plumbing Flashcards
(28 cards)
What are the three plumbing systems that intertwine in a building?
Supply pipes, Waste pipes, and Vent pipes.
What is the function of supply pipes?
To deliver hot and cold water to fixtures throughout the building.
What is the function of waste pipes?
To carry used water and waste away from fixtures to the sewer or septic system.
What is the function of vent pipes?
To balance air pressure in waste lines and prevent trap siphoning.
Why is fixture location important in plumbing design?
To align plumbing in stacked wet walls for efficiency and cost-saving.
How do you determine the number of required fixtures?
Use code tables based on building use type and occupant load.
What is a wet wall?
A wall containing plumbing pipes, often double-studded to allow space for piping.
Why do supply pipes have more flexibility in routing?
They are under pressure and can travel up, down, and around obstacles.
Why must waste pipes always slope downhill?
Because they rely on gravity to transport waste.
Why is it beneficial to stack bathrooms vertically?
To share plumbing stacks and reduce piping complexity and cost.
What is a riser diagram?
An idealized sectional drawing showing vertical plumbing systems like supply, waste, and vent lines.
What material is commonly used for supply pipes and why?
Copper, because it is bio-static and resists organic growth.
Why are booster pumps sometimes used in plumbing systems?
To provide adequate pressure to upper floors when street pressure is insufficient.
What is the purpose of a shutoff valve?
To isolate a section of plumbing for maintenance or repair.
What does a trap trap?
Water, to block sewer gases from entering occupied spaces.
What is the purpose of a vent pipe?
To allow air to enter the waste system, preventing siphoning of traps.
Why must vent pipes slope back to the waste line?
To drain condensate and prevent pipe corrosion.
What is a roof drain?
A plumbing fixture that collects rainwater from roofs and directs it into the storm system.
Why is it challenging to route roof drains?
Because they require penetrations and proper alignment with structural elements.
When would you use internal roof drains instead of gutters?
For large or tall buildings where external drainage isn’t practical.
What is an ejector pump used for?
To pump waste from fixtures below the sewer line up into the waste system.
What is the difference between an ejector pump and a sump pump?
Ejector pumps handle human waste; sump pumps handle storm or ground water.
What are common materials for waste pipes?
Cast iron and PVC.
Why use cast iron for waste piping?
It is durable and deadens sound.
