The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

New Handy Site On Plumbing

Water Service Pipe

An application must be made to the water company or municipality and they will send one of their own men to put in a tap of the required size in the main. They will not allow the plumber to do so. From this tap the plumber runs the service, usually of extra strong lead pipe and never less than Yv" for small jobs, to the building and makes connections. A great many water companies and municipalities require a meter, and where so required should be placed as shown in Figure 1. Care should be taken to place the meter in such a place that there will be no danger of freezing.

The service pipe is usually constructed as shown in Figure 1. The valves, etc., necessary for a service pipe are as follows: One stop at tap, one stop with curb box at curb, one stop and waste located inside of building. These valves being under ground and hard and expensive to replace should be extra heavy all brass of best grade and should be placed in an upright position.

When a large service pipe is required and a lead pipe proves expensive, it is customary to install an iron or steel pipe. This pipe should, of course, be galvanized, and after laid should receive a coat of red lead and oil, or asphaltum. and be covered with tar paper. Concrete and cinders, especially the latter, will destroy a galvanized pipe in a short time, as the galvanizing is cut away at the threads and, perhaps, scraped off at several places, exposing the iron and causing it to rust.

Refilling of Trench

Refilling of the trench should receive careful consideration. Refilling earth should be well soaked and tamped down. This is often carelessly done, resulting in a settlement. Concrete walks laid over the trench will settle and crack. The same amount of earth excavated should also be used in refilling. This can be done if about 6 inches of earth is filled in, then soaked and tamped down; then another 6 inches of earth soaked and tamped down; and, so on until the trench is filled.

Figure 2 shows a patent lead connection, strong and durable, and is very convenient to use when there is a limited space and consequently hard to get at and wipe the joints.