Plumbing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Plumbing, from the Latin for lead (plumbum), is the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures for potable water systems and the drainage of waste. Plumbing originated during the ancient civilizations such as Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese civilizations as they developed public baths and needed to provide potable water, and drainage of wastes. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping systems, plumbing fixtures and equipment such as water heaters. The plumbing industry is a basic and substantial part of every developed economy due to the need for clean water, and proper collection and transport of wastes.[1]
Plumbing is a system of pipes and fixtures installed in a building for the distribution of potable water and the removal of waterborne wastes. Plumbing is usually distinguished from water and sewage systems, in that a plumbing system serves one building, while water and sewage systems serve a group of buildings or a city. Improvement in plumbing systems was very slow, with virtually no progress made from the time of the Roman system of aqueducts and lead pipes until the 19th century. Eventually the development of separate, underground water and sewage systems eliminated open sewage ditches and cesspools.
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[edit] Materials
Water systems of ancient times relied on gravity for the supply of water, using pipes or channels usually made of clay, lead or stone. Present-day water-supply systems use a network of high-pressure pumps, and pipes are now made of copper[2], brass, plastic, steel, or other nontoxic material. Present-day drain and vent lines are made of plastic, steel, cast-iron, and lead. Lead is not used in modern water-supply piping due to its toxicity.[3][4]
The 'straight' sections of plumbing systems are of pipe or tube. A pipe is typically formed via casting or welding, where a tube is made through extrusion. Pipe normally has thicker walls and may be threaded or welded, where tubing is thinner-walled and requires special joining techniques such as 'soldering', 'compression fitting', 'crimping', or for plastics, 'solvent welding'.
[edit] Fittings and valves
In addition to the straight pipe or tubing, many fittings are required in plumbing systems, such as valves, elbows, tees, and unions. The piping and plumbing fittings and valves articles discuss them further.
[edit] Fixtures
Plumbing fixtures are the devices installed for the end-users. Some examples of fixtures include water closets (toilets), urinals, bidets, showers, bathtubs, lavatories, utility and kitchen sinks, drinking fountains, ice makers, humidifiers, air washers, fountains, eyewashes, floor drains, garbage disposers, and hosebibbs.
[edit] Equipment
Plumbing equipment, not present in all systems, include, for example, water meters, pumps, expansion tanks, backflow preventers, filters, water softeners, water heaters, heat exchangers, gauges, and control systems.
[edit] Systems
The major categories of plumbing systems or subsystems are:
- Potable cold and hot water supply
- Traps, drains, and vents
- Septic systems
- Rainwater, surface, and subsurface water drainage
- Fuel gas piping
Of increasing interest, for ecological reasons, are gray-water recovery and treatment systems.
[edit] Specializations
Plumbing contractors and tradespeople often specialize, but most are 'general' -- they install new systems and repair existing ones. However, two common specializations are 1) drain cleaning and repair, and 2) non-potable applications like for HVAC systems. Almost all plumbing work is regulated by government or quasi-government agencies due to the direct impact on the public's health, safety, and welfare.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Plumbing: the Arteries of Civilization, Modern Marvels video series, The History Channel, AAE-42223, A&E Television, 1996
- ^ Copper Tube Handbook, the Copper Development Association, New York, USA, 2006
- ^ Uniform Plumbing Code, IAPMO
- ^ International Plumbing Code, ICC
