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Plumbing Systems for

Buildings
ARC 473/573
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Common Plumbing Systems
Sanitary Drainage System
Storm Drainage System
Domestic Water System
Domestic Water Heating System
Plumbing Fixtures
Plumbing Specialties
Miscellaneous Plumbing Systems

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Sanitary Drainage System
Conveys Waste and Sewage from all
plumbing fixtures to an approved or
acceptable disposal location
Community sewer system
Sewage is treated, and returned to the environment
Local sewage disposal system
Septic field (See Section 11.6 MEEB)
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Drainage Pipe Materials
Commonly Used Materials
Cast Iron Pipe
Copper pipe, type DWV
Plastic pipe, type PVC
Plastic pipe, type UPVC
Plastic pipe, type PVC
Plastic pipe, type HDPE

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Components of Sanitary
Drainage Systems
A plumbing fixture is any device used to supply water for use,
and to collect waste water, waste products, as well as human
waste.
Waste and sewage drain by gravity, wherever possible.
Fixture branch horizontal drainage pipe collecting drainage
from plumbing fixtures.
Soil & Waste Stacks vertical pipe collecting discharge from
fixtures and fixture branches.
Building Drain horizontal pipe which collects all soil and waste
stacks, extends to 5 ft beyond outside wall.
piping.
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Components of Sanitary Drainage
System (Contd)
Building Sewer Extends from a point 5 ft. outside
building and discharges to community sewer, or
private disposal system.
Building trap a trap installed in the building drain to
prevent gases, rodents, etc. from entering the
building thru the sewer. When used, a fresh air inlet
is required to prevent siphoning the trap seal.
Cleanout a provision in the sanitary drainage piping
to cleanout blockages. Required every 100 ft. on
horizontal lines, at base of waste or soil stacks, at
change of direction of piping g.t. 45 degrees.
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Components of Sanitary Drainage
System (Contd)
Drainage piping conveying discharge from water
closets, referred to as soil pipe.
A sewage ejection pump is used for toilet rooms
below the level of the sanitary sewer.
Generally, two pumps are used, one to back up
the other.

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PLUMBING SYMBOLS
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Sanitary Drainage Plan for
Branch Bank
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Isometric Detail of Sanitary
Drainage Piping
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Traps and Venting
A plumbing trap is a device used to provide a
water seal at the outlet of a plumbing fixture.
Every plumbing fixture requires a trap.
The trap serves to seal out methane and other
harmful gases that reside in the sewer.
Each time the fixture is used, a small amount of
water remains in the pipe or trapway.
Traps prone to evaporation (floor drains) require a
means of replenishing the trap.
Water closets and urinals generally have built-in
traps.

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Fixture Trap and Vent
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Fixture Trap
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Venting
Lavatories, sinks, floor drains, drinking fountains generally have
traps made from pipe.
Each fixture trap must be vented to atmosphere (outdoors)
Water and waste accelerating down pipe pushes air in front,
creates partial vacuum behind tends to create unbalanced
pressure in piping.
A vent is a separate pipe connected to the fixture drain pipe
downstream of the trap.
The vent serves to relieve excess pressures that could blow out,
or suction out the water forming the trap seal.
Individual fixture vent pipes must be the diameter of the
fixture drain, and minimum 1-1/4 diameter.

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Plumbing Fixtures
Water Closet
Operates by principal of siphon
Types
Flush Tank typically for residential use
Flush Valve typically for non-residential use
Floor mounted typically for residential use
Wall mounted typically for non-residential use
Requires Fixture Carrier



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Plumbing Fixtures (Contd)
Urinals
Wall Hung
Floor (rarely used)
Lavatories
Wall Hung
Splash back (most common)
Slab
Shelf Back
Ledge Back
In Counter
Under Counter

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Maximum Flow Rates and
Consumption of Plumbing Fixtures
Water closet: 1.6 gallons/flush
Urinal: 1.0 gallons/flush
Shower head: 2.5 gpm at 80 psi
Lavatory, private: 2.2 gpm at 60 psi
Lavatory, public, non-metering: .5 gpm at 60
psi
Lavatory, public, metering: .25 gallons per
metering cycle
Sink faucet: 2.2 gpm at 60 psi.

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Flush Valve, Wall Hung Water
Closet

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Water Closet Fixture Carrier
Steel carrier bolts to
floor
Cantilevered water
closet bolts to
carrier
Josam Corporation

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Flush Valve, Floor Mounted
Water Closet
Does not require a
fixture carrier
Floor maintenance is
more difficult
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Floor Mounted, Floor Outlet,
Tank Type Water Closet
Typical Residential
Design
American Standard
Corp. Cadet
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Floor Mounted, Wall Outlet
Tank Type Water Closet

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Wall Mounted Urinal
American Standard
Lynbrook
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Wall Mounted Lavatory,
Splashback Design

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Wall Mounted Wheelchair
Lavatory Slab Design
American Standard
Wheelchair Users
Lavatory
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Lavatory Fixture Carrier
Carrier is framed
within wall.
Arms carry weight of
cantilevered lavatory
Josam Corp.
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Vitreous China Counter Sink

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Counter Sink w/ ADA Faucet
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Mop Receptor in Janitors
Closet
2x2 unit shown
Wall mounted
faucet, pail hook
and hose
Vacuum breaker
prevents backflow
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STORM DRAINAGE

Urbanization alters the natural storm water pathways
that have developed over the centuries.
Until recently, the accepted approach to storm water
disposal has been to collect storm water using
gutters, roof drains, catch basins, and convey it to a
body of water (lakes, ponds, rivers, streams) through
an underground piping system.
Various pollutants, including salts, oil, chemicals,
organic compounds, and harmful metals, are carried
by surface drainage into piped storm drains and
eventually pollute these bodies of water.

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Sources of Pollutants
Motor Vehicles
Manufacturing Plant Emissions
Lawn fertilizing
Animal waste
Garbage
Construction debris
Etc.

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Storm Drainage (Contd)
NYS DEC now requires a Storm Water Pollution
Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for any site disturbance
greater than one acre.

The storm water must be treated to filter out the
majority of harmful contaminants.

The US Green Building Councils LEED Rating System
provides credits for buildings which promote
sustainable sites, including storm water
management.

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Storm Drainage (Contd)
Use of on-site disposal methods reduces the burden on the
community storm water disposal system, and include:
Roof retention the roof acts as a temporary storage volume,
releasing the collected rainwater slowly, either as on-site
infiltration, or to storm sewers at a slower rate, thus not overtaxing
the community storm water system.
Onsite Infiltration storm water is collected and discharged to the
ground onsite.
Useful Where soils are dry and absorptive.
In buildings with basements or crawlspaces, footing drains must be
included with sump pumps to prevent water from penetrating
foundation and leaking into basement.
Porous pavement uses high porosity asphalt, concrete, incremental
paving units, and open celled pavers to allow surface drainage to
penetrate to earth on the site.

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Collection Systems

The roof is intentionally designed to drain to:
Roof drains (flat roof areas)
Gutters (sloped roofs)
Roof drains connect to roof leaders or conductors,
which are vertical pipes that ultimately connect to
underground building storm drain piping.
Gutters drain to downspouts, which are either
connected to the storm sewer, or simply drain to
splash blocks, drywells, or other onsite disposal
means.



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Collection Systems (Contd)
Gutters and downspouts in northern climates often develop ice, which
presents problems during thaw periods. Sometimes electric heating
cable is interlaced along a perimeter band of sloped roofs and gutters,
so as to keep them operating during freeze/thaw periods.
Indoor roof leaders or conductors should be insulated, so as to prevent
condensation from forming on the pipes and dripping on to interior
finish materials.
Conventional roof drains are common, which include a domed shaped
strainer to restrict entry of leaves, seeds, etc. Controlled flow roof
drains are constructed so as to moderate the flow of storm water
through them.
Some buildings with sloped roofs intentionally omit gutters. Overhangs
drain above gravel trenches, which can serve to initiate on-site
infiltration in dry soils, or drain through subsoil piping to an appropriate
location.

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Size of roof drains, gutters and
downspouts:
The magnitude of the 100 year rainfall in
the locality must first be assessed.
(Buffalo, NY 2-1/2 per hour, although
many designers use 4.)
Select practical locations for locations of roof
drains or gutters.
For flat roofs, roof insulation can be built up
and formed to provide required pitch. Roof
drain areas should be subdivided into several
small areas, as well as separate standalone
roofs, such as vestibule overhangs, etc.



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Example:

Select roof drains for a 6000 s.f. flat roof, where it is convenient to
divide the roof into four square drainage areas, in Miami, Florida
Solution:
Maximum 1 hour rainfall for Miami is 4.5-5/hr. Use 5.
The horizontal projected area per roof drain is 6000/4 =
1500 s.f.
Refer to Table 20.8, p. 899 (p. 889 10
th
ed., p. 568, 9
th

ed.)
At 5 rainfall per hour:
A 3 roof drain will drain 1288 s.f. (too small)
A 4 roof drain will drain 2768 s.f.

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Example (Contd)
Use the 4 dia. roof drains, which will afford (2768-
1288)/2768 x 100% =
53% additional capacity.
Gutters are selected in a similar way, but slope must
also be considered.
For example, if this building used a sloped roof with
the same horizontal projected area, and four
individual gutter segments were used to collect water
from the roof, a 7 dia. gutter would be required at
1/8 per foot slope; a 6 diameter gutter at per
foot slope see Table 20.7 (Table 9.7, 9
th
ed.)


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Domestic Water Systems
Potable water defined as water that is suitable for
drinking.
Requirement for potable water:
Every structure equipped with plumbing fixtures
and used for human occupancy or habitation must
provide potable water.
Water Sources
Community water supply
Water obtained from municipalities is generally
treated and safe to drink
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Domestic Water Systems (contd)
Well
Water obtained from wells must be
approved by the authority having
jurisdiction.
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Domestic Water Systems (Contd)
Generally, well water can be made
potable by on-site treatment systems.
The water is first tested to determine
the type of treatment that is required.
Types of contamination
Bacterial
Chemical
Radiological

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Materials for Piping

NYS code permits various piping materials to
be used for water service piping and water
distribution piping. Generally, the most
popular materials are:

Water Service Pipe
Type K copper tubing ASTM B75, B88, B251, B447
Cement lined ductile iron pipe AWWA C151, AWWA
C115
PVC plastic pipe ASTM D1785, D2241, D2672


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Materials for Piping (Contd)
Water Distribution Pipe
Type L, M copper tubing ASTM B75, B88, B251,
B447
Galvanized steel pipe ASTM A53
CPVC plastic pipe ASTM D2847, F441, F442, CSA
B137.6
Disinfection of piping
All new water distribution piping must be purged
of harmful matter and disinfected in accordance
with NYS Health regulations. (NYS 602.3.4)

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Components of the Water
Distribution System
Water Services
Corporation valve
A connection to the street main that is approved by the
municipal water authority, consisting of a connection or tap,
and a valve.
Curb valve
An underground valve accessible from the surface to enable
shut-off of the water service from outside of a building.
Water meter
Records water consumption for revenue billing and other
purposes.

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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Backflow preventer
Prevents water from within a building from flowing
back into the public water main, which would
otherwise contaminate the public water supply.
Types:
Double check valve
Reduced Pressure Zone
Must adhere to Health department
requirements
Heated, lighted enclosure
Cannot be located in basement or underground
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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Main Shut off valve
A means to shut off all water supply from
within a building.


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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Pressure reducing valve
Required where pressure exceeds 80 psi
High water pressures can damage plumbing
fixtures, cause leaks
Water distribution piping
Types:
Upfeed
City Pressure
Pumped
Downfeed


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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Risers
Isolation Valves
Isolation valves required at each riser
Stop valves required at each plumbing
fixture

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Isometric Detail of Domestic
Water Piping for Branch Bank
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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Piping must be installed to drain to a convenient
drain valve, for repairs, winterization for unoccupied
periods.
Water hammer
Quick closing valves cause water pressure shock
waves, causing pipe noise and vibration, as well
as possible damage.
Water hammer arrestors absorb excess pressure,
and are required near all quick closing valves.
(NYS 604.9)
Protection from freezing
Avoid locating domestic water piping in exterior
walls.
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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Provisions for drainage
Pipe Insulation
Required for energy conservation for all hot water
piping.
To prevent condensation on cold water pipes.
Water Heating equipment
Types:
Direct fired heating appliance is located where
water is heated.
Most Common type used in residences
Consists of insulated storage tank, gas burner

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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Water Heaters (Contd)
Indirect fired heating appliance located separate
from where water is heated
Storage type
Water heated in separate boiler, pump
circulates hot water to heat exchanger located
in a separate storage tank.
Used where large quantities of hot water are
required at intervals, where required quantities
fluctuate, or where there is a limited amount of
available energy, e.g. schools.


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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Instantaneous type
Water is heated almost instantaneously as it
flow through tubes surrounding a coil. Used
for applications with a continuous hot water
flow demand.
Semi-instantaneous type
Small storage tank and instantaneous water heater
with control system used where there are space
restrictions for large water heating system.

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Water Heater Installation
Detail
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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Relief valves
As water temperature increases in confined
volume, pressure increases; beyond limit, tank
could rupture and cause harm/damage. A
pressure and temperature relief valve is
required on all above with storage tanks.
Provisions to prevent scalding
Hot water systems must be designed to limit
hot water temperature at plumbing fixtures
within safe temperature (110 deg F.)
Lavatories, sinks
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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Provisions to prevent scalding (contd)
Shower valves
Pressure balancing valves
Automatically compensate for
fluctuations in hot and cold water
pressures.



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Components of the Water
Distribution System (Contd)
Hot water re-circulating system
Pump generally used to continuously circulate hot
water from heater to hot water pipes supplying
most remote fixtures, to eliminate delay when hot
water faucet is first opened.
Often controlled by time clock and thermostat.
Wall hydrants, hose bibs for connecting hoses.
Vacuum breakers required to prevent backflow.


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Hot Water Recirculating
System
Provides continuous
circuit for hot water
to flow during
occupied periods of
the building.
Hot water is
instantly available at
lavatories and sinks
no waiting or
wasted water.
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Pipe Sizes
Sizes established based upon fixture unit method
Each fixture assigned a water supply fixture unit
value for hot, cold, and total consumption.
Fixture units convert to gallons per minute flow
based upon Hunters curve
Pipes sized so as to provide required pressure at
each fixture when water is flowing through them.



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Some Sustainable Design Strategies
Minimize water usage
Low Flow Fixtures
Exceed flow rates established by Energy Policy Act 1992
(>30% = LEED Credit)
Waterless urinals
Two stage flush toilets
Flow restrictors on showers
Metering faucets
Collect & store rainwater
For flush toilets/urinals
For irrigation systems
Other uses
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Sustainable Design Strategies
(contd)
Minimize energy use
Occupancy controlled hot water re-
circulating systems
High efficiency domestic water heaters
Exceed best practice values for domestic
hot water pipe insulation