PASSED BY:

TROY CHRISTIAN S. MALLARI

PASSED TO:
AR. EVANGELINE MATERNAL ,UAP

RESEARCH IN BUILDING
UTILITIES 1
PLUMBING AND SANITARY SYSTEMS
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

What is plumbing?

Plumbing is any system that conveys fluids for a wide range of applications. Plumbing
uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey
fluids.Heating and cooling (HVAC), waste removal, and potable water delivery are
among the most common uses for plumbing, but it is not limited to these
applications. The word derives from the Latin for lead, plumbum, as the first effective
pipes used in the Roman era were lead pipes.

In the developed world, plumbing infrastructure is critical to public health and

sanitation.

Boilermakers and pipefitters are not plumbers although they work with piping as part of
their trade and their work can include some plumbing.

History of plumbing

Plumbing originated during ancient civilizations (such as the Greek, Roman, Persian,
Indian, and Chinese cities) as they developed public baths and needed to
provide potable water and wastewater removal for larger numbers of
people. Standardized earthen plumbing pipes with broad flanges making use
of asphalt for preventing leakages appeared in the urban settlements of the Indus Valley
Civilization by 2700 BC. The Romans used lead pipe inscriptions to prevent water theft.
The word "plumber" dates from the Roman Empire.[8] The Latin for lead is plumbum.
Roman roofs used lead in conduits and drain pipes[9] and some were also covered with
lead. Lead was also used for piping and for making baths.[10]

Plumbing reached its early apex in ancient Rome, which saw the introduction of
expansive systems of aqueducts, tile wastewater removal, and widespread use of lead
pipes. With the Fall of Rome both water supply and sanitation stagnated—or
[Date]

regressed—for well over 1,000 years. Improvement was very slow, with little effective

1
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

progress made until the growth of modern densely populated cities in the 1800s. During
this period, public health authorities began pressing for better waste disposal systems to
be installed, to prevent or control epidemics of disease. Earlier, the waste disposal
system had consisted of collecting waste and dumping it on the ground or into a river.
Eventually the development of separate, underground water and sewage systems
eliminated open sewage ditches and cesspools.

Most large cities today pipe solid wastes to sewage treatment plants in order to
separate and partially purify the water, before emptying into streams or other bodies of
water. For potable water use, galvanized iron piping was commonplace in the United
States from the late 1800s until around 1960. After that period, copper piping took over,
first soft copper with flared fittings, then with rigid copper tubing utilizing soldered
fittings.

The use of lead for potable water declined sharply after World War II because of
increased awareness of the dangers of lead poisoning. At this time, copper piping was
introduced as a better and safer alternative to lead pipes.

History of plumbing timeline

The history of plumbing is extremely long and didn't always involve indoor
plumbing. While we often take modern indoor plumbing for granted, it hasn't always
been so convenient. So, when was indoor plumbing invented? The most important
advancements in plumbing history occurred over several millenniums to contribute to
what we now have as our modern day plumbing.

4000 - 3000 B.C.

[Date]

2
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

Archaeologists discovered the first water pipes in the Indus River in India, dating back
to 4000-3000 B.C. Egyptian ruler Menes also supported a thriving civilization by
constructing canals, irrigation ditches, and basins.

2500 B.C.

Egyptians developed copper pipes in order to build sophisticated bathrooms with

irrigation and sewage systems inside pyramids. Believing the dead required food,
clothing and other such essentials in the afterlife, Egyptians installed bathrooms in
tombs as well. Around this time, sitting toilets appear in the Harappa civilization (now
India), although it is not known exactly who invented the toilet.

1500 - 1000 B.C.

Under the reign of King Minos, the people of Crete created elaborate sewage disposal
and drainage systems with underground channels. During the same period, the first
flushing toilet was invented, complete with a wooden seat. Archeologists have also
discovered a bathtub resembling cast-iron ones from the late 19th century in America.

710 B.C.

Sargon the Great, Assyrian king, invented the first shower by having slaves on ladders
pour water over him while he bathed.

500 B.C. - 455 A.D.

The Roman Empire developed complex ancient plumbing systems along with
aqueducts, underground sewers, public baths, bronze and lead piping systems, and even
marble fixtures. Around 52 A.D., Rome boasted an estimated 220 miles of aqueducts,
pipes and water channels used to supply baths, homes and public wells. The water
channels were powered by gravity and carried 300 gallons of fresh water for Rome's
citizens.
[Date]

1596 A.D.

3
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

Sir John Harrington, godson of Queen Elizabeth I, designed the first flushing toilet for
his godmother -- first used in the Richmond Palace. He also created a flushing water
closet for himself at his home. The contraption included a seat, a bowl, and a water
cistern behind the seat.

1644 A.D.

King Louis XIV of France ordered the construction of a cast-iron main plumbing line.
The line carried water approximately 15 miles from a plumbing station to the palace
fountains as well as surrounding areas.

1775 A.D.

The prototype for the modern toilet was first developed by Scottish inventor Alexander
Cummings. Sir John Harrington’s water closet was able to flush, but it did not have a
water trap. Cummings’ prototype included an S trap (which was a sliding valve between
the bowl and the trap) that allowed some water to stay in the bowl. As a result, the
water no longer smelled like sewage, and the bowl could be easily cleaned after every
use.

1804 A.D.

Philadelphia was the first city that switched entirely to cast iron pipes to create their
new system of water delivery.

1810 A.D.
[Date]

4
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

The English Regency shower was first introduced in 1810 A.D. The water is plumbed
through a nozzle and then sprayed at shoulder level. The water was then collected and
pumped through the shower again.

1829 A.D.

Tremont Hotel of Boston was the first hotel of its kind to feature indoor plumbing for
guests. Eight water closets were built by Isaiah Rogers. Until 1840, indoor water closets
were commonly found in the homes of the rich and luxury hotels. Soon, soap was
introduced during bathing and catches on for hygiene purposes.

1833 A.D.

The White House was first plumbed with running water on the main floor. Upstairs
plumbing was later introduced when President Franklin Pierce was in office.

1885 A.D.

Chicago was the first city in the country to have a comprehensive sewer system.

1891 A.D.

Thomas Crapper patented his valve-and-siphon design, updating the modern toilet in
the process. His work revolutionized the modern concept of plumbing.

1904 A.D.

John C. Flood was first founded in Washington, D.C. in 1904. The company started
serving Northern Virginia and Maryland as it grew.
[Date]

5
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

1910 A.D.

The elevated water tank became the most contemporary closed toilet water tank and
bowl that most people have in their bathrooms today.

1966 A.D.

Due to a shortage of copper after wartime requirements, non-metallic, and plastic

piping systems were first introduced for toilets.

1986 A.D.

The first sensor-flushing toilets were introduced in Japan.

2003 A.D.

The International Code Council (ICC) was formed through the union of three model
building code agencies. This Council helps to ensure that all future developments and
endeavors follow a strictly enforced code and standard in all their projects.

Systems

The major categories of plumbing systems or subsystems are:

[Date]

 potable cold and hot tap water supply

6
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

 plumbing drainage venting

 sewage systems and septic systems with or without hot water heat recycling and
graywater recovery and treatment systems
 Rainwater, surface, and subsurface water drainage

fuel gas piping

 hydronic, i.e. heating and cooling systems utilizing water to transport thermal
energy, as in district heating systems, like for example the New York City steam
system.

Difference between pipes and tubes

The difference between pipes and tubes is a matter of sizing. For instance, PVC pipe for
plumbing applications and galvanized steel pipe are measured in iron pipe size (IPS).
Copper tube, CPVC, PeX and other tubing is measured nominally, basically an average
diameter. These sizing schemes allow for universal adaptation of transitional fittings. For
instance, 1/2" PeX tubing is the same size as 1/2" copper tubing. 1/2" PVC on the other
hand is not the same size as 1/2" tubing, and therefore requires either a threaded male
or female adapter to connect them. When used in agricultural irrigation, the singular form
"pipe" is often used as a plural.

Pipe is available in rigid joints, which come in various lengths depending on the material.
Tubing, in particular copper, comes in rigid hard tempered joints or soft tempered
(annealed) rolls. PeX and CPVC tubing also comes in rigid joints or flexible rolls. The
temper of the copper, whether it is a rigid joint or flexible roll, does not affect the sizing.

The thicknesses of the water pipe and tube walls can vary. Because piping and tubing
are commodities, having a greater wall thickness implies higher initial cost. Thicker walled
pipe generally implies greater durability and higher pressure tolerances. Pipe wall
[Date]

thickness is denoted by various schedules or for large bore polyethylene pipe in the UK
7
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

by the Standard Dimension Ratio (SDR), defined as the ratio of the pipe diameter to its
wall thickness. Pipe wall thickness increases with schedule, and is available in schedules
20, 40, 80, and higher in special cases. The schedule is largely determined by the operating
pressure of the system, with higher pressures commanding greater thickness. Copper
tubing is available in four wall thicknesses: type DWV (thinnest wall; only allowed as drain
pipe per UPC), type 'M' (thin; typically, only allowed as drain pipe by IPC code), type 'L'
(thicker, standard duty for water lines and water service), and type 'K' (thickest, typically
used underground between the main and the meter).

Wall thickness does not affect pipe or tubing size. 1/2" L copper has the same outer
diameter as 1/2" K or M copper. The same applies to pipe schedules. As a result, a slight
increase in pressure losses is realized due to a decrease in flow path as wall thickness is
increased. In other words, 1 foot of 1/2" L copper has slightly less volume than 1 foot of
1/2 M copper.

Materials
Water systems of ancient times relied on gravity for the supply of water, using pipes or
channels usually made of clay, lead, bamboo, wood, or stone. Hollowed wooden logs
wrapped in steel banding were used for plumbing pipes, particularly water mains. Logs
were used for water distribution in England close to 500 years ago. US cities began using
hollowed logs in the late 1700s through the 1800s. Today, most plumbing supply pipe
is made out of steel, copper, and plastic; most waste (also known as "soil") out of steel,
copper, plastic, and cast iron.[22]

The straight sections of plumbing systems are called "pipes" or "tubes". A pipe is typically
formed via casting or welding, whereas a tube is made through extrusion. Pipe normally
has thicker walls and may be threaded or welded, while tubing is thinner-walled and
requires special joining techniques such as brazing, compression fitting, crimping, or for
plastics, solvent welding. These joining techniques are discussed in more detail in
the piping and plumbing fittings article.
[Date]

8
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

Steel

Galvanized steel potable water supply and distribution pipes are commonly found with
nominal pipe sizes from 3⁄8 inch (9.5 mm) to 2 inches (51 mm). It is rarely used today for
new construction residential plumbing. Steel pipe has National Pipe Thread (NPT)
standard tapered male threads, which connect with female tapered threads on elbows,
tees, couplers, valves, and other fittings. Galvanized steel (often known simply as "gal" or
"iron" in the plumbing trade) is relatively expensive, and difficult to work with due to
weight and requirement of a pipe threaded. It remains in common use for repair of
existing "gal" systems and to satisfy building code non-combustibility requirements
typically found in hotels, apartment buildings and other commercial applications. It is also
extremely durable and resistant to mechanical abuse. Black lacquered steel pipe is the
most widely used pipe material for fire sprinklers and natural gas.

Most typical single family home systems won't require supply piping larger than 3⁄4 inch
(19 mm) due to expense as well as steel piping's tendency to become obstructed from
internal rusting and mineral deposits forming on the inside of the pipe over time once the
internal galvanizing zinc coating has degraded. In potable water distribution service,
galvanized steel pipe has a service life of about 30 to 50 years, although it is not
uncommon for it to be less in geographic areas with corrosive water contaminants.

Concrete

Copper pipe and tubing was widely used for domestic water systems in the latter half of
the twentieth century. Demand for copper products has fallen due to the dramatic
increase in the price of copper, resulting in increased demand for alternative products
including PEX and stainless steel.

Plastic
[Date]

9
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

Plastic pipe is in wide use for domestic water supply and drain-waste-vent (DWV) pipe.
Principal types include: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was produced experimentally in the 19th
century but did not become practical to manufacture until 1926, when Waldo Sermon of
BF Goodrich Co. developed a method to plasticize PVC, making it easier to process. PVC
pipe began to be manufactured in the 1940s and was in wide use for Drain-Waste-Vent
piping during the reconstruction of Germany and Japan following WWII. In the 1950s,
plastics manufacturers in Western Europe and Japan began producing acrylonitrile
butadiene styrene (ABS) pipe. The method for producing cross-linked polyethylene (PEX)
was also developed in the 1950s. Plastic supply pipes have become increasingly common,
with a variety of materials and fittings employed.

 PVC/CPVC – rigid plastic pipes similar to PVC drain pipes but with thicker walls to
deal with municipal water pressure, introduced around 1970. PVC stands for
polyvinyl chloride, and it has become a common replacement for metal piping. PVC
should be used only for cold water, or for venting. CPVC can be used for hot and
cold potable water supply. Connections are made with primers and solvent
cements as required by code.
 PP – The material is used primarily in housewares, food packaging, and clinical
equipment, but since the early 1970s has seen increasing use worldwide for both
domestic hot and cold water. PP pipes are heat fused, being unsuitable for the use
of glues, solvents, or mechanical fittings. PP pipe is often used in green building
projects.
 PBT – flexible (usually gray or black) plastic pipe which is attached to barbed fittings
and secured in place with a copper crimp ring. The primary manufacturer of PBT
tubing and fittings was driven into bankruptcy by a class-action lawsuit over
failures of this system. [citation needed] However, PB and PBT tubing has since
returned to the market and codes, typically first for "exposed locations" such as
risers.
 PEX – cross-linked polyethylene system with mechanically joined fittings
employing barbs, and crimped steel or copper rings.
 Poly tanks – plastic polyethylene cisterns, underground water tanks, above ground
water tanks, are usually made of linear polyethylene suitable as a potable water
storage tank, provided in white, black or green.
[Date]

10
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

 Aqua – known as PEX-Al-PEX, for its PEX/aluminum sandwich, consisting of

aluminum pipe sandwiched between layers of PEX, and connected with modified
brass compression fittings. In 2005, a large number of these fittings were recalled.
[further explanation needed]

Present-day water-supply systems use a network of high-pressure pumps, and pipes in

buildings are now made of copper, brass, plastic (particularly cross-linked polyethylene
called PEX, which is estimated to be used in 60% of single-family homes, or other nontoxic
material. Due to its toxicity, most cities moved away from lead water-supply piping by the
1920s in the United States, although lead pipes were approved by national plumbing
codes into the 1980s, and lead was used in plumbing solder for drinking water until it was
banned in 1986. Drain and vent lines are made of plastic, steel, cast iron, or lead.

[Date]

11
RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

[Date]

12
RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

[Date]

13
RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

[Date]

14
RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

[Date]

15
RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

[Date]

16
RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

[Date]

17
RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

[Date]

18
RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

[Date]

19
RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

[Date]

20
 RESEARCH IN BUILDING UTILITIES 1

Reference:
https://www.johncflood.com/blog/general/history-of-plumbing-
timeline

Uniform Plumbing Code, IAPMO

International Plumbing Code, ICC

"What's the difference between PVC and CPVC pipe?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumbing

[Date]

21