Plumbing

By the same author

PLUMBING ENCYCLOPAEDIAFourth Edition

Includes over 1500 entries and 400 illustrations describing terms, components, working practices etc.

used in the mechanical services industry, particularly in the field of plumbing. The latest edition includes over 200

new or revised entries.

526 pages Paperback ISBN 978-1-4051-0613-9

GAS INSTALLATION TECHNOLOGY

Covering domestic, commercial and LPG, the book provides essential information in a concise, readable

format, heavily illustrated with diagrams and photographs.

464 pages Paperback ISBN 978-1-4051-1880-4

To obtain a copy, order from your local bookshop quoting the title and ISBN or visit our website: www.blackwellpublishing.com

PLUMBING4th Edition

R. D. TreloarColchester Institute

A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Publication

This edition first published 2012© 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Wiley-Blackwell is an imprint of John Wiley & Sons, formed by the merger of Wiley’s global Scientific, Technical and Medical business with Blackwell Publishing.

Registered office:John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK

Editorial offices:9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UKThe Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK2121 State Avenue, Ames, Iowa 50014-8300, USA

For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services and for information about how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell.

The right of the author to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Extracts from British Standards are reproduced with the permission of BSI. Complete copies can be obtained by post from BSI Customer Services, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataTreloar, Roy. Plumbing / R.D. Treloar. – 4th ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4051-8959-0 (pbk.)1. Plumbing–Great Britain–Examinations–Study guides. 2. Plumbing–Problems, exercises, etc. 3. Plumbers–Certification–Great Britain. I. Title. TH6123.T74 2011 696'.1–dc23 2011035002

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This book is published in the following electronic formats: ePDF 9781444398908; ePub 9781444398915; Mobi 9781444398922

Set in 10/12 pt Sabon by Toppan Best-set Premedia Limited

1 2012

Contents

vC

ontents

Introduction xList of Abbreviations xiAcknowledgements xiiA Qualification in Plumbing xiiiWorkplace Evidence for NVQ Achievement xiv

Part 1 Key Principles, Safety and Common Plumbing Processes 1ThePlumbingIndustry 2CustomerRelationsandCommunicationSkills 4FunctionalSkills 6EmploymentRightsandResponsibilities 8EffectiveWorkingRelationships 10HealthandSafetyLegislation 12SafeWorkingPractices 14PersonalProtectiveEquipment 16SafetySigns 18ControlofSubstancesHazardoustoHealth 20AccessEquipmentandWorkingatHeights 22SafeWorkingwithHandToolsandMachinery 24FireSafety 26RegulationsGoverningPlumbingWork 28IdentificationofPipework 30TheInternationalMetricSystem 32Areas,VolumesandCapacities 34Mass,Weight,Force,PressureandDensity 36WaterPressure 38PhysicalPropertiesofMaterials 40HeatanditsEffects 42Corrosion 44Plumbers’ToolKit 46SpecialistHandToolsforPipework 48SpecialistHandToolsforSheetwork 50PlasticPipeandFittings 52LowCarbonSteelPipeandFittings 54CopperPipeandFittings 56LowCarbonSteelPipeBending 58CopperPipeBending 60PipeBendingUsingHeat 62Soldering 64WeldingEquipmentandSafety 66

Contents

Contents

vi

WeldingProcesses 68BronzeWelding 70LeadWelding(LeadBurning) 72In-LineValves 74TerminalValves 76Float-operatedValves 78

Part 2 Hot and Cold Water Supplies 81ClassificationofWater 82ColdWatertotheConsumer 84BackflowPrevention 86AssessingWaterEfficiencyinNewDwellings 88ColdWaterSystems 90ColdWaterStorage 92WaterTreatment 94BoostedWaterSupplies 96Fire-fightingSystems 98DomesticSprinklerSystems 100HotWaterSystems(DesignConsiderations) 102DirectHotWaterSupply(Centralised) 104IndirectHotWaterSupply 106UnventedDomesticHotWaterSupply 108HotDistributionPipework 110HeatRecoveryPeriod 112InstantaneousDomesticHotWaterSupplies(Centralised) 114LocalisedHotWaterHeaters 116ConnectionstoHotandColdPipework 118InstallationofPipework1 120InstallationofPipework2 122SizingofHotandColdPipework 124NoiseTransmissioninPipework 128CommissioningofHotandColdSupplies 130DisinfectionofHotandColdWaterSystems 132MaintenanceandServicingSchedule 134

Part 3 Central Heating 137DomesticCentralHeating 138WetCentralHeatingSystems 140CentralHeatingComponents1 142CentralHeatingComponents2 144HeatingControls 146FullyPumpedSystem 148Sealed(Closed)Systems 150Boilers 152CombinationBoiler(Combi) 154HighEfficiencyorCondensingBoiler 156

Contents

vii

DomesticHeatingandtheBuildingRegulations 158DomesticBoilersRequirements 160CentralHeatingSystemProtection 162AdvancedCentralHeatingControl 164RadiatorandBoilerSizing 166WholeHouseBoilerSizingMethod 170PipeandPumpSizing 172RadiantHeating 176UnderfloorCentralHeatingSizing 178WarmAirHeating 180CommissioningofWetCentralHeatingSystems 182

Part 4 Gas Supplies 185PropertiesandCombustionofNaturalGas 186TheLawRelatingtoGasInstallationWork 188GasSupplytotheConsumer 190SizingofDomesticGasPipework 192DomesticTightnessTestingandPurging 196PressureandFlow 198GasControls1 200GasControls2 202FlameSupervisionDevices(FlameFailureDevices) 204OpenFluedAppliances(ConventionalFlue) 206TerminalLocationforOpenFlues 208MaterialsandConstructionofOpenFlues 210InstallationofGasFires 212InstallationofGasCookers 214RoomSealedAppliances1(BalancedFlue) 216RoomSealedAppliances2 218VentilationRequirementsupto70kWNetInput 220OtherFlueingSystems 222LiquefiedPetroleumGasInstallations1 224LiquefiedPetroleumGasInstallations2 226CombustionAnalysis 228FlueEfficiencyinGasAppliances 230CommissioningofGasInstallations 232MaintenanceandServicing 234CarbonMonoxideDetection 236UnsafeGasInstallations 238

Part 5 Oil Supplies 241PropertiesandCombustionofFuelOils 242OilStorage 244OilFeedPipework 246ControlsUsedonOilFeedPipework 248PressureJetBurners1 250

Contents

viii

PressureJetBurners2 252PressureJetBurners3 254OpenFluedAppliances 256RoomSealedAppliances 258VaporisingBurners 260CombustionEfficiencyTesting 262CommissioningandFaultDiagnosis 264

Part 6 Electrical Work 267BasicElectricalTheory 268ElectricalCurrent 270ElectricalSupply 272ElectricalSafety 274EarthContinuity 276DomesticHouseWiring1 278DomesticHouseWiring2 280InstallationPractices 282ElectricalComponents1 284ElectricalComponents2 286CentralHeatingWiringSystems 288InspectionandTestingofElectricalWork 290

Part 7 Sanitation 293SanitaryAccommodation 294SanitaryAppliances1 296SanitaryAppliances2 298FlushingCisterns1 300FlushingCisterns2 302WastePipeConnections 304SanitaryPipework 306PrimaryVentilatedStackSystem 308VentilationofSanitaryPipework 310TrapSealLoss 312MechanicalDisposalUnits 314SizingofSanitaryPipework 316TestingofSanitaryPipework 318MaintenanceandPeriodicInspection 320

Part 8 Drainage 323BelowGroundDrainage 324ProtectionofPipework 326GulliesandTraps 328ProvisionforAccess 330ConnectionstoExistingSystems 332DeterminingDrainageLevels 334SizingofDrainagePipework 336

Contents

ix

EavesGuttering 338RainwaterPipes 340Soakaways,CesspoolsandSepticTanks 342SoundnessTestingofDrainageSystems 344

Part 9 Sheet Weathering 347LeadSheet 348LeadBossing 350SheetFixing 352LeadRoofCoveringsandWallCladding 354ExpansionJointsforLeadRoofs 356AbutmentFlashingsinLead 358ChimneyFlashingsinLead 360LeadSlatesandPitchedValleyGutters 362GutterLinings 364DormerWindows 366

Part 10 Energy Conservation & Sustainability 369EnvironmentalAwareness 370EnergyEfficiencyinDomesticDwellings 372RenewableEnergy 374EnergyCosts&PaybackPeriod 376SolarEnergy 378SolarHotWaterHeatingSystems1 380SolarHotWaterHeatingSystems2 382SolarPower 384TheHeatPump 386InstallationofaHeatPump 388Biomass 390Biomass/WoodBurners1 392Biomass/WoodBurners2 394Wind&MicroHydro(Water)Power 396CombinedHeat&Power(CHP) 398RainwaterHarvesting1 400RainwaterHarvesting2(SystemDesign) 402GreyWaterRecovery 404

Part 11 Assessing Your Knowledge 407AssessingYourKnowledge 408SelfAssessment 409SupplementaryAssessment 424ProblemSolving 464AnswerstoProblems1–10 474AnswerstoMultipleChoiceQuestions 476

Index 477

x

Introduction

Introduction

In order to further assist your studies, the following website should be visited (www.blackwellpublishing.com/treloar), where the answers to the supplementary questions given on pages 424–463 will be found.

Special note to trainers and lecturersTo facilitate your delivery of the subject, all of the illustrations and photos found within this book can be accessed at the above website for your use in the classroom.

This book is designed to provide easily accessible information on a wide range of subjects relating to Mechanical Engineering Services. For the purpose of simplifica-tion, I have used the words plumber/plumbing when relating to the various aspects of work in the MES industry, to include job titles such as heating engineer, sanita-tion engineer, gas installer, sheet lead worker, etc. Few books could possibly hope to have all the answers to questions relating to plumbing skills; I have, however, endeavoured to cover as many topics as possible in the hope that the book will be a source of useful information both for the student with no knowledge of the subject, and for the trained plumber seeking guidance in particular areas of study. This new edition includes a whole new chapter on energy conservation. Some of the topics covered are beyond the scope of the plumber; however, in order to grasp the whole concept of renewable fuels and this aspect of plumbing works I have included an outline of several future technologies.

The book covers topics found in the technical certificates and NVQs/SNVQs at levels 2 and 3 which are currently standard for plumbers in the UK; additional skills are identified which no respectable plumber can afford to ignore.

The book is in eleven parts. Parts 1 to 10 offer a programme of training and information while Part 11 is designed to allow you to assess your level of knowledge. There are sections for self- and supplementary assessments and a few typical plumb-ing problems.

Broadly speaking, the subject matter dealt with in the supplementary assessment questions is introduced in the same order as the subject matter of the book itself; hence these sections can be used as self-learning packages.

Further useful information can be found in the preliminary pages which follow. The nature of the NVQ is, for example, identified, as is a guide showing how to complete the scheme.

In addition to the new chapter in relation to energy conservation, this new edition also considers the changes to the Building Regulations to include approved docu-ments: Part F – Ventilation; Part G – Sanitation, hot water safety and water effi-ciency; Part H – Drainage and waste disposal; Part L – Conservation of fuel and power; and Part P – Electrical safety.

xiList of A

bbreviations

List of Abbreviations

a.c. alternatingcurrentBS BritishStandardBSP BritishStandardpipeBtu Britishthermalunitc.h. centralheatingcpc circuitprotectiveconductord.c. directcurrentdhw domestichotwaterdoc drainoffcockdpc dampproofcoursedpm dampproofmembraneemf electromotiveforcef&e feedandexpansionf&r flowandreturnf.w.g. foulwatergullyGRP glass-reinforcedplasticHSE Health&SafetyExecutiveHT hightensioni.d. insidediameterIET InstitutionofEngineeringandTechnologyIGEM InstitutionofGasEngineersandManagersLCD liquidcrystaldisplayLDF leakdetectionfluidLPG liquefiedpetroleumgasMCB miniaturecircuitbreakerMES MechanicalEngineeringServiceso.d. outsidediameterPa pascal(unitofpressure)PAS ProductAssessmentSpecificationPE polyethylenePTFE polytetrafluoroethylenePVC polyvinylchlorideRCD residualcurrentdeviceRIDDOR ReportingofInjuries,DiseasesandDangerousOccurrences

Regulationsr.w.p. rainwaterpipes.v.p. soilventpipeTRV thermostaticradiatorvalvewg watergauge

Acknow

ledgements

xii

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following organisations for permission to use extracts from their material:

British Standards Institution389 Chiswick High Road, London. W4 4AL.Telephone: 020 8996 9000

Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering64 Station Lane, Hornchurch, Essex. RM12 6NB.Telephone: 01708 472791

Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers222 Balham High Rd, Balham, London. SW12 9BS.Telephone: 020 8675 5211

Energy Saving Trust21 Dartmouth Street, London. SW1H 9BP.Telephone: 020 7222 0101

I would also like to thank the following organisations and companies for permission to reproduce photographs:

Green roof: Green Roof Consultancy Ltd (livingroofs.org), by bere:architects

Images of wood chips, pellets etc: Euroheat Natural Energy Company

Biomass plant in Wales: Aalborg Energie Technik (AET)

PV cells on roof: EvoEnergy

Radiant tubes on roof: Sky Flair Ltd

Wave generator: Pelamis Wave Power

Wind turbine: RenewableUK

A Q

ualification in Plum

bingxiii

A Qualification in Plumbing

The current starting point to help the learner progress as a plumber is to obtain the NVQ Diploma in Plumbing & Domestic Heating. This is achieved by the individual obtaining employment, ideally through an apprenticeship where they attend a college or training centre, typically for one day a week.

The National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)The NVQ Diploma is a competency-based scheme, where there is a requirement to undertake some compulsory specific tasks within the workplace, thereby demon-strating that the individual has carried out certain specific tasks themselves under real working conditions. The NVQ has two levels, being Level 2 and Level 3.

At Level 2 the learner learns basic skills to include: Effective Working Relation-ships; Safety; Functional Skills; Key Principles; Common Plumbing processes; Hot & Cold water supplies; Sanitation & Drainage; Central Heating pipe work; and Environmental Awareness. In addition the candidate may choose to study two additional units to include sheet weathering and Warm air heating.

At Level 3 the above skill base is developed to include a greater understanding and in-depth study, fault diagnosis and maintenance. At Level 3 the learner also has to choose one of the following four options: Gas; Oil; Solid Fuel or Environmental Technologies.

Additional qualificationsWhere a trainee is enrolled onto an apprenticeship programme there is also a requirement to undertake the following mandatory subjects:

Functional Skills (unless the trainee has already achieved a good GCSE grade [A–C] within the last 5 years)

Employment Rights and Responsibilities.

TimescalesThe length of the apprenticeship is approximately 4 years. It is not time-serving and is completed only when the apprentice has achieved the specific outcomes. Appren-tices will have individual learning plans drawn up at the start of their programme to identify specific goals with agreed and anticipated achievement dates. These plans are reviewed on a quarterly basis, thereby reviewing the progress and setting new targets.

Whilst at college the candidate will be continually monitored as to their ability and will undertake numerous theoretical phase tests and be judged against practical competencies set by the lead body; plus, in addition, there is a requirement to achieve workplace evidence as identified over.