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Encyclopedia > Plumbing drainage venting

A building's waste-disposal system has two parts: the drainage system and the venting system. The drainage system, also called traps and drains, comprises pipes leading from various plumbing fixtures to the building drain (indoors) and then the building sewer (outdoors). The building sewer is then connected to a municipal sanitary sewage disposal system. Where connection to a municipal sewage system is not possible, a local, private, code-approved septic system is required. Cesspools and outhouses do not meet health codes. A plumbing fixture is a device which is part of a system to deliver and drain away water, but which is also configured to enable a particular use. ... On-site septic disposal systems are common in rural areas where public sewage treatment systems do not exist. ...


The venting system, also called plumbing vents, consists of pipes leading from fixtures to the outdoors, usually via the roof. Vents provide for relief of sewer gases, admission of oxygen for aerobic sewage digestion, and maintenance of the trap water seals which prevent sewer gases from entering the building. Every fixture is required to have an internal or external trap; double trapping is prohibited by plumbing codes. With exceptions, every plumbing fixture must have an attached vent. The top of stacks must be vented too, via a stack vent. A building code is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects such as buildings and nonbuilding structures. ...


Plumbing drainage and venting systems maintain neutral air pressure in the drains, allowing flow of water and sewage down drains and through waste pipes by gravity. As such, it is critical that a downward slope be maintained throughout. In relatively rare situations, a downward slope out of a building to the sewer cannot be created, and a special collection pit and grinding lift 'sewage ejector' pump are needed. By comparison, potable water supply systems operate under pressure to distribute water up through buildings. The use of water pressure - the Captain Cook Memorial Jet in Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra. ... Water is a tasteless, odourless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is known as the universal solvent. ... Sewage is the liquid water produced by human society which typically contains washing water, laundry waste, faeces, urine and other liquid or semi-liquid wastes. ... Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. ... An electrically-driven waterworks pump near the Hengsteysee, Germany. ...


The abbreviations "DWV" (drain, waste, vent) and "SVP" (soil and vent pipe) refer to the piping and materials for a building's drainage and venting system.

Contents

Purpose

A sewer pipe is normally at neutral air pressure compared to the surrounding atmosphere. When a column of waste water flows through a pipe, it compresses air in the pipe, creating a positive pressure that must be released or it will push back on the waste stream and downstream traps' water seals. As the column of water passes, air must flow in behind the waste stream or negative pressure (suction) results. The extent of these pressure fluctuations is determined by the fluid volume of the waste discharge. Image of a sewer pipe // Function Sewers transport wastewater from buildings to treatment facilities. ... View of Jupiters active atmosphere, including the Great Red Spot. ... Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by any anthropogenic influence. ...


Excessive negative air pressure, behind a 'slug' of water that is draining, can siphon water from trap seals at plumbing fixtures. Generally, a toilet outlet has the shortest trap seal, making it most vulnerable to being emptied by induced siphonage. An empty trap can allow noxious sewer gasses to enter a building. The plumber wrench for screwing various pipes Plumbing, from the Latin for lead (plumbum), is the skilled trade of working with pipes and tubing for potable water systems and for drainage of waste. ... Toilet found in a Boeing 747 aircraft A toilet is a plumbing fixture and a disposal system primarily intended for the disposal of the bodily wastes; urine, fecal matter, vomit, semen and menses. ... Hydrogen sulfide (hydrogen sulphide in British English), H2S, is a colorless, toxic, flammable gas that is responsible for the foul odor of rotten eggs. ...


On the other hand, if the air pressure within the drain becomes suddenly higher than ambient, this positive transient could cause waste water to be pushed into the fixture, breaking the trap seal, with dire hygiene and health consequences if too forceful. 'Tall buildings', of typically three or more stories, are particularly susceptible to this problem. Vent stacks are put in parallel to waste stacks to allow proper venting in tall buildings. Hygiene is commonly understood as preventing infection through cleanliness. ... While determining the worlds tallest structure has generally been straightforward, the questions of what is the worlds tallest building or the worlds tallest tower have often been controversial, both because of disputes over what should be counted as a building or a tower, and further disputes over...


As a note of warning, most people completely underestimate the need for proper plumbing venting. If only for this reason, it is extremely important to hire only licensed plumbers; faulty vent systems can cause illnesses in building occupants. For a colloquial American use, see White House Plumbers; in London, see Worshipful Company of Plumbers A plumber is a tradesman who specialises in installing and maintaining systems used for plumbing, heating, drainage, potable (drinking) water or industrial process plant piping. ...


Venting mechanisms

To prevent the problems of high pressure in a drain system, sewer pipes will usually vent via one of two mechanisms.


Venting to atmosphere

Most residential buildings' drainage systems in North America are vented directly through the buildings' roofs. The DWV pipe is typically ABS or PVC DWV-rated plastic pipe equipped with a flashing to prevent water entering the buildings. Older homes may use copper, iron, lead or clay pipes, in rough order of increasing antiquity. Monomers in ABS polymer Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or ABS, (chemical formula (C8H8· C4H6·C3H3N)x) is a common thermoplastic used to make light, rigid, molded products such as pipes, golf club heads (used for its good shock absorbance), automotive body parts, wheel covers, enclosures, protective head gear, and toys including... PVC may refer to the following: The chemical compound polyvinyl chloride. ... Look up flashing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic pinkish red Atomic mass 63. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... General Name, Symbol, Number lead, Pb, 82 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 6, p Appearance bluish white Atomic mass 207. ... The Gay Head cliffs in Marthas Vineyard are made almost entirely of clay. ...


Under many older building codes, a vent stack, a pipe leading to the main roof vent, is required to be within a five foot radius of the draining fixture (sink, toilet, shower stall, etc.). To allow only one vent stack, and thus one roof protrusion as permitted by local building code, sub-vents may be tied together and exit a common vent stack.


A blocked vent is relatively common problem, caused by anything from leaves, to dead squirrels, to ice dams in very cold weather. Symptoms range from bubbles in the toilet bowl when it is flushed, slow drainage, and all the way to siphoned (empty) traps and sewer gases entering the building.


Air admittance valve

An air admittance valve (AAV, sometimes known as "cheater vent") allows air to enter the plumbing drainage system through a one-way air valve when a plumbing fixture is operated. When the flow stops, the valve closes by gravity or a spring and prevents the escape of sewer gas from the plumbing system. AAVs allow greater freedom of design for engineers and architects; the classical application is for an island sink in a kitchen where running a vent upward is not possible. While some locations still prohibit AAVs, many codes now allow them. They do require inspection and infrequent maintenance, so they need to be installed in readily-accessible locations. Even where used extensively, at least one plumbing vent to the outdoors will still be necessary, but AAV-use can reduce the number of roof penetrations. // These water valves are regulated by handles. ... Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. ...


A Chicago Loop is the traditional alternative to an AAV. The Loop is what locals call the historical center of downtown Chicago. ...


Municipal water and waste water treatment

One of the primary responsibilities of local governments is to provide potable water and treatment of sewage. The potable water side is called the WTP or Water Treatment Plant; and the waste/sewage removal system is called the WWTP Waste Water Treatment Plant; A municipal system's WTP treats water and brings it to home in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations governing water quality. The WTTP provides for the removal and treatment of waste water; the Waste water treatment facility or natural waste site (Usually a body of water or river) is typically as far away from inhabited areas as practical. Where a building is unable to connect to a municipal sewage system, the Waste/Sewage treatment is accomplished by means of a septic system and periodic hauling-off of the solids produced. Sewage (or domestic wastewater) treatment is the process of removing contaminants from sewage. ... A septic tank is part of a small scale sewage treatment system often referred to as a septic system, which consists of the tank itself and a septic drain field. ...


See also


  Results from FactBites:
 
Town of Ocean City, Maryland: Plumbing Regulations (2504 words)
Plumbing Permits will be issued to that person and/or persons within a firm or corporation, who is licensed as a Master plumber, insured to work, responsible for the plumbing work of that firm or corpora­tion.  No other parties will be allowed to sign the application or to receive plumbing permits.
Such equipment specifications, in complete detail, must in every case meet the requirements of the State Plumbing Code and be submitted to the Town of Ocean City for approval.   The design storage of building drainage in a sump or ejector shall not exceed a period of twelve (12) hours.
The plumbing and drainage system of every building shall be maintained in such a manner as to be at all times in compliance with the provisions of the Maryland State Plumbing Code.
Plumbing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (466 words)
Plumbing, from the Latin for lead (plumbum), is the skilled trade of working with pipes and tubing for potable water systems and for drainage of waste.
Plumbing originated during the ancient civilizations such as Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese civilizations as they developed public baths and needed to provide potable water, and drainage of wastes.
Plumbing is usually distinguished from water and sewage systems, in that a plumbing system serves one building, while water and sewage systems serve a group of buildings or a city.
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