polyvinyl
Polypropylene
Acrilonitryle butadiene styrene

Types of Galvanized Steel

Pipes
Welded pipe
Seamless pipe

Varieties of Cast Iron Pipe

Standard pipe
Single hub pipe
Double hub pipe
Hubless pipe

Locations of Cleanout
Change in direction
Highest horizontal distance
Inside the building near the connection
between the building drain and building sewer
Outside the building at the lower end of the
building drain and extended to grade
Horizontal drain serving sinks and urinals
Each run of piping more than 15m./50 ft.

(8 possible locations accdg to exam - havent found other answers)

Locations of Floor Drain

Shower
Bathroom floor
Garage
Near water closet
Laundry area
Near urinal
Kitchen?

Causes of Trap Seal Loss

siphonage
back pressure
evaporation
capillary attraction
wind effects

Types of Valves
Gate valve
Check valve
Globe valve
Angle valve
Butterfly valve
Foot Valve
Safety valve

Types of Traps
P-trap
S-trap
3/4 s-trap
Grease trap
Bag trap
Crown trap
Bell trap

Types of Ventilation Systems

Unit vent
Circuit vent
Yoke vent
Loop vent
Relief vent
Back vent
Blind vent
Branch vent

Polyvinyl chloride
A strong, rigid and economical
plastic pipe. It resists a wide range
of acids and bases but may be
damaged by some solvents and
chlorinated carbons.

Glass pipe
A type of pipe manufactured from
low expansion borosilicate having
low alkali content; primarily used
for the drainage of various
corrosive liquids. It is very brittle
and should be used when some
measure of protection is provided
against damage.

Check valve
A valve that permits the flow of
liquid in a pipe in one direction
only and closes automatically to
prevent backflow.

Floor drain
A fixture providing an opening in
the floor to drain water into the
plumbing system.

cleanout
A pipe fitting with a removable
plug which provides for inspection
or cleaning of the pipe run; also
called an access eye or cleaning
eye.

Circuit vent
A branch vent which serves two or
more traps and extends from
infront of the last fixture
connection of a horizontal branch
to the stack.

Vent pipe
A pipe attached to drainage pipes
near one or more traps which leads
to outside air.

Wye fitting
A fitting used to connect a branch
pipe into a straight run of piping at
45 degrees.

trap
A fitting or device so constructed
as to prevent the passage of foul
air, gases and some vermin
without affecting the flow of
sewage inside the pipe.

Seal Measurement
The vertical distance between the
top dip and crown weir of a pipe.

Seepage pit / cesspool

A lined and covered excavation in
the ground which receives the
discharge of domestic sewage or
other organic wastes from a
drainage system.

Septic tank
A watertight receptacle which
receives the discharge of a plumbing
system or part thereof and is
designed and constructed so as to
separate solids from liquid, digest
the organic matter through a period
of detention and allow the effluent to
discharge into a drainage system.

Back vent
Also called an individual vent

Blind vent
A vent which terminates on the
upper side of the fixture and does
not connect to the main vent
system. This is sometimes done
with the intent of cheating.

Globe Valve
A valve in which the flow of fluid is
controlled by a rotating drilled ball
that fits tightly against a resilient
seat in the body.

Loop Vent
A type of ventilation system used
on fixtures in a room away from
partitions.

Air Gap
The unobstructed vertical distance
through the free atmosphere
between the outlet of a waste pipe
and the flood level rim of the
fixture or receptacle into which it is
draining.

Trap
A device or fitting which provides
when properly vented, a liquid seal
to prevent the emission of sewer
gases without materially affecting
the flow of sewage or waste water
through it.

Horizontal Pipe
Any pipe or fitting which makes an
angle of less than 45degrees with
the horizontal.

Half Bath
A bathroom containing a water
closet and a lavatory.

Roughing-in
The installation of all parts of the
plumbing system which can be
completed prior to the installation
of fixtures.

Floor Mounted Fixture

Refers to a plumbing fixture that
rests on the floor.

Flushometer
A device which discharges a
predetermined quantity of water to
fixtures for flushing purposes.

Full Bath
A bathroom containing a water
closet, a lavatory and a bathtub.

Hose bibb
A faucet to which a hose may be
attached.

Area Drain
A receptacle for wastes which are
ultimately discharged into the
sanitary drainage system.

Riser
A water supply pipe that extends
one full storey or more to convey
water to fixture branches or to a
group of fixtures.

Soil Stack
A vertical line of piping that
extends one or more floors and
receives the discharge of water
closets, urinals and similar fixtures.

Vent Pipe
The pipe installed to ventilate a
building drainage system and to
prevent trap siphonage.
(siphonage also syphonage - 2 accepted spellings)

Stack Vent
A vent which also serves as a
drain.
The extension of a soil or waste
stack above the highest horizontal
drain connection to the stack.

Building Supply Pipe

The pipe from the water main or
other source of water supply to the
water distributing system of the
building.

Vent Stack
A vertical pipe installed in order to
provide circulation of air to and
from the drainage system.

Drain Pipe
A pipe that only conveys liquid
waste, free from fecal matter.

Siphonage/Syphonage
A suction created by the flow of
liquid in pipes.

Stack
A general term for any vertical line
of soil, waste and vent pipe
extending through one or more
storeys.

Backflow
The flow of water in pipes in a
reverse direction from the which is
normally intended.

Battery of fixtures
Any group of two or more similar
adjacent fixtures which discharge
into a common horizontal waste or
soil branch.

Branch
Any part of the piping system
other than the main riser or stack.

Clean-out
A fitting with a removable plate or
plug that is placed in plumbing
drainage pipe lines in to afford
access to the pipes for the purpose
of cleaning their interior.

Developed Length
The length of pipe measured along
the center line of the pipe and
fittings.

Crown Weir
The highest part of the inside
portion of the bottom surface at
the crown of a trap.

Fixture Drain
The drain from the trap of a fixture
to the junction of that drain with
any other drain pipe.

Durhams System
A term sometimes used to
describe a soil or waste pipe
system which is constructed of
threaded pipe, tubing or other rigid
construction, using recessed
drainage fittings.

Invert
The lowest portion of the inside
surface of any horizontal pipe.

Indirect Waste Pipe

A waste pipe that does not
connect directly with the drainage
system but conveys liquid waste
by discharging into a plumbing
fixture or receptacle.

Sewer
An artificial conduit, usually
underground, for carrying off waste
water and refuse.

Alkalinity
Cased by bicarbonates, carbonates
or hydroxide components

E.Coli
Bacteria in water

Foamability
Caused by detergent

Flocculation
Coagulation, alum is added

Ferrous Bicarbonate
Iron in water

Hardness
Caused by calcium and
magnesium deposits

Zeolite
Water softening

Black Water
Water plus human waste from
toilets and urinals

Grey Water
Waste water from laundry area,
lavatory, sink, shower and bathtub.

Color/ Discoloration
Caused by iron and manganese

Filtration
Mode of turbidity correction

Hydro-pneumatic System
Indirect water distribution system

50-75 gpd
Water supply requirement for
single family

4
WSFU value for bathtub, public use

3/8
Minimum fixture supply size for
lavatory

Synonymous terms
Toilet - water closet
Individual vent - back vent
Building sewer Building drain Clean-out P-trap Floor set - floor mounted
Gate Valve - full way valve
Hub - bell
Lavatory - wash basin
Vent stack - main vent
Common vent - unit vent
Soil or waste vent Slop sink - service sink?
Flocculation - coagulation

Done! :)
Source: preliminary and final examinations 2002
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