The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
How To Design And Install Plumbing
Screw Thread Joint on Galvanized Steel and Wrought Pipe. A screw thread joint on galvanized steel, wrought iron, and brass pipe is made in the same manner as for waste pipe. The thread is cut to proper length and a coating of white lead or joint compound, commonly called "dope," is applied to the pipe thread. The joint is made up with a wrench until only three threads remain exposed.
Swedge and Solder Joint on Copper Pipe. The swedge joint is commonly used on copper water service. It is made in connection with a specially designed fitting.
The first step in making a swedge joint is the straightening of the ends of the copper pipe by filing them. After this has been accomplished the make-up nut is slipped over the copper and the end of the tube is expanded with a swedging tool until it seats perfectly on the convex face of the fitting. The pipe and the fitting are then aligned and the nut is tightened to complete the joint. Annealed copper may be hardened by using too much pressure when ightening the make-up nut, which may result in a break. Solder joints on copper water pipe are identical with those of waste pipe as explained in Chapter IV.
Wiped Joint on Lead Pipe. The wiped joint on lead water pipe is made in the same manner as a wiped joint on lead waste. A solder of greater tin content than that used on a lead waste pipe is advisable to overcome sweating of the joint. Wiped joints on water must withstand extreme pressures and must be made carefully.
The House Service
The house service is that part of the plumbing system installed underground between the water main in the street and the house water meter. It plays an important part in making a plumbing system sanitary.
Fixtures which do not have a sufficient flow of water become fouled and emit odors which are extremely disagreeable and may cause sickness. Difficulty of this kind usually can be traced to careless planning and poor workmanship on the water service installation.
Municipal authorities are interested in proper installation of the house service because of the added expense incurred in extra pumpage of water when a service develops serious fault.
There are a number of essential factors the plumber must observe when constructing a house service. It is important to size it adequately, and also to determine the pressure at the city main. (Pressure is determined by connecting a pressure gauge to the tapped main, or by consulting local authorities.)
Often the pressure of the main is low. Should this be the case, a service of additional diameter may be installed to correct this fault. This practice, however, would serve only homes and buildings of moderate height. In buildings of extreme height, pressure is the only solution to proper fixture sanitation and, should the city installation lack pressure, a pumping unit must be employed to obtain efficient results.
