The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
How To Design And Install Plumbing
Testing the House Drain with Air. The house drain may be tested with air pressure. When this test is used, the drain must be completely sealed. The air can be admitted through a test plug provided with a valve and gauge arrangement. About five pounds of air should be applied. Leaks are difficult to detect when the air pressure test is used. A small quantity of odorous solution, such as oil of peppermint, ether, or similar substances can be used to aid in locating the defect. Soapsuds may also be applied to the joints as a means of finding leaks. The air test is not used frequently and is resorted to only when a water test would be impractical.
Soil, Waste, and Vent Pipe Water Test. The test of a soil, waste, and vent pipe installation is accomplished in much the same manner as is the test of a house drain. All fixture openings must be sealed substantially with test plugs or by means of a short nipple and cap. The water may be admitted to the system through a tester which has been provided with a valve and a hose connection. After the entire pipe installation has been filled to the roof terminal, it may be inspected for leaks. The usual procedure is to check the installation from the top floor, working downward on the soil pipe to the basement. Leaking joints must be made watertight, and any defective material must be replaced before final inspection has been made. Tall building installations are usually tested in part, because of the tremendous pressure produced by their extreme height. It is never advisable to test more than five floors of plumbing at one time.
Soil, Waste, and Vent Air Test. The soil, waste, and vent pipe installation may be tested with air, whenever the use of water would be impractical. The entire system is sealed and filled with air, which is compressed by means of a pump to a pressure of about five pounds. This test may be used in cold weather. The air test is not considered as thorough as the water test, and the difficulty encountered in finding leaks often makes the test a troublesome one.
Smoke Test. The smoke test is generally applied to plumbing systems in old buildings. A smoke test requires the services of at least three men. One man is assigned to the house, another operates the smoke producing machine, and the third is stationed on the roof. The man who is to check the installation for leaks must use care not to come in contact with the smoke before the test is conducted. He must depend on his sense of smell to a large extent to detect leaks, and once his clothes absorb the odor of the smoke, his task becomes more difficult.
All the plumbing fixtures must be sealed with water and the stack terminal stopped with a wet rag. The smoke machine which consists of a hollow drum provided with a cover and a rotating air pump may be filled with oily rags, or any substance which produces dense smoke.
