PRACTICAL PLUMBING.--WOOD-WORK FOR PLUMBER.--EXCAVATING FOR
PLUMBER.--WATER DISTRIBUTION.--OUTSIDE
FIXTURES.--HYDRANTS.--STREET-WASHERS.--SOFT-WATER
SUPPLY.--HOT-WATER SUPPLY.--SOIL PIPE.--INSIDE FIXTURES.--KITCHEN
SINK.--CELLAR SINK.
In a previous chapter plumbing was considered from a sanitary
standpoint, and the conditions of safety set forth. In this chapter it
remains to consider plumbing work in a more practical way; to consider
it with reference to its execution, assuming that it is desired to reach
the best results. This means, primarily, good work; then good work with
the least expenditure of money.
The carpenter usually provides all necessary wood-work for the plumber.
This means boards and runs on which pipes are to be placed, the pipe
duct and other wood finish. It is best that the carpenter should do this
in order that it may be well done. There should be specified in the
carpenter's contract exactly what he is to do, so that he may calculate
on a definite basis. All of the cutting work, where cutting is
necessary, should be done by the carpenter. The plumber is not usually
supplied with tools of the right kind for doing this, and is as liable
to botch carpenter work as a carpenter would be to botch the plumbing
work.
The plumber should do all of his own excavating. This includes trenches
for pipes of all kinds to and from the house. After the pipes and drains
have been placed therein, he should make fills and thoroughly tamp the
earth so as to restore the surface to its original condition. This may
be best done by putting in a small quantity of earth at a time, ramming
it down and then pouring water on it. Even after this the drain space
should be left with a slight crown, as the earth will settle a little
more than it is possible to make it by artificial means. Superfluous
earth should be removed from the building and lot.
Plumber's excavating is not included in the general contract. If there
is any superfluous earth in connection with his work, he, and not the
general contractor, should remove it. Contracting methods are explained
in another section of the book.
WATER DISTRIBUTION.
Lead should be used for all purposes where pipes are exposed to view and
where they come in contact with the earth. This is common practice.
Sometimes, however, brass or planished copper pipes and fittings are
used where they are exposed to view. Brass makes very beautiful and
satisfactory work. Iron pipe, galvanized inside and out, is occasionally
used for exposed work. It does not look as well, however, as lead pipe.
Galvanized iron pipe is also frequently used where not exposed to view,
and where it does not come in contact with the earth. Objections will be
made to this by plumbers who are used to doing lead work. In all
hospitals where the best work is done iron or brass pipe is used, and
lead pipe and connections are entirely dispensed with. However, the use
of lead pipe where exposed to view and where in contact with the earth,
and iron pipe galvanized for other places, makes most excellent and
beautiful work for dwelling-houses. The connections between iron and
lead pipe should be of brass.
The water works of many cities and towns are from direct-pressure mains.
It is common for such pressure to be forty pounds to the square inch
under ordinary conditions. A fire pressure is much greater. Therefore,
all direct-pressure pipes of lead should be extra strong. Tank-pressure
pipes, those which connect with a tank in the attic or above a
water-closet, may be medium strong. The terms "extra strong" and "medium
strong," as here used, are definite in their meaning, and apply to
regular grades of pipe. The interior fixtures of an ordinary
dwelling-house are supplied with lead pipe five-eighths of an inch in
diameter, or iron pipe three-quarters of an inch in diameter. In the
above will be found all that applies in general terms to an ordinary
specification for water distribution. Special mention will be made
later.
Stop-cocks should be provided sufficient entirely to disconnect and
drain all pipes, fixtures, and connections. "Stop-and-waste" cocks
should be provided at the bottom of all main risers where they cannot
otherwise be drained. A "stop-and-waste" cock is one which shuts off the
supply from its source, and drains the water from pipes above, so that
it passes out to a receptacle provided for that purpose. In some
instances it is allowed to run to a sink on the cellar floor, or it may
be taken in a bucket.
The city water-supply for an ordinary dwelling-house is generally
through five-eighths-inch extra strong lead pipe, and is provided with a
stop-box so that the water can be turned off from the house at the
street.
OUTSIDE FIXTURES.
Outside fixtures which connect with the city water are a street-washer
and a hydrant. The street-washer is usually placed in front, so that a
hose may be attached to it for sprinkling purposes. There are many
standard grades of street-washers carried in stock by all plumbers. The
hydrant has about the same lower connections as the street-washer. The
hose connection and opening stand well above the lot grade. It is
usually placed in the back yard or stable. The outlet may have a hose
coupling, and thus be used for sprinkling purposes in the back part of
the lot or otherwise, as desired. Where there are no hydrants, it is
common to run an iron pipe along the ground to connect the front and
back yard. Thus it is not necessary to have so large a supply of hose.
The pipe thus used is three-quarters of an inch in diameter. It is less
expensive than rubber hose, and does not deteriorate. It should have a
short hose connection in front, and hose coupling at the back.
SOFT-WATER SUPPLY.
In many cities the water from the public pipes contains too much lime to
be used for bathing or washing. In such a case it is necessary to supply
cistern water for that purpose. This is done by connecting the cistern
in the yard with a tank in the attic, or some place above the highest
fixture. To do this a force pump is placed in the kitchen. The best kind
to use are those known as double-acting, horizontal, brass-cylinder
force pumps. They may be screwed to the floor, and the handle come up
next to the sink or between the drain-board and the dry-board. When not
in use, this handle can be next to the wall and out of the way. A motor
may be used in lieu of a pump. It is placed over the kitchen sink, and
has connection with city water works. When it is desired to pump water
to the attic, one can turn on the city water at the cock and let it
run. Thus the city pressure is exerted through the motor to pump water
to the attic, and the labor of pumping entirely done away with. The cost
is about fifteen dollars more than a good pump. The suction of such a
pump or motor should be one-and-one-half-inch strong lead pipe, and the
supply to tank in attic one-and-one-quarter-inch lead or iron pipe where
not exposed to view. Where the pump or motor is placed as indicated, it
may be used to pump water directly to the kitchen sink, and it is
generally best that such an arrangement be made. Of course, water may be
drawn from the tank in the attic to this sink, if it is desired to so
arrange it; but where this is done, it is necessary to pump all of the
cold water used in the kitchen to the attic. This is unnecessary. The
sink may have a direct pump connection by means of a five-eighths-inch
strong lead pipe which connects with the tank supply. On the end of this
lead pipe may be a brass or nickel compression cock over the sink. When
it is desired to pump water into the tank this cock is closed, and the
only connection is with the tank above.
The common size for tank is eight barrels capacity. It should be
constructed of inch-and-three-quarters ploughed and tongued material
with two three-eighths inch rods, with bolts and nuts at each end, and
cleats across top and bottom in middle. The inside should be lined with
four-pound sheet lead; that is, sheet lead which weighs four pounds to
the foot. There should be an inch tell-tale pipe of galvanized iron
which connects with the sink nearest the pump. Sometimes an overflow
which runs to the roof is used, in which case a smaller tell-tale, say
one-half inch in diameter, will serve. There are instances where the
tank in the attic is connected with a special gutter on the roof, above
the line of the tank. Then the tank is provided with a large overflow so
that it may not cause trouble. However, this is a little risky. The
tank is connected with the hot and cold water system and fixtures
subsequently named.
The hot-water system is as simple as it is efficient. Usually a
heavy-pressure galvanized-iron boiler, of from twenty-four to sixty-two
gallons capacity, is located in the kitchen. It is connected with the
tank by means of five-eighths-inch lead or three-quarters-inch iron
pipe, and with fixtures subsequently named as being supplied with hot
water in the same manner. The water is heated in the range by means of a
water back or water front placed in the fire-box of the range. It is
connected with the boiler by means of five-eighths-inch lead and
three-quarters-inch iron pipe. One pipe from the lower part of the
boiler takes the water to the back. The other carries it to the top of
the boiler, the cold water naturally going to the bottom and the hot
water passing to the top. The hot-water supply for fixtures is drawn
from the top of the boiler. Any one may notice, by passing the hand up
and down a boiler of this kind, that the top is always warmer than the
bottom. Sometimes a wrought-iron pipe is used in a stove in lieu of a
water back. It usually answers the same purpose, though its heating
surface is not so great. It is best to use a pipe back where the boiler
is not connected with soft water. The incrustation from the lime is such
that the back soon becomes filled, and it is much more expensive to
replace than one made of pipe. When the hot water is from the city water
works, the supply is usually directly therefrom rather than from a tank
in the attic. However, it is not uncommon to have a tank supply in the
house where public-water supply is taken to the exclusion of all other,
and it is a better system, though a little more expensive. The hot-water
reservoir is usually placed on an iron stand near the stove. It should
be provided with a draining connection for the purpose of drawing out
all the water when desired. A vent connection from the reservoir to the
tank in attic, or, in the event of no tank being used, to the roof
above, is common as a guard against extra steam pressure.
SOIL PIPE.
Before considering other inside fixtures and fittings, the soil pipe
should be mentioned. It is of cast-iron, light weight, and, when it is
connected with a water-closet, should be four inches in diameter on the
inside, and japanned inside and out. Joints are made at the hubs, and
should be leaded and well calked. Connections with this pipe should be
made by means of Y's of proper size, depending on the size of the drain
which connects therewith. The soil pipe should continue upward and
through the roof to a point at least four feet above the nearest ridge.
Below, it should continue outside of the foundation wall to connect with
the drain. Where there is a sink in the cellar, the soil pipe should be
below the cellar floor. Vitrified or earthenware drain pipe should never
be used inside the walls of a house.
INSIDE FIXTURES.
The kitchen sink may be considered first. They are usually of light
cast-iron. Sometimes they are of pressed steel; again, they are of
cast-iron with an interior porcelain finish. If a common cast-iron sink
is painted, the paint soon wears off. The ideal sink, the one which is
the best in every way, is of porcelain. It has the white, glazed surface
of a fine dish, and is easily cleaned. Any kitchen sink should be
eighteen inches wide, six inches deep, and from twenty-four to
thirty-six inches in length. Thirty or thirty-six is the best. They are
provided with a strainer in the bottom, and have one-and-one-half-inch
light lead "S" trap connection with soil pipe or grease sink,
subsequently considered. Where city water is at hand, the sink should be
supplied through a five-eighths-inch brass or nickel-plated self-closing
cock. Where the city water is hard, hot and cold cistern water in
addition to city water should be supplied through five-eighths-inch
brass or nickel-plated compression cocks. If the hot water is from the
public water works, a self-closing cock should be used. All cocks should
be screwed to a soldered nipple, and not "wiped" or joined directly to
the lead pipe. In this way, it is not necessary to wipe a joint every
time the cock gives out. A smaller sink, size as desired, may be used in
the china-closet or butler's pantry. Such a sink is not in common use
excepting in the more expensive houses.
The cellar sink should be sixteen by sixteen inches, ten inches deep,
and should be provided with strainer, and an inch-and-a-half light lead
"S" trap connection with soil pipe. If city supply only is desired, it
may be had through five-eighths-inch brass self-closing cock. Where
connection is made with cistern, it may be by means of one-and-one-half
inch pipe and a cast-iron pitcher pump; if not this, a well, driven or
otherwise, may be similarly connected by means of a pitcher or lift
pump. This cellar sink is the kind that may be used in connection with
the laundry previously described. Where stationary tubs are used, this
sink is not necessary.