Plumbing

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

the name applied to the fittings and fixsystem of pipes, valves, buildings which supply tures installed in human excrement and water and remove . Heating systems and fuel liquid wastes sense conpiping are not in the strictest . sidered plumbing The earliest pipes were made of lead, this material has but in modern practice extent replaced by been to a large cast or wrought iron, vitrified clay tile, The exposed pipes brass and copper. buildings are in modern high grade or white enameled nickel plated brass metal. The water is usually brought to the company, and property line by the water house by a service connected with the is usually conpipe; the flow through , one for the water trolled by two valves be located at the company, which may the building. Modern curb, and one for meter in the service practice places a building. Usually pipe just inside the sets of pipes, one for hot there are two cold. The water is water, the other for front in a range, by heated by a water system of the house, a coil in the heating which is heated or by a special copper coil usually goes from the by gas, the water storage tank and is heater to a riveted circulated through the pipes to the then various outlets. The end of each pipe from which drawn is fitted with a water is to be a faucet, and special type of valve called demands that several a good design in the pipes in order ad valves be placed may be shut off from that the water without depriving the parts of the system water. entire building from Fixtures. The materials used for fixtures range from solid porcelain to iron. fixtures are very expen- Solid porcelain sive, liable to break in the handling necare very essary to installation and fixtures heavy. Metal upon which a heavy coating of porcelain has been fused are sanitary, resemble solid porcelain in appearance and are much more its vogue, but is used for heavy low grade sinks soapstone for mon fixtures are sink sinks, used in kitchens and pantries, laundry tubs, wash bowls, closets, shower baths bath tubs, water urinals. The modern water closet and type in which the flow is of the siphon by a valve. The of water is controlled the place of water incoming water takes bowl of the closet, which already in the wastes. carries with it the Drainage. All waste water is carried from the ho house by a system of pipes which connect with the sewerage system. A drain pipe leads from each fixture and the water flows by gravity through a trap or water sealed curved pipe or chamber which prevents gas from the sewer from backing up into the dwelling.