Plumbing Basics
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Water enters you house via the water main. It goes through the water meter (a) and then possibly through a regulator to limit the pressure (b) (not all systems need to use regulators). Typically, the water supply is then split with one side going to your hot water tank (c) and the other to supply your cold-water needs.
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PVC, which is less expensive than CPVC, is useful for drainage lines that lead water out of the home. Its strength, light weight and durability make it ideal for drainage… and easier to work with than cast iron pipes. Because of its ease of use and installation, PVC piping can also be used as both interior and exterior electrical conduit.
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The basic parts of a faucet are as follows; the tail piece (a), The distance between tail pieces (b), the mounting nut (c) to hold the faucet to the sink, the supply tube (d) for supplying the water to the faucet, the shutoff valve (e) where the supply of water to the faucet can be turned off before commencing repairs, the aerator (f) mixes the water coming out of the spout with air to prevent splashing, the control valve (g) detailed in the next four steps, controls the flow of water out of the spout.
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Pull the sillcock and with the straight pipe attached out of the hole through the siding. Measure the length of the straight pipe from the cut end to the back of the mounting bracket for the sillcock. Based on this measurement, make an assembly that includes the new sillcock, a threaded fitting, a straight piece of copper tubing and a straight union. Your measurement should cover the distance from the back of the sillcock mounting bracket to the inside shoulder of the straight union. Dry fit the assembly to make sure the straight union slides over the straight run of tubing still in the house.
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Get ready to solder. First make sure that you protect all flammable materials near each joint. This includes wood framing, wiring and insulation. Cover the flammable materials with a piece of sheet metal. Next, take your roll of solder and unwind about 10 inches. Bend the last 2 inches into a 90-degree angle. Light your torch and adjust to a 1-1/2" flame. Heat the area on the fitting where the straight pipe slides into it. You want use the inner flame tip and move it around slightly so that it heats the whole overlapping area. After heating for about 8 to 10 seconds, touch the solder to the joint at its highest point. If it is adequately heated, capillary action should pull solder into the joint. If solder does not pull into the joint, apply more heat and try again. When solder drips out of the bottom, the joint is filled with solder.
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| Q& A's for Plumbers. |
What Do Plumbers Do?
Plumbers, pipe fitters, and steamfitters install, maintain, and repair many different types of pipe systems. For example, some systems move water to a municipal water treatment plant and then to residential, commercial, and public buildings. Other systems dispose of waste, provide gas to stoves and furnaces, or provide for heating and cooling needs. Pipe systems in power plants carry the steam that powers huge turbines. Pipes also are used in manufacturing plants to move material through the production process. Specialized piping systems are very important in both pharmaceutical and computer-chip manufacturing.
Plumbers install and repair the water, waste disposal, drainage, and gas systems in homes and commercial and industrial buildings. Plumbers also install plumbing fixtures—bathtubs, showers, sinks, and toilets—and appliances such as dishwashers and water heaters. Pipe fitters install and repair both high- and low-pressure pipe systems used in manufacturing, in the generation of electricity, and in the heating and cooling of buildings. They also install automatic controls that are increasingly being used to regulate these systems. Some pipe fitters specialize in only one type of system. Steamfitters install pipe systems that move liquids or gases under high pressure.
Pipe layers, plumbers, pipe fitters, and steamfitters use many different materials and construction techniques, depending on the type of project. Residential water systems, for example, incorporate copper, steel, and plastic pipe that can be handled and installed by one or two plumbers. Municipal sewerage systems, on the other hand, are made of large cast-iron pipes; installation normally requires crews of pipe fitters. Despite these differences, all pipe layers, plumbers, pipe fitters, and steamfitters must be able to follow building plans or blueprints and instructions from supervisors, lay out the job, and work efficiently with the materials and tools of their trade. Computers and specialized software are used to create blueprints and plan layouts.
When construction plumbers install piping in a new house, for example, they work from blueprints or drawings that show the planned location of pipes, plumbing fixtures, and appliances. Recently, plumbers have become more involved in the design process. Their knowledge of codes and the operation of plumbing systems can cut costs. They first lay out the job to fit the piping into the structure of the house with the least waste of material. Then they measure and mark areas in which pipes will be installed and connected. Construction plumbers also check for obstructions such as electrical wiring and, if necessary, plan the pipe installation around the problem.
Sometimes, plumbers have to cut holes in walls, ceilings, and floors of a house. For some systems, they may hang steel supports from ceiling joists to hold the pipe in place. To assemble a system, plumbers—using saws, pipe cutters, and pipe-bending machines—cut and bend lengths of pipe. They connect lengths of pipe with fittings, using methods that depend on the type of pipe used. For plastic pipe, plumbers connect the sections and fittings with adhesives. For copper pipe, they slide a fitting over the end of the pipe and solder it in place with a torch.
* Growth figures represent a ten-year period ending 2012. Source: "National Industry-Occupation Employment Matrix," a publication of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
†Source: "Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition," a publication of the U.S. Department of Labor
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