THE PLUMBING IN YOUR KITCHEN
Once upon a time there was a business man who, upon buying his first
house, bought simultaneously a plumber’s kit. He was sure he could save
a lot of money by attending to simple matters himself. One day a simple
faucet sprung a simple leak. He confidently used a complicated tool and
the result was a vast sea of trouble. Plumbers! Expense! It is not
necessary to draw the moral.
The plumbing in the house is akin to the alimentary canal in the human
body, and is as complicated a system as the alimentary canal. The system
of plumbing in the house is a series of pipes which carries water to the
house, and eliminates it as it carries with it various forms of waste,
connecting the house with the main sources of water, gas and with the
sewage system. The best plumbing is that which effects these things with
the least deterioration and with the least mixture of sewer gas and
foreign matter.
Every community has its own plumbing laws and regulations. This is true
unless you build in very rural sections where there is no sewage system.
However, this article will deal only with conditions in which a sewage
system prevails.
PLUMBING LAWS
As will be seen by the following excerpts from the plumbing laws of New
York City, the ordinary housewife need not worry about transgressing
the law, as everything, from the material used to the size of it and the
laying of it, is controlled. And the plumber is supposed to know these
rules before he is licensed. But it is in no way as glorious as poetic
license!
All the materials must be of the best quality, free from defects, and
all work must be executed in a thorough, workmanlike manner.
All cast-iron pipes and fittings must be uncoated, sound, cylindrical
and smooth, free from cracks, sand holes and other defects, and of
uniform thickness, and of the grade known in commerce as “extra heavy.”
The size, weight and maker’s name must be cast on each length of pipe.
All joints must be made with picked okum and molten lead and be made
gas-tight. Twelve ounces of fine, soft pig lead must be used at each
joint for each inch in the diameter of the pipe.
All wrought iron and steel pipes must be equal in quality to “standard”
and must be properly tested by the manufacturer. All pipe must be
lap-welded. No plain black or uncoated pipe will be permitted.
Each building must be separately and independently connected with a
public or private sewer, or cesspool, except where a building is located
in the rear of the same lot with another building, when its plumbing and
drainage system may be connected to the house-drain of the front
building behind the house trap and fresh air inlet which shall be used
for both buildings if sewer connected; or may be connected to an
existing cesspool of front house and be provided with a separate house
trap and fresh air inlet.
FURTHER PROVISION
Where there is no sewer in the street or avenue, and it is possible to
construct a private sewer to connect in an adjacent street or avenue, a
private sewer must be constructed. It must be laid outside the curb,
under the roadway of the street.
All pipes and traps should, where possible, be exposed to view. They
should always be readily accessible for inspection and repairing.
In every building where there is a leader connected to the drain, if
there are any plumbing fixtures, there must be at least one 4″ pipe
extended above the roof for ventilation.
The contents of settling chamber or dust receptacle for vacuum cleaners
may be discharged into a plumbing and drainage system.
Leaders must be trapped with cast-iron running traps so placed as to
prevent freezing.
Rain-water leaders must not be used as soil, waste or vent pipes, nor
shall any such pipe be used as a leader.
To have an intelligent understanding of what the plumber has to know, it
might be well to know what certain terms are which are used in the
plumbing rules.
DEFINITIONS
The term “private sewer” is applied to main sewers that are not
constructed by and under the supervision of the Department of Public
Works.
The term “house sewer” is applied to that part of the main drain or
sewer extending from a point two feet outside of the outer front wall of
the building, vault or area to its connection with public sewer, private
sewer or cesspool.
The term “house drain” is applied to that part of the main horizontal
drain and its branches inside the walls of the building, vault or area
and extending to and connecting with the house sewer.
The term “soil line” is applied to any vertical line of pipe having
outlets above the floor of first story for water closet connections.
The term “waste line” is applied to any vertical line of pipe having
outlets above the first floor for fixtures other than water closet.
The term “vent pipe” is applied to any special pipe provided to
ventilate the system of piping and to prevent trap siphonage and back
pressure.
THE TRAP
Most important from the hygiene point of view is the trap, which is a
curved pipe permitting the last of a flow of water to remain in the pipe
to prevent a back flow of sewage gas into the house. There are for use
various forms of traps under different circumstances which, of course,
are entirely the plumber’s business.
In hotels and large institutions, and in some large homes, a grease trap
is built in the sink which is so constructed as to separate the grease
from the water, which obviates clogging of the pipes and which amasses
the grease which is sold to soap makers for soap.
FRESH AIR INLETS AND MAIN TRAPS
Fresh air inlets and main traps are also for the prevention of odors and
gases coming directly from the sewer. The entrance of these gases often
takes place, even though the plumbing is excellent, by the settling of
the floors and foundation rendering the soil pipes defective.
The question of soil pipes, etc., is sufficiently covered by the
plumbing regulations so far as not to need any explanations here.
Every sink, of course, must have its own trap.
The following are a few excerpts from the law:
SEWERS, DRAINS AND TRAPS
must be of extra heavy cast-iron. When found in a leaky or defective
condition, shall not be repaired or replaced except with heavy cast-iron
pipe.
The house drain and its branches must be of extra heavy cast-iron when
underground, and of extra heavy cast-iron or galvanized wrought iron or
steel when above ground.
The house-drain must properly connect with the house sewer at a point
two feet outside of the outer front vault or area wall of the building.
An arched or other proper opening must be provided for the drain in the
wall to prevent damage by settlement.
No steam-exhaust, boiler blow-off or drip-pipe shall be connected with
the house-drain. Such pipes must first discharge into a proper
condensing tank, and from this a proper outlet to the house sewer
outside of the building must be provided. In low pressure steam systems
the condensing tank may be omitted, but the waste connections must be
otherwise as above required.
SOIL AND WASTE LINES
All main, soil, waste or vent pipes must be of iron, steel or brass.
Soil and waste pipes must have proper Y or TY branches for all fixture
connections.
The diameters of soil and waste pipes must not be less than those given
in the following table:
Main soil stacks 4″
Main waste stacks 2″
Branch wastes for slop sinks 3″
Branch waste for kitchen sinks 2″
VENT PIPES
All vent pipe lines and main branches must be of iron, steel or brass.
They must be increased in diameter and extended above the roof as
required for waste-pipes. They may be connected with the adjoining soil
or waste line well above the highest fixture, but this will not be
permitted when there are fixtures on more than six floors.
Branch vent pipes shall be kept above the top of all connecting
fixtures, so as to prevent the use of vent pipes as soil pipes or
waste-pipes. Branch vent pipes should be connected not less than six
inches nor more than two feet from crown of trap or side of lead bend.
No form of trap will be permitted to be used unless it has been approved
by the Superintendent of Buildings or the Board of Standards and
Appeals.
No anti-siphon trap or deep-seal siphon-jet fixture shall be approved
until it has successfully passed such test as may be prescribed by the
Board of Standards and Appeals.
A set of not more than three wash trays may connect with a single trap,
or onto the trap of an adjoining sink, provided both sink and tub waste
outlets are on the same side of the waste line, and the sink is nearest
the line. When so connected, the waste-pipe from the washtrays must be
branched in below the water-seal.
The sizes for traps must not be less than those given in the following
table:
Traps for slop sinks 3″ in diameter
Traps for kitchen sinks 2″ in diameter
Traps for wash-trays 2″ in diameter
Now, of course, all the foregoing relates to the whole house as well as
to the kitchen. But, as the kitchen sanitary conditions depend upon the
same regimen, the foregoing is a basis for kitchen usage.
The kitchen is mainly concerned with the water supply and water waste,
which is the result of cooking, washing, cleaning, and storage
(refrigerator).
SINKS AND CONNECTIONS
The entry of water to the kitchen is effective through faucets, for the
most part, in some sort of a sink. What then should these sinks be, and
what should be the nature of their connections? For the most part, the
building law will take care of the connections, but you should see to it
that the traps are below the sinks and are in plain sight, and that the
materials used, for your own good, should not only be within the law,
but a little above it. Another thing you must remember, in ordering
sinks, is that they should be smooth, in one piece if possible, having a
seamless interior, non-absorbent, non-rusting, and with a certain amount
of elasticity, so that when hit by sharp and heavy utensils, neither the
utensil nor the sink is cracked or injured by the impact.
The materials to be used in the making of sinks are tin, wood,
soap-stone, galvanized iron, slate, copper, enamel, enamel over iron, a
porcelain-like material over metal, and solid porcelain. Stone and slate
are poor because they are too absorbent. Wood is bad for the same
reason. Tin rusts, copper is difficult to keep clean and is rarely used
for anything but pantry sinks. Enamel over iron is excellent, porcelain
over iron is better, solid porcelain is regal but has the disadvantage
of having so little resiliency that dishes are apt to break when coming
too effectively in contact with it. This is often obviated in the pantry
by enclosing the pantry sink in a wooden casing. The surface of good
porcelain over metal will not scratch.
SECOND GRADES
Solid porcelain sinks are all made from the same material, yet the
action of fire affects some differently from others. For instance, a
workman may fail to work out of the wet mould a bit of air in the clay,
and when this piece is fired in the kiln the air condenses and bursts
out and the result is a slight streak; or a bit of copper may get into
the clay causing a green stain on the piece. When such things occur, it
does not alter the value of the sink, but the high grade manufacturer
marks these “second grade.” This is well for you to know as it really
does not effect the lasting qualities and probably the initial cost is
lower. The shallower a sink is the easier, of course, it is to take care
of.
The general run of sinks has the metal base with a porcelain-like
covering, as they are elastic and are kind to falling china. However,
you cannot go wrong in buying any of the enameled, or porcelain over
iron, or the solid porcelain, bought from the well-equipped, long
established manufacturies. There is one firm which makes a superb solid
porcelain sink in thirteen varieties, including two vitreous (porcelain
over metal) slop sinks. When you think of one firm making so many
varieties, and a few other firms making almost as many, it soon becomes
necessary for the domiologists to know what to tell a plumber to
install, before the masculine mind installs something for which you will
have little use. Of course, it depends first on what the sink is to be
used for. In large kitchens, the pot sink, vegetable sink, and slop sink
are used, sometimes two of some of these varieties. In the medium
kitchen, the pot sink and one of the others. In the small kitchen, just
the ordinary pot sink is used.
Do not buy an all-roll sink; that is, a sink with a curved rim and no
back, unless your kitchen has a tiled wall. Why? Because your wall will
be splashed to the destruction point.
Very commodious sinks measure 5′ 2″ over-all, back 9″ high, wall to
front, 26¹⁄₂″. This size sink is often in two divisions, one for
washing, and one for rinsing, and has integral drain boards (of self
material as part of the sink). If the integral drain board is not of
wood or metal, it can be rendered kindlier to china by a rubber mat.
Some sinks have a 5′2″ back, some just have a porcelain back behind the
faucets.
A small sink a little over 3′ can be had with or without integral drain
boards on either side, and a vent at the right end, so as not to
interfere with the dishes.
Speaking of drain boards, it is very often expedient to have them hinged
to the wall, or so attached to the sink that they can be let down and
out of the way.
PATENTED MATERIALS
Sinks of patented materials, with trade names, which are often metals
with a porcelain-like covering, also come in many sizes and in many
designs, and are, as inferred above, quite as valuable in usefulness and
beauty as solid porcelain, with one exception, of course, that under
some remote circumstance a chipping off of the material may occur. But
the makers of solid porcelain sinks make a metal-coated slop sink where
an extra heavy thudding, by pails and cleaning instruments, is apt to
occur. This precaution speaks for itself. The solid porcelain certainly
gives you a feeling that you have the best, yet some of the greatest
houses in the country use the other types of sinks.
Although we have touched upon the subject of drain boards, there are few
more words to say about them.
The sink with a double drain board is, of course, the most convenient,
but this is not always possible. They are made of metal, such as copper
and zinc, and also of wood, either oak or ash, preferably ground ash,
hard enough to prevent absorption. Sometimes they are of metal over
wood. The porcelain drain board is easiest of all to clean, requiring
only a moist cloth passed over the porcelain or metal under porcelain,
while the others need scouring and scraping. The grooves in any of these
boards must not be so deep as to require digging to remove lost
particles. Most pantry sinks have the wooden drain boards and the wooden
enclosed solid porcelain sinks, just to save breakage. “Boards,” of
course, should always be slightly tilted toward the sink.
It is wiser to have sinks 36″ high, or have them on adjustable
standards.
If 36″ happens to be too high, a long wooden step can be provided. It is
better to step up than to form a crick in one’s back.
However, any plumber will alter the standards, no matter what sink you
buy. Sinks are purchasable with from one to four standards, depending
upon what space in the kitchen is to harbor said sink.
The standards of sinks are made of glass, brass, nickle plate, or
porcelain, or a porcelain coating over metal. Some of these standards
are supplied with adjustable bracelets, making it possible to raise and
lower the sink to desired levels. The nickle standard is very
desirable, as is the brass, but they require cleaning and polishing. The
glass and porcelain families need just to be rubbed down with a moist
cloth.
Slop sinks are made to set lower than other sinks in order to obviate
lifting up heavy pails of water, etc.
OUTLETS
The question of outlets in the sink is simple. The outlet should not be
perforated so minutely as to prevent rapid exit of the water, and yet
the holes must not be large enough to permit foreign matter to clog the
pipes of the plumbing system. Very often it is wise to have a wire net
over the outlet. Some sinks are equipped with stoppers and with
cylindrical outlets familiar in wash basins and bath tubs. In these
sinks the water is kept in until it is time to release it, obviating the
necessity of wash basins. Sunken outlets are a nuisance to keep clean.
FAUCETS
Faucets are usually of metal, and high priced ones are of enamel. Some
sinks have two sets of faucets, two in each set. Some have a higher
faucet, a goose neck pattern, for filling carafes. The metal faucets are
generally brass and nickel plated. Brass corrodes and is hard to keep
clean. The nickel are very satisfactory but cost more. The enamel are
quite ideal because the polishing is absolutely obviated. In this case
it is a toss-up to the purchaser what it is best to save--time or money.
Then there is the pressure faucet--the one which has to be held in order
to get water out of it. These are quite hateful and ought never to be
used unless the water price is almost prohibitive. Sometimes a foot
pressure faucet is used in order that the worker may have his hands free
for work. A new faucet which can be swung into different positions is to
be had on the new pantry sinks.
If the water pressure is extraordinarily high, try to get faucets on
your sink with air chambers to take care of this extra pressure. And
try, above all things, to buy faucets that emit a flow of water which
does not splash the worker.
Unless you are a skilled mechanic, don’t try even to put a new washer in
your faucet to stop a leak. Because, unless you are skilled, you may
forget to shut the stop-cock which cuts off the sink from the main water
supply, which may be under the sink or in the cellar.
And to prevent a woeful catastrophe, don’t forget, if you leave your
house unheated in the winter, to turn off the water in the cellar.
FILTERS
The question of filters, (See Chapter XXXII, Polishing The Water Supply)
which are attached to faucets, is full of danger, as there are only a
few good ones on the market, and those that are good can be rendered,
through careless handling, much more of a menace than the ordinary water
supplied to you. The porcelain-like candle type is one of the best but
not absolutely fool-proof. The water sifts and filters through this
porcelain candle. If this is sent away to be thoroughly baked, at
regular intervals, according to the manufacturer’s description, it is
useful; but, when this is not done, the filter becomes a breeding place
for germs. Therefore, all things being unequal, boiled water is the
safest insurance against germs.
As for the refrigerator’s (See Chapter XI Refrigerators) rôle, in the
plumbing of the kitchen: this is, of course, very important and very
simple. It is necessary to keep noxious gases from the stored food. If
possible, have a connection through the floor with the trap and pan in
the cellar. If this is impossible, have a trap and pan under the
refrigerator which can be often emptied. It is, of course, convenient to
have the ice box filled from the outside of the house rather than have
the ice dragged through the kitchen.
These are some excerpts from the plumbing code:
SAFE AND REFRIGERATOR WASTE-PIPES
Safe and refrigerator waste-pipes must be of galvanized iron, and be not
less than 1¹⁄₄″ in diameter nor larger than 1¹⁄₂″ in diameter with pipe
branches at least 1″ in diameter with strainers over each inlet.
Safe and refrigerator waste-pipes shall not be trapped. They must
discharge over a properly water-supplied, trapped sink, with trap vented
unless an approved anti-siphon trap is installed in the manner specified
in Rule 91, such sink to be publicly placed, and not more than 4′ above
the floor. In no case shall any refrigerator or safe waste-pipe
discharge over a sink be located in a room used for living purposes.
The branches on vertical lines must be made by Y or TY fittings and
carried up to the safe with as much pitch as possible.
Where there is an offset on a refrigerator waste-pipe in the cellar,
there must be cleanouts to control the horizontal parts of the pipe.
In all lodgings and tenement houses the safe and refrigerator
waste-pipes must extend above the roof.
HOMILIES
When I started to write this article I thought I would give specific
plumbing rules, but the buying of fixtures is really all that is
necessary for the housewife to know, as all first class plumbers know
the rules of the code. So the best plan to adopt is to use the best
plumber. Even if he be expensive, he will save your money in the end.
And remember, always use one in your vicinity for, if you do not, you
will be very unpopular, as you will know when some dire emergency
emerges!
If your pipes freeze in the winter, warm cloths until the plumber comes
is the best remedy.
If you build in a remote district, have your water tested by an expert
on the spot, so that he can examine not only the water, but the source
of its supply, and help you in settling where to build your well or
pump, and where the cistern should go, etc., etc.
After a new installation of plumbing is made, there is applied always a
test like the peppermint smoke test, etc., to see if there are any leaks
in the pipes. This is also accounted for in the plumbing code.
Although not quite technically a plumbing fixture, there is a
ventilating, self-cooled motor propellor fan, which is being put up in
kitchens, to keep the kitchen cool in summer, and to remove traces of
excessive heat, steam smoke, and objectionable odors.