Elements of Plumbing Part 11

_Street Sewer._--Large pipe in streets to receive all soil and waste from buildings.

_House Sewer._--Conveys sewage from building to street sewer, extends from foundation wall to sewer.

_Street Main._--Water pipe running parallel with the street, belonging to the water company.

_Service Pipe._--Runs from the street main into the building.

_Corporation c.o.c.k._--Bra.s.s stop tapped into street main.

_Goose Neck._--Lead pipe which connects the street main and service pipe.

_Trench._--Hole dug to receive pipe.

_Main Tapped._--Hole drilled through wall of main and a thread made on it while pressure is on.

_Curb c.o.c.k._--Bra.s.s shut-off placed at curb.

_Solder Nipple._--Piece of bra.s.s pipe with thread on one end and plain on the other end which connects lead and iron.

_Coupling._--Fitting which connects two pieces of pipe.

_Stop c.o.c.k._--Bra.s.s fitting for stopping flow of water.

_Curb Box._--Iron box extending from curb c.o.c.k to surface.

_Curb Key._--A long key to fit in side of curb box to operate curb c.o.c.k.

_Swab._--Stick with ball of rags or paper on one end.

CHAPTER VIII

INSTALLING OF FRENCH OR SUB-SOIL DRAINS

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 45.--Sub-soil drain.]

When a building is erected on a site that is wet or springy, some means of carrying off the surplus water in the ground must be provided for, or the bas.e.m.e.nt of the building will be flooded with water. For the thorough understanding of the methods employed in laying a drain of this kind, I will go over it carefully and the beginner can read it and then study it, and understand just how it is done. A site may appear to be dry on the surface of the ground and yet be very wet under the surface. If no information can be had regarding the site, it is always well to drain the site if it is on a slope or near a body of water and on the water shed of a river or lake. If a building is a large one and the foundation goes down very deep, the site should always be drained. The drain is laid under the bas.e.m.e.nt floor and around the outside of the foundation wall on a level with or lower than the bas.e.m.e.nt floor. The value of draining a building site when the building is first started is very often overlooked. The cost of the drain will be saved in a few years as the bas.e.m.e.nt will be free from all excessive dampness. The expense of installing a sub-soil after the building is up and in use is great as well as inconvenient. The drain is called "sub-soil drain" on account of its location under the ground and on account of its duty of taking off all surplus water that is underground.

With the surface water taken off by the surface drains and the sub-soil drained by the sub-soil drains, a wet building site can be made practically dry (see Fig. 45).

MATERIALS USED IN SUB-SOIL CONSTRUCTION.--The object of the drain is to collect water and carry it away from the building by means of pipes. Terra-cotta pipes, with or without hubs, are used.

Perforated tile pipe is sometimes used. This pipe is unglazed terra-cotta pipe with 1-inch holes in the sides about 3 or 4 inches from the center. These holes allow the surplus water to enter the bore of the pipe and thus be carried off beyond the building site.

When the sub-soil of a small building needs draining, the trenches made for the house drain and its branches are used as a drain in the following manner: The trenches are dug deeper than is required for the house drain. The trenches are then filled to the correct level with broken stones. There is s.p.a.ce between these stones for the water to find pa.s.sage to a point away from the building. When this method is employed, some provision must be made to prevent the house drain from settling. When locating the drain, we must consider approximately the amount of water that is likely to be in the soil and required to be carried off. If there is considerable water, the pipes should extend all around the outside of the building foundation wall, also a main pipe running under the cellar bottom with six branches, three branches on each side.

If there is not a great deal of surplus water in the soil, the drain around the outside of the foundation wall should be put in and one drain line running through the bas.e.m.e.nt will be sufficient.

LAYING THE PIPE.--The drain pipe should be handled with care, for it is easily broken. The trench should be laid out and dug, then the pipe can be laid in it with a grade toward the outlet or discharge. If pipes with a hub on one end are used, the hub should not be cemented. A little oak.u.m is packed in the hub to steady the pipe and keep sand out, the bottom of joint is cemented, a piece of tar paper can be laid over the top of the joint to keep the sand out. With joints made this way, the water can find its way to the bore of the pipe and yet the sand will be kept out of the pipe. As soon as the water gets into the bore of the pipe it has a clear pa.s.sageway to some discharge point away from the building. If tile pipes without any hubs are used, some covering should be put around the joint to keep out the sand and still allow the water to find its way into the pipes.

DISCHARGE OF SUB-SOIL DRAIN.--The water that acc.u.mulates in a sub-soil drain must be carried off to some point away from the building. As the pipes are generally under the cellar bottom and under the house drain, it is very evident that this drain cannot discharge into the house drain sewer, directly. If the building site is on a hill, the drain can be carried out and discharged on the surface at a point that is somewhat lower than the level of the pipe under the building. Where this cannot be done, it will be necessary to have the different lines of pipes discharge into a pit. The water is acc.u.mulated in this pit until it is filled, then it will automatically empty itself as later explained.

PIT CONSTRUCTION.--The pit for the sub-soil water is constructed of cement. A pit 2 feet square or 2 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep will answer all requirements. A pit of this depth will allow a pitch for all lines of pipe, and is large enough for ordinary installations. The pit is built up to the surface of the cemented floor of the bas.e.m.e.nt and covered with a removable iron cover.

CELLAR DRAINER OR PUMP.--A cellar drainer is employed to empty the above-mentioned pit. The cellar drainer works automatically. When the pit is filled with water, the drainer operates and empties the pit and discharges the water into a sink or open sewer connection.

When the pit is emptied, the drainer shuts off. The cellar drainer is operated by water pressure. When the valve is opened, a small jet of water is discharged into a larger pipe. The velocity of this small jet of water creates a suction and carries along with it some of the water in the pit. This suction continues until the tank is empty. There should always be a strainer on the suction pipe, also on the supply pipe, to prevent any particles of dirt getting into the valve. The pipes leading to and from the drainer should empty into an open sink where it can be seen. There is a possibility of the drainer valve leaking and then the water pressure will leak through it, causing a waste of water. If this leakage can be seen where it discharges, then the trouble can be rectified. The cellar drainer is connected directly with the water pressure and should have a valve close to the connection to control the supply.

CHAPTER IX

STORM AND SANITARY DRAINAGE WITH SEWAGE DISPOSAL IN VIEW

The accompanying drawing of storm and sanitary drains should be studied in detail by the reader. The location of each trap and fitting should be studied carefully and the reason that it is put in that particular place should be thoroughly understood. Below, each plan has been taken and gone over in detail, bringing out the reasons for fittings and traps, also the arrangement of the piping.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 46.]

The first thing to note in Fig. 46 is the number and kinds of fixtures to be drained. There is in the bas.e.m.e.nt a set of three-part wash trays. This will require a 2-inch waste and a 1-1/2-inch vent. There is in the drawing a 2-inch waste extending to the fixtures above. On the same line is a rain leader with a trap showing also a 4-inch floor drain. There are two 4-inch rain leaders on the opposite corners of the plan, in the rear of the building. There is a 4-inch soil stack for fixtures above and a 4-inch soil stack in the bas.e.m.e.nt on the same line for a bas.e.m.e.nt toilet. On the front there are rain leaders in each corner. These will be connected outside of the house trap (this feature should be noted). The outlets that are to discharge into the house drain are as follows:

Two 4-inch rain leaders.

One 2-inch sink waste.

One 2-inch wash tray waste.

One 4-inch floor drain.

One 4-inch soil pipe.

One 4-inch closet connection.

Two 4-inch front rain leaders to discharge into house sewer.

If we were to install this job, we would first locate each pipe that enters the house drain. The lowest outlet would be particularly noted, in this case the 4-inch floor drain. From this drain we must make sure that at least 1/4 inch to the foot fall is secured. We must then locate the house sewer where it enters the foundation wall, then the work can be started. I will not attempt to list the material that is necessary for this work, at this time.

With all the material at hand the house drain is started. All of this work is installed under the ground, therefore trenches must be dug for all the piping. The plumber must lay these trenches out and in doing so he must have in mind all connections and the fittings he can use so that the trenches can be dug at the right angle. The trenches must be dug allowing a pitch for the pipe. The height of the cellar is 8 feet below the joists. A stick is cut 8 feet long which can be used to get the trenches below the cement floor at the right depth. After the digging is completed, the house trap, which is a 6-inch running trap, is caulked into a length of 6-inch cast-iron pipe. This piece of pipe is pushed out toward the sewer bringing the trap near the foundation wall, on the inside. The fittings and traps and pipe are caulked in place as fast as possible. When possible, the joints are caulked outside of the trench in an upright position. There are a number of different ways to caulk this pipe together, and to make it clear to the beginner just how it is done the following exercise is suggested. This job brings in the caulking of pipes, traps, and fittings in various positions. Two or three can work on this job together. Fig. 47 shows how the pipe and fittings are put together, which needs no further explanation. Therefore, we will go over in detail only the caulking of the joints in the various positions.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 47.]

MATERIAL NEEDED.--One length of 4-inch extra heavy cast-iron pipe, single hub; two lengths of 4-inch extra heavy cast-iron pipe, double hub; one running trap, one full Y, one 4-inch 1/4 bend; two 4-inch clean-out screws with iron body; one 4-inch vent cap; one 4-inch 1/8 bend; 30 pounds of block lead; 2 pounds of oak.u.m.

TOOLS REQUIRED.--Ladle, asbestos pourer, hammer, cold chisel, yarning iron, two caulking irons, furnace and pot.

The beginner should start at the trap and caulk the joints with the trap held in place. The cold chisel should be sharp as it is used to cut the cast-iron pipe.

To caulk the straight end of cast-iron pipe into the hub end and make a water-tight joint when the pipe is in a vertical position, the spigot end of the pipe is entered into the hub end of another piece. A wad of oak.u.m is taken and forced into the hub with the yarning iron. This piece of oak.u.m is forced to the bottom of the hub, then another piece is put in. The oak.u.m is set and packed by using the yarning iron and hammer. The hub is half filled with oak.u.m. The oak.u.m is forced tight enough to make a water-tight joint. If the oak.u.m used comes in a bale, pieces of it will have to be taken and rolled into long ropes about 18 inches long, the thickness of the rope corresponding with the s.p.a.ce between the hub and the pipe. If rope oak.u.m is used, the strands of the rope can be used. After the oak.u.m is well packed into place and the pipe is lined up and made straight, molten lead is poured in and the hub filled. When the lead has cooled, set the lead with the caulking tool and hammer, making one blow on each side of the joint. This sets the lead evenly on every side. If there is any surplus lead, it can now be cut off, using the hammer and cold chisel. The caulking iron is again taken and the lead next to the pipe is tamped, striking the iron with the hammer at an angle to drive the lead against the pipe. After this has been done all around, the caulking iron is held in such a position that the lead around the hub will receive the force of the blow. After this has been done, the center of the lead is caulked and the joint should be tight.