Aspe Data Book Volume 4

PlumbingFixtures

It has been said that without plumbing fixturesthere would be no indoor plumbing. A plumbingfixture is supplied with water, discharges waterand/or waste, and performs a function for theuser. Each fixture is designed for a specific ac-tivity to maintain public health and sanitation.As such, plumbing fixtures are often referred toas sanitaryware.

The standard plumbing fixtures used in aplumbing system include

1. Water closets2. Urinals3. Lavatories4. Kitchen sinks5. Service sinks6. Sinks7. Laundry trays8. Drinking fountains9. Showers10. Bathtubs11. Bidets12. Floor drains13. Emergency fixtures.

In addition, there are fixture fittings used inconnection with these plumbing fixtures, includ-ing

1. Faucets and fixture fittings2. Shower valves3. Tub fillers.

FIXTURE MATERIALS

The surface of any plumbing fixture must besmooth, impervious, and readily cleanable tomaintain a high level of sanitation. Fixture ma-terials are selected based on these requirements.Common plumbing fixture materials include thefollowing:

Vitreous china This is a unique material thatis specially suited for plumbing fixtures. Un-like other ceramic materials, vitreous chinawill not absorb water on surfaces that arenot glazed. It is not porous. While vitreouschina plumbing fixture surfaces are glazed,the inside waterways are not. The exteriorglazing provides a nice finish that is readilycleaned. Vitreous china is also an extremelystrong material.Because vitreous china is nonporous, it hasa very high shrinkage rate when fired in akiln. This accounts for the slight differencebetween otherwise identical plumbing fix-tures.

Nonvitreous china Nonvitreous china is a po-rous ceramic that requires glazing to preventany water absorption. Use of nonvitreouschina for lavatories and similar fixtures hasgrown in popularity in recent years. The ad-vantage of nonvitreous china is that there isnot a high shrinkage rate. This allows the fix-ture to be more ornately designed.

Enameled cast iron Enameled cast iron fix-tures have a base that is a high-grade castiron. The exposed surfaces have an enam-eled coating, which is fused to the cast iron,resulting in a hard, glossy, opaque, and acid-

ASPE Data Book Volume 42

resistant surface. Enameled cast iron plumb-ing fixtures are strong, ductile, and longlasting.

Porcelain enameled steel Porcelain enameledsteel is a substantially vitreous or glossy in-organic coating that is bonded to sheet steelby fusion. The sheet steel must be designedfor the application of the porcelain enamel toproduce a high-quality product.

Stainless steel A variety of stainless steelsare used to produce plumbing fixtures. Thedifferent types include types 316, 304, 302,301, 202, 201, and 430. One of the key in-gredients in stainless steel is nickel. A highernickel content tends to produce a superiorfinish in the stainless steel. Types 302 and304 have 8% nickel and Type 316 has 10%nickel.

Plastic Plastic is a generic category for a va-riety of synthetic materials used in plumbingfixtures. The various plastic materials usedto produce plumbing fixtures include acry-lonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS); polyvinylchloride (PVC); gel-coated, fiberglass-rein-forced plastic; acrylic; cultured marble;cast-filled fiberglass; polyester; cast-filledacrylic; gel-coated plastic; and culturedmarble acrylic. Plastics used in plumbing fix-tures are subject to numerous tests todetermine their quality. Some of the testingincludes an ignition (torch) test, a cigaretteburn test, a stain-resistance test, and achemical-resistance test.

Soapstone This is an older material used pre-dominantly in the manufacture of laundrytrays and service sinks. Soapstone is steatite,which is extremely heavy and very durable.

ACCESSIBILITY

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) andAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI)A117.1, Accessible and Usable Buildings andFacilities, require certain plumbing fixtures tobe accessible. The requirements for accessibil-ity are addressed in ASPE Data Book, Volume 1,Chapter 6.

APPLICABLE STANDARDS

Plumbing fixtures are regulated by nationallydeveloped consensus standards. These stan-

dards specify the material, fixture design, andtesting requirements.

While the standards for plumbing fixturesare considered voluntary, with reference to thestandards in the plumbing code, the require-ments become mandatory. Most fixturemanufacturers have their products certified bya third-party testing laboratory as being in con-formance with the applicable standard.

Table 1-1 identifies the most common con-sensus standards regulating plumbing fixtures.A complete list of standards is found in DataBook, Volume 1, Chapter 2.

Table 1-1 Plumbing Fixture Standards

Plumbing Fixture Applicable Standard Fixture Material

Water closet ANSI/ASME A112.19.2 Vitreous chinaANSI Z124.4 Plastic

Urinal ANSI/ASME A112.19.2 Vitreous chinaANSI Z124.9 Plastic

Lavatory ANSI/ASME A112.19.1 Enameled cast ironANSI/ASME A112.19.2 Vitreous chinaANSI/ASME A112.19.3 Stainless steelANSI/ASME A112.19.4 Porcelain enameled steelANSI/ASME A112.19.9 Nonvitreous chinaANSI Z124.3 Plastic

Sink ANSI/ASME A112.19.1 Enameled cast ironANSI/ASME A112.19.2 Vitreous chinaANSI/ASME A112.19.3 Stainless steelANSI/ASME A112.19.4 Porcelain enameled steelANSI/ASME A112.19.9 Nonvitreous chinaANSI Z124.6 Plastic

Drinking fountain ANSI/ASME A112.19.1 Enameled cast ironANSI/ASME A112.19.2 Vitreous chinaANSI/ASME A112.19.9 Nonvitreous chinaARI 1010 Water coolers

Shower ANSI Z124.2 Plastic

Bathtub ANSI/ASME A112.19.1 Enameled cast ironANSI/ASME A112.19.4 Porcelain enameled steelANSI/ASME A112.19.9 Nonvitreous chinaANSI Z124.1 Plastic

Bidet ANSI/ASME A112.19.2 Vitreous chinaANSI/ASME A112.19.9 Nonvitreous china

Floor drain ANSI/ASME A112.6.3 All materials

Emergency fixtures ANSI Z358.1 All materials

Faucets and fixture fittings ANSI/ASME A112.18.1 All materials

Waste fittings ANSI/ASME A112.18.2 All materials

3Chapter 1 Plumbing Fixtures

WATER CLOSETS

Passage of the Plumbing Product Efficiency Actof 1992 by the US government changed the de-sign of a water closet. It imposed a maximumflushing rate of 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) (6 Lper flush). This was a significant drop in thequantity of water used, previously 3.5 gal perflush, and was considered to be a water savings.Prior to the first enactment of water conserva-tion in the late 1970s, water closets typicallyflushed between 5 and 7 gal of water. The great-est water use, 7 gal per flush, was by blowoutwater closets.

With the modification in water flush volume,the style of each manufacturers water closetchanged. The former terminology for identifyingwater closets no longer fit. Water closets werepreviously categorized as blowout, siphon jet,washout, reverse trap, and wash down. (See Fig-ure 1-1.) The new style of 1.6 gpf water closetsfit between the cracks of these old categories.The standards have since changed, no longeridentifying a water closet by these designations.

Water closets are currently placed into oneof three categories:

A close-coupled water closet is one with a two-piece tank and bowl fixture.

A one-piece water closet is, as it suggests, onewith the tank and bowl as one piece.

A flushometer style water closet is a bowl witha spud connection that receives the connec-tion from a flushometer valve. Flushometertype water closets are also referred to as topspud or back spud bowls. The spud isthe name for the connection for theflushometer valve and the top or rear identi-fies the location of the spud. (See Figure 1-2.)

There are also three distinct means for iden-tifying the flushing of a water closet:

In a gravity flush, used with tank type waterclosets, the water is not under pressure andflushes by gravity.

With a flushometer tank, also for tank typewater closets, however, the water is stored ina pressurized vessel and flushed under a pres-sure ranging between 25 and 35 psi.

A flushometer valve type of flush uses thewater supply line pressure to flush the watercloset. Because of the demand for a flush ofa large volume of water in a short period oftime, the water supply pipe must be larger indiameter than that for a gravity or flushometertank type of flush.

Figure 1-1 The older styles of water closets were identified as (A) reverse trap,(B) blowout, and (C) siphon jet, to name a few. Though still used in the indus-

try, these terms are no longer used in the standards.

(A) (B) (C)

Figure 1-2 Water closets are identified as(A) close coupled, (B) one piece, and (C)

flushometer types.

(A)

(B)

(C)


Another distinction used to identify a watercloset is the manner of mounting and connec-tion. The common designations for water closetsare the following:

A floor-mounted water closet is supported bythe floor and connected directly to the pipingthrough the floor. (See Figure 1-3.)

A wall hung water closet is supported by awall hanger and never comes in contact withthe floor. Wall hung water closets are consid-ered superior for maintaining a clean floor inthe toilet room since the water closet doesntinterfere with the cleaning of the floor. (SeeFigure 1-4.)

Floor-mounted, back outlet water closets aresupported by the floor yet connect to the pip-ing through the wall. The advantage of the

floor-mounted, back outlet water closet is thatthe penetrations of the floor are reduced forthe plumbing. It should be noted that withthe change to 1.6 gal per flush it is more dif-ficult for manufacturers to produce afloor-mounted, back outlet water closet thatmeets all of the flushing performance require-ments in the standard. (See Figure 1-5.)

Shape and Size

A water closet bowl is classified as either a roundfront or elongated. An elongated bowl has anopening that extends 2 in. farther to the front ofthe bowl. Most plumbing codes require elongatedbowls for public and employee use. The addi-tional 2 in. provides a larger opening, often calleda target area. With the larger opening, there isa greater likelihood of maintaining a cleanerwater closet for each user.

For floor-mounted water closets, the outletis identified based on the rough-in dimension.The rough-in is the distance from the back wallto the center of the outlet when the water closetis installed. A standard rough-in bowl outlet is12 in. Most manufacturers also make water clos-ets with a 10-in. or 14-in. rough-in. (See Figure1-6.)

The size of the bowl is also based on theheight of the bowl rim measured from the floor:

A standard water closet has a rim height of14 to 15 in. This is the most common watercloset to install.

A childs water closet has a rim height of 10in. above the floor. Many plumbing codes re-quire childs water closets in day-care centersand kindergarten toilet rooms for use by smallchildren.

Figure 1-3 A floor-mounted, back outletwater closet is supported on the floor with

the piping connection through the back wall.

Figure 1-4 Carrier for a Water Closet

Source: Courtesy of Jay R. Smith Company.

Figure 1-5 A wall hung water closetattaches to the back wall; the water closet

does not contact the floor.


A water closet for juvenile use has a rim heightof 13 in.

A water closet for the physically challengedhas a rim height of 18 in. With the additionof the water closet seat, the fixture is designedto conform to the accessibility requirements.

Water Closet Seat

A water closet seat must be designed for theshape of the bowl to which it connects. Thereare two styles of water closet seat: solid and splitrim. Plumbing codes typically require a split rimseat for public and employee use water closets.The split rim seat is designed to facilitate easywiping by females, and to prevent contact be-tween the seat and the penis with males. This isto maintain a high level of hygiene in public fa-cilities.

A new style of water closet seat has a plasticwrap around the seat. The intent of this seat isto allow a clean surface for each use. The seat isintended to replace the split rim seat in publicand employee locations.

Flushing Performance

The flushing performance requirements for a wa-ter closet are found in a separate standard,ANSI/American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME) A112.19.6. This standard identifies thetest protocol that must be followed to certify awater closet. The tests include a ball removal

test, granule test, ink test, dye test, water con-sumption test, trap seal restoration test, waterrise test, back pressure test, rim top and seatfouling test, and a drain line carry test. At thetime this chapter was written, an additional testwas being considered for inclusion in the stan-dard, a bulk media test.

The ball removal test utilizes 100 polypropy-lene balls that are in. in diameter. The watercloset must flush at least an average of 75 ballson the initial flush of three different flushes. Thepolypropylene balls are intended to replicate thedensity of human feces.

The granule test utilizes approximately 2500disc shaped granules of polyethylene. The ini-tial flush of three different flushes must resultin no more than 125 granules on average re-maining in the bowl. The granule test is intendedto simulate a flush of watery feces (diarrhea).

The ink test is performed on the inside wallof the water closet bowl. A felt tip marker is usedto draw a line around the inside of the bowl.After flushing, no individual segment of line canexceed in. The total length of the remainingink line must not exceed 2 in. This test deter-mines that the water flushes all interior surfacesof the bowl.

The dye test uses a color dye to add to thewater closet trap seal. The concentration of thedye is determined both before and after flushingthe water closet. The dilution ratio of 100:1 mustbe obtained for each flush. This test determinesthe evacuation of urine in the trap seal.

The water consumption test determines thatthe water closet meets the federal mandate of1.6 gal per flush.

The trap seal restoration test determines thatthe water closet refills the trap of the bowl aftereach flush. The remaining trap seal must be aminimum of 2 in. in depth.

The water rise test evaluates the rise of wa-ter in the bowl when the water closet is flushed.The water cannot rise above a point 3 in. belowthe top of the bowl.

The back pressure test is used to determinethat the water seal remains in place when ex-posed to a back pressure (from the outlet side ofthe bowl) of 2 in. of water column (wc). Thistest determines that no sewer gas will escapethrough the fixture when high pressure occursin the drainage system piping.

Figure 1-6 The standard rough-in dimen-sion is 12 in. from the centerline of thewater closet outlet to the back wall. The

floor flange must be permanently secured tothe building structure.


The rim top and seat fouling test determinesif the water splashes onto the top of the rim orseat of the water closet. This test ensures thatthe user will not encounter a wet seat when us-ing the water closet.

The drain line carry test determines the per-formance of the water closet flush. The watercloset is connected to a 4-in. drain 60 ft in lengthpitched in./ft. The same 100 polypropyleneballs used in the flush test are used in the drainline carry test. The average carry distance of allthe polypropylene balls must be 40 ft in length.This test determines the ability of the water closetto flush the contents in such a manner that theyproperly flow down the drainage piping.

The new proposed bulk media test is a testof a large quantity of items placed in the bowl.The bowl cannot be stopped up by the bulk me-dia during the flush, and a certain flushingperformance of the bulk media will be required.The debate over this test is the repeatability ofthe test. It is expected that, after round robintesting is completed, the test will be added tothe standard.

In Canada, water closets must conform toCanadian Standards Association (CSA) B45.1,CSA B45.4, or CSA B45.5. While Canada doesnot have a federal mandate requiring 1.6-gal-per-flush water closets, many areas require thesewater closets. It should also be noted thatCanada requires a bulk media test for watercloset flush performance.

Installation Requirements

The water closet must be properly connected tothe drainage piping system. For floor-mountedwater closets, a water closet flange is attachedto the piping and permanently secured to thebuilding. For wood framed buildings, the flangeis screwed to the floor. For concrete floors, theflange sits on the floor.

Noncorrosive closet bolts connect the watercloset to the floor flange. The seal between thefloor flange and the water closet is made witheither a wax ring or an elastomeric sealing con-nection. The connection formed between thewater closet and the floor must be sealed withcaulking or tile grout.

For wall hung water closets, the fixture mustconnect to a wall carrier. The carrier must trans-fer the loading of the water closet to the floor. A

wall hung water closet must be capable of sup-porting a load of 500 lb at the end of the watercloset. When the water closet is connected tothe carrier, none of this load can be transferredto the piping system. Water closet carriers mustconform to ANSI/ASME A112.6.1.

The minimum spacing required for a watercloset is 15 in. from the centerline of the bowl tothe side wall, and 21 in. from the front of thewater closet to any obstruction in front of thewater closet. The standard dimension for a wa-ter closet compartment is 30 in. wide by 60 in.in length. The water closet must be installed inthe center of the standard compartment. Theminimum distance required between water clos-ets is 30 in. (See Figure 1-7.)

The change in the flushing performance ofthe 1.6-gal-per-flush water closet has affectedthe piping connection for back-to-back watercloset installations. With a 3.5-gal-per-flush wa-ter closet, the common fitting used to connectback-to-back water closets was either a 3-in.double sanitary tee or a 3-in. double fixture fit-ting. With the superior flushing of the 1.6-gpfwater closet, the plumbing codes have prohib-ited the installation of a double sanitary tee ordouble fixture fitting for back-to-back water clos-ets. The only acceptable fitting is the doublecombination wye and eighth bend. The fitting,however, increases the spacing required betweenthe floor and the ceiling.

The minimum spacing required to use adouble sanitary tee fitting is 30 in. from thecenterline of the water closet outlet to the en-trance of the fitting. This spacing rules out aback-to-back water closet connection.

One of the problems associated with the shortpattern fittings is the siphon action created inthe initial flush of the water closets. This siphonaction can draw the water out of the trap of thewater closet connected to the other side of thefitting. Another potential problem is the inter-ruption of flow when flushing a water closet. Theflow from one water closet can propel wateracross the fitting, interfering with the other wa-ter closet. (See Figure 1-8.)

Flushing Systems

Gravity flush The most common means of flush-ing a water closet is a gravity flush. This is theflush with a tank type water closet, described


Figure 1-8 Both a double sanitary tee and a double fixture fitting are prohibited on a 3-in.connection to back-to-back water closets.

Figure 1-7 The minimum size water closet compartment is 30 in. 60 in. Spacing is requiredfrom the centerline of the water closet to a side wall or obstruction and from the front lip of

the water closet to any obstruction.


valve for a water closet has a connection of 1 in.in diameter. (See Figure 1-9.)

Flushometer valve A flushometer valve is alsoreferred to as a flush valve. The valve is de-signed with upper and lower chambers separatedby a diaphragm. The water pressure in the up-per chamber keeps the valve in the closedposition. When the trip lever is activated, thewater in the upper chamber escapes to the lowerchamber, starting the flush. The flush of 1.6 galpasses through the flush valve. The valve isclosed by line pressure as water reenters theupper chamber, closing off the valve.

For 1.6-gpf water closets, flushometer valvesare set to flow 25 gpm at peak to flush the watercloset. The flushing cycle is very short, lasting 4to 5 s. The water distribution system must beproperly designed to allow the peak flow duringa heavy use period for the plumbing system.

Flushometer valves have either a manual oran automatic means of flushing. The most popu-lar manual means of flushing is a handlemounted on the side of the flush valve. Auto-matic flushometer valves are available in a varietyof styles. The automatic can be battery operatedor directly connected to the power supply of thebuilding.

URINALS

A urinal was developed as a fixture to expeditethe use of a toilet room. It is designed for theremoval of urine and the quick exchange of us-ers. The Plumbing Product Efficiency Act of 1992included requirements for the water consump-tion of urinals. A urinal is now restricted to amaximum water use of 1.0 gal per flush. Thischange in water consumption resulted in a modi-fied design of the fixture.

One of the main concerns in the design of aurinal is the maintenance of a sanitary fixture.The fixture must contain the urine, flush it downthe drain, and wash the exposed surfaces. Priorto the passage of the Plumbing Product EfficiencyAct of 1992, urinals were developed using largerquantities of water to flush the contents. Thisincluded a blowout model that could readily re-move any of the contents thrown into the urinalin addition to urine. Blowout urinals were popu-lar in high-traffic areas such as assemblybuildings. However, the older blowout urinalsrequire more than 1 gal of water to flush. The

above, wherein the water is not pressurized inthe tank. The tank stores a quantity of water toestablish the initial flush of the bowl. A trip le-ver raises either a flapper or a ball, allowing thethe flush is at the maximum siphon in the bowl,the flapper or ball reseals, closing off the tankfrom the bowl.

The ballcock, located inside the tank, con-trols the flow of water into the tank. A floatmechanism opens and closes the ballcock. Theballcock directs the majority of the water intothe tank and a smaller portion of water into thebowl to refill the trap seal. The ballcock must be

an antisiphon ballcock conforming to AmericanSociety of Sanitary Engineers (ASSE) 1002. Thisprevents the contents of the tank from being si-phoned back into the potable water supply. (SeeFigure 1-9.)

Flushometer tank A flushometer tank has thesame outside appearance as a gravity tank. How-ever, inside the tank is a pressure vessel thatstores the water for flushing. The water in thepressure vessel must be a minimum of 25 psi tooperate properly. Thus, the line pressure on theconnection to the flushometer tank must be aminimum of 25 psi. A pressure regulator pre-vents the pressure in the vessel from rising above35 psi (typical of most manufacturers).

The higher pressure from the flushometertank results in a flush similar to a flushometervalve. One of the differences between theflushometer tank and the flushometer valve isthe sizing of the water distribution system. Thewater piping to a flushometer tank is sized thesame way the water piping to a gravity flush tankis sized. Typically, the individual water connec-tion is in. in diameter. For a flushometer valve,there is a high flow rate demand, resulting in alarge piping connection. A typical flushometer

(A) (B)

Figure 1-9 (A) A Gravity Tank and (B) aFlushometer Tank


newer urinals identified as blowout urinals donot have the same forceful flush.

Urinals have been considered a fixture forthe male population. However, that has not al-ways been the case. Various attempts have beenmade to introduce a female urinal. The conceptof a female urinal has never been embraced bythe female population. Problems that have beenencountered include a lack of understanding ofthe use of the urinal. (The first female urinalsrequired the woman to approach the urinal inthe opposite way a man would. She would befacing away from the urinal slightly bent over.)Another continuing concern is privacy duringuse. Finally, there have been concerns regard-ing cleanliness with its use compared with thatassociated with the use of a water closet. Hence,very few female urinals remain in use in theUnited States and Canada.

Urinal Styles

Urinals are identified as blowout, siphon jet,washout, stall, and wash down. A stall urinal isa type of wash-down urinal. Blowout, siphon-jet, and washout urinals all have integral traps.Stall and wash-down urinals have an outlet towhich an external trap is connected. Manyplumbing codes continue to prohibit the use ofstall and wash-down urinals in public and em-ployee toilet rooms. One of the concerns withstall and wash-down urinals is the ability tomaintain a high level of sanitation after eachflush.

The style identifies the type of flushing ac-tion in the urinal. The blowout and siphon-jettypes rely on a complete evacuation of the trap.Blowout urinals tend to force the water and wastefrom the trap to the drain. Siphon-jet urinalscreate a siphon action to evacuate the trap.Washout urinals rely on a water exchange toflush. There is no siphon action or completeevacuation of the trap way. Stall and wash-downurinals have an external trap. The flushing ac-tion is a water exchange; however, it is a lessefficient water exchange than that of a washouturinal.

Urinals with an integral trap must be capableof passing a -in. diameter ball. The outlet con-nection is typically 2 in. in diameter.

Stall and wash-down urinals can have a 1-in. outlet with an external 1-in. trap.

Flushing Performance

The flushing performance for a urinal is regu-lated by ANSI/ASME A112.19.6. There are threetests for urinals: the ink test, dye test, and wa-ter consumption test.

In the ink test a felt tip marker is utilized todraw a line on the inside wall of the urinal. Theurinal is flushed and the remaining ink line ismeasured. The total length of ink line cannotexceed 1 in., and no segment can exceed in.in length.

The dye test uses a colored dye to evaluatethe water exchange rate in the trap. After oneflush, the trap must have a dilution ratio of 100to 1. The dye test is performed only on urinalswith an integral trap. This includes blowout, si-phon-jet, and washout urinals. It is not possibleto test stall and wash-down urinals since theyhave external traps. This is one of the concernsthat have resulted in the restricted use of thesefixtures.

The water consumption test determines thatthe urinal flushes with 1 gal of water or less.

Installation Requirements

The minimum spacing required between urinalsis 30 in. center to center. The minimum spacingbetween a urinal and the sidewall is 15 in. Thisspacing provides access to the urinal without

Figure 1-10 Urinal spacing must beadequate to allow adjacent users to access

the urinals without interference.


There is also a new style of urinal availablethe waterless urinal. Waterless urinals connectto the drainage system but do not have a watersupply. Waterless urinals have a special solu-tion that fills the trap seal. During the use of thefixture, the urine drops below the special trapsolution entering the drainage system. The in-side walls of the urinal are required to be washedwith the special solution on a periodic basis.

LAVATORIES

A lavatory is a wash basin used for personal hy-giene. In public locations, a lavatory is intendedto be used for washing ones hands and face.Residential lavatories are intended for hand andface washing, shaving, applying makeup, clean-ing contact lenses, and similar hygienic activities.

Lavatory faucet flow rates are regulated as apart of the Plumbing Product Efficiency Act of1992. The original flow rate established by thegovernment was 2.5 gpm at 80 psi for privateuse lavatories and 0.5 gpm, or a cycle discharg-ing 0.25 gal, for public use lavatories. Since theinitial regulations, there has been a change to2.2 gpm at 60 psi for private (and residential)lavatories, and 0.5 gpm at 60 psi, or a cycle of0.25 gal, for public lavatories.

Size and Shape

Manufacturers produce lavatories in every con-ceivable size and shape. The lavatories aresquare, round, oblong, rectangular, shaped forcorners, with or without ledges, decorative bowls,and molded into countertops.

The standard outlet for a lavatory is 1 in.in diameter. The standard lavatory has threeholes on the ledge for the faucet. A normal fau-cet hole pattern spaces the two outside holes 4in. apart. The faucets installed in these lavato-ries are called 4-in. centersets. When spreadfaucets are to be installed, the spacing betweenthe two outer holes is 8 in.

For many years, the fixture standards re-quired lavatories to have an overflow. Thisrequirement was based on the use of the fixturewhereby the basin was filled prior to cleaning. Ifa user left the room while the lavatory was beingfilled, the water would not overflow onto the floor.

Studies have shown that lavatories are rarelyused in this capacity. It is more common not to

the user coming in contact with the user of theadjacent fixture. The minimum spacing requiredin front of the urinal is 21 in. (See Figure 1-10.)

One of the debated issues regarding urinalsis screening between urinals. A question of pri-vacy is often raised during plumbing codediscussions. At the time of this writing, screen-ing is not required by any of the model plumbingcodes. However, many local and some stateplumbing codes require privacy barriers betweenurinals.

Urinals with an integral trap have the outletlocated 21 in. above the floor for a standardheight installation. Stall urinals are mounted onthe floor. Wall hung urinals must be mountedon carriers that transfer the weight of the urinalto the floor.

Many plumbing codes require urinals forpublic and employee use to have a visible trapseal. This refers to blowout, siphon-jet, or wash-out urinals.

The building and/or plumbing codes requirethe walls and floor surrounding the urinal to befinished with waterproofed, smooth, readilycleanable, nonabsorbent material. This finishedmaterial must be applied to the wall for a dis-tance of 2 ft to either side of the urinal and aheight of 4 ft. It must also extend outward onthe floor to a point 2 ft in front of the urinal.This protects the building material from dam-age that could result from splashing, which canoccur with urinal use.

Flushing Requirements

With the federal requirements for water con-sumption, urinals must be flushed with aflushometer valve. The valve can be either manu-ally or automatically actuated.

A urinal flushometer valve has a lower flushvolume and flow rate than a water closetflushometer valve. The total volume is 1 gal perflush and the peak flow rate is 15 gpm. The wa-ter distribution system must be properly sizedfor the peak flow rate for the urinal.

Urinal flushometer valves operate the sameas water closet flushometer valves. For additionalinformation see the discussion of flushing sys-tems under Water Closets earlier in thischapter.


fill the basin with water during use. As a result,overflows became an optional item for lavato-ries. Some plumbing codes, however, still requireoverflows for lavatories.

To avoid a hygiene problem with the optionaloverflows, the fixture standard added a mini-mum size for the overflow. The minimumcross-sectional area must be 18 in.2

Another style of lavatory is the circular orsemicircular group washup. The plumbing codesconsider every 20 in. of space along a groupwashup to be equivalent to one lavatory.

Installation

The standard height of a lavatory is 31 in. abovethe finished floor. A spacing of 21 in. is requiredin front of the lavatory to access the fixture. (SeeFigure 1-11.)

Lavatories can be counter mounted, undercounter mounted, or wall hung. When lavato-ries are wall hung in public and employeefacilities, they must be connected to a carrierthat transfers the weight of the fixture to thefloor.

KITCHEN SINKS

A kitchen sink is used for culinary purposes.There are two distinct classifications of kitchensinkresidential and commercial. It should benoted that residential kitchen sinks are installed

in commercial buildings, typically in a kitchenused by employees. Commercial kitchen sinksare designed for restaurant and food handlingestablishments.

The Plumbing Product Efficiency Act of 1992regulates the flow rate of faucets for residentialkitchen sinks. The original flow rate establishedwas 2.5 gpm at 80 psi. The fixture standardshave since modified the flow rate to 2.2 gpm at60 psi.

Residential Kitchen Sinks

Common residential kitchen sinks are single- ordouble-compartment (or bowl) sinks. There is nostandard dimension for the size of the sink; how-ever, most kitchen sinks are 22 in. measuredfrom the front edge to the rear edge. For single-compartment sinks, the most common width ofthe sink is 25 in. For double-compartmentkitchen sinks, the most common width is 33 in.The common depth of the compartments is 9 to10 in.

Most plumbing codes require the outlet of aresidential kitchen sink to be 3 in. in diam-eter. This is to accommodate the installation ofa food waste grinder.

There are specialty residential kitchen sinksthat have three compartments. Typically, thethird compartment is a smaller compartmentthat does not extend the full depth of the othercompartments.

Kitchen sinks have one, three, or four holesfor the installation of a faucet. Some single-le-ver faucets require only a single hole forinstallation. The three-hole arrangement is for astandard two-handle valve installation. The fourholes are designed to allow the installation of a

Figure 1-11 Recommended InstallationDimensions for a Lavatory

Figure 1-12 Standard dimensions for akitchen sink include a counter height of 36

in. above the finished floor.


SERVICE SINKS

A service sink is a general purpose sink intendedto be used for facilitating the cleaning or deco-rating of a building. The sink is commonly usedto fill mop buckets and dispose of their waste. Itis also used for cleaning paint brushes, rollers,and paper hanging equipment.

There is no standard size, shape, or style ofa service sink. They are available both wallmounted and floor mounted. Mop basins, in-stalled on the floor, qualify as service sinks inthe plumbing codes.

side spray or other kitchen appurtenance suchas a soap dispenser.

The standard installation height for a resi-dential kitchen sink is 36 in. above the finishedfloor. Most architects tend to follow the 6-ft tri-angle rule when locating a kitchen sink. The sinkis placed no more than 6 ft to the range and 6 ftto the refrigerator. (See Figure 1-12.)

Residential kitchen sinks mount either abovethe counter or below the counter. Counter-mounting kitchen sinks are available with a selfrimming ledge or a sink frame.

Commercial Kitchen Sinks

Commercial kitchen sinks are normally largerin size and have a deeper bowl than residentialkitchen sinks. The depth of the bowl ranges from16 to 20 in. for most commercial kitchen sinks.Commercial kitchen sinks are often free-stand-ing sinks with legs to support the sink.

Because of health authority requirements,most commercial kitchen sinks are stainlesssteel. Another health authority requirement isfor either a two- or three-compartment sink inevery commercial kitchen. The more popular re-quirement is a three-compartment sink. Thehistorical requirement for a three-compartmentsink dates back to the use of the first compart-ment for washing of dishes, the secondcompartment for the rinsing of dishes, and thethird compartment for sanitizing the dishes. Withthe increased use of dishwashers in commercialkitchens, some of the health codes have modi-fied the requirements for a three-compartmentsink.

Commercial kitchen sinks used for foodpreparation are required to connect to the drain-age system through an indirect waste. Thisprevents the possibility of contaminating any ofthe food in the event of a drain-line backup re-sulting from a stoppage in the line.

Commercial kitchen sinks that could dis-charge grease-laden waste must connect to eithera grease interceptor or a grease trap. Plumbingcodes used to permit the grease trap to serve asthe trap for the sink if it was located within 60in. of the sink. Most plumbing codes have sincemodified this requirement by mandating a trapfor each kitchen sink. The grease trap is no longerpermitted to serve as a trap. A separate trap pro-vides better protection from the escape of sewergas. (See Figure 1-13.)

Figure 1-13 When grease-laden waste ispossible, the sink must discharge to a

grease interceptor.

Figure 1-14 While not required, a standard3-in. P trap service sink is still a popular

fixture.


A service sink is typically located in a janitorsstorage closet or a separate room for use by thecustodial employees. There is no requirementspecifying location in the plumbing codes. Nei-ther is there a standard height for installing aservice sink. Furthermore, there are no limita-tions on the flow rate from the service sink faucet.

Service sinks are selected based on the an-ticipated use of the fixture and the type ofbuilding in which it is installed. The plumbingcodes require either a 1- or a 2-in. trap for theservice sink. (See Figure 1-14.)

SINKS

There is a general classification for sinks thatare neither kitchen sinks nor service sinks; theseare identified simply as sinks. The general cat-egory of fixtures is typically those not requiredbut installed for the convenience of the buildingusers. Some typical installations include doc-tors offices, hospitals, laboratories,photo-processing facilities, quick marts, and of-fice buildings.

Sinks come in a variety of sizes and shapes.There are no height or spacing requirements. Theflow rate from the faucet is not regulated. Mostplumbing codes require a 1-in. drain connec-tion.

LAUNDRY TRAYS

A laundry tray, or laundry sink, is located in thelaundry room and used in conjunction withwashing clothes. The sink has either one or twocompartments. The depth of the bowl is typi-cally 14 in. There are no standard dimensionsfor the size of laundry trays; however, mostsingle-compartment laundry trays measure 22in. by 24 in. wide, and most double-compart-ment laundry trays measure 22 in. by 45 in.

Plumbing codes permit a domestic clotheswasher to discharge into a laundry tray. Theminimum size for a trap and outlet for a laun-dry tray is 1 in.

At one time, laundry trays were made pre-dominantly of soapstone. Today, the majority oflaundry trays are plastic. However, there are alsostainless steel, enameled cast iron, and porce-lain enameled steel laundry trays.

FAUCETS

Every sink and lavatory needs a faucet to directand control the flow of water into the fixture. Afaucet performs the simple operations of open-ing, closing, and mixing hot and cold water. Whilethe process is relatively simple, fixture manu-facturers have developed extensive lines offaucets.

Faucet Categories

Faucets are categorized by application. The typesof faucets include lavatory faucets, residentialkitchen sink faucets, laundry faucets, sink fau-cets, and commercial faucets. The classificationcommercial faucets includes commercial kitchenfaucets and commercial sink faucets. It does notinclude lavatory faucets. All lavatories are clas-sified the same, whether they are installed inresidential or commercial buildings. It shouldbe noted, however, that there are styles of lava-tory faucets used strictly in commercialapplications. These include self-metering lava-tory faucets that discharge a specified quantityof water and automatic lavatories that operateon sensors.

Flow Rates

The flow rates are regulated for lavatories andnoncommercial kitchen sinks. Table 1-2 identi-fies the flow rate limitations of faucets.

Table 1-2Faucet Flow Rate Restrictions

Type of Faucet Maximum Flow RateKitchen faucet 2.2 gpm @ 60 psi

Lavatory faucet 2.2 gpm @ 60 psi

Lavatory faucet (public use) 0.5 gpm @ 60 psi

Lavatory faucet (public use, metering) 0.25 gal per cycle

Backflow Protection

In addition to controlling the flow of water, afaucet must protect the potable water supplyagainst backflow. This is often a forgotten re-quirement, since most faucets rely on an air gapto provide protection against backflow. When anair gap is provided between the outlet of the fau-cet and the flood level rim of the fixture (by


manufacturer design), no additional protectionis necessary.

Backflow protection becomes a concernwhenever a faucet has a hose thread outlet, aflexible hose connection, or a pull-out spray con-nection. For these styles of faucet, additionalbackflow protection is necessary. The hose orhose connection eliminates the air gap by sub-merging the spout or outlet in a nonpotable watersource.

The most common form of backflow protec-tion for faucets not having an air gap is the useof a vacuum breaker. Many manufacturers in-clude an atmospheric vacuum breaker in thedesign of faucets that require additional backflowprotection. The standard atmospheric vacuumbreaker must conform to ASSE 1001.

Faucets with pull-out sprays or goose-neckspouts can be protected by a vacuum breakeror a backflow system that conforms to ANSI/ASME A112.18.3. This standard specifies test-ing requirements for a faucet to be certified asprotecting the water supply against backflow.Many of the newer pull-out spray kitchen fau-cets are listed in ANSI/ASME A112.18.3. Thesenewer faucets have a spout attached to a flex-ible hose whereby the spout can detach fromthe faucet body and be used similarly to the waya side spray is.

Side-spray kitchen faucets must have adiverter that is listed in ASSE 1025. The diverterensures that the faucet switches to an air gapwhenever there is a lowering of the pressure inthe supply line.

The most important installation requirementis the proper location of the backflow preventer(or the maintenance of the air gap). When atmo-spheric vacuum breakers are installed, they mustbe located a minimum distance above the floodlevel rim of the fixture, as specified by the manu-facturer.

DRINKING FOUNTAINS

A drinking fountain is designed to provide drink-ing water to users. The two classifications ofdrinking fountains are water coolers and drink-ing fountains. A water cooler has a refrigeratedcomponent that chills the water. A drinking foun-tain is a nonrefrigerated water dispenser.

There are many styles of both drinking foun-tain and water cooler. The height of a drinkingfountain is not regulatedother than accessibledrinking fountains conforming to ANSI/Interna-tional Code Council (ICC) A117.1. For gradeschool installations, drinking fountains are typi-cally installed 30 in. above the finished floor tothe rim of the fountain. Other locations typicallyhave drinking fountains 36 to 44 in. above thefinished floor. (See Figure 1-15.)

Space must be provided in front of the drink-ing fountain to allow proper access to the fixture.The plumbing code prohibits drinking fountainsfrom being installed in toilets or bathrooms.

The water supply to a drinking fountain is ain. or in. in diameter. The drainage connec-tion is 14 in.

Many plumbing codes permit bottled wateror the service of water in a restaurant to be sub-stituted for the installation of a drinkingfountain.

SHOWERS

A shower is designed to allow full body cleans-ing. The size and configuration of a shower mustpermit an individual to bend at the waist to cleanthe lower body extremities. The minimum sizeshower enclosure required in the plumbing codesis 30 in. by 30 in. The codes further stipulatethat a shower have a 30-in. diameter circle withinthe shower to allow free movement by the bather.

Figure 1-15 Drinking fountain height canvary depending on the application.


The water flow rate for showers is regulatedby the Plumbing Product Efficiency Act of 1992.The maximum permitted flow rate from a showervalve is 2.5 gpm at 80 psi.

There are three different types of showeravailable: the prefabricated shower enclosure,the prefabricated shower base, and the built-in-place shower. Prefabricated shower enclosuresare available from plumbing fixture manufactur-ers in a variety of sizes and shapes. Prefabricatedshower bases are the floors of the showers de-signed so that the walls can be eitherprefabricated assemblies or built-in-place ce-ramic walls. Built-in-place showers are typicallyceramic installations for both the floor and walls.

Prefabricated shower enclosures and prefab-ricated shower bases have a drainage outletdesigned for a connection to a 2-in. drain. Certainplumbing codes have lowered the shower drainsize to 1 in. The connection to a 1-in. draincan also be made with prefabricated showers.

A built-in-place shower allows the installa-tion of a shower of any shape and size. Theimportant installation requirement for a built-

in-place shower is the shower pan. The pan isplaced on the floor prior to the installation of

the ceramic base. The pan must turn up on thesides of the shower a minimum of 2 in. abovethe finished threshold of the shower (except thethreshold entrance). The materials commonlyused to make a shower pan include sheet lead,sheet copper, PVC sheet, and chlorinated poly-ethylene sheet. (See Figure 1-16.)

At the drainage connection to the shower pan,weep holes are required to be installed at the baseof the shower pan. The weep holes and showerpan are intended to serve as a backup drain inthe event that the ceramic floor leaks or cracks.

SHOWER VALVES

Shower valves must be thermostatic mixing,pressure balancing, or a combination of ther-mostatic mixing and pressure balancing andconform to ASSE 1016. The shower valves notonly control the flow and temperature of thewater, they also must control any variation inthe temperature of the water. These valves pro-vide protection against scalding as well as suddenchanges in water temperature, which can causeslips and falls.

A pressure-balancing valve maintains a con-stant temperature of the shower water byconstantly adjusting the pressure of the hot andcold water supply. If there is a change in pres-sure on the cold water supply, the hot watersupply balances to the equivalent pressure set-ting. When tested, a pressure-balancing valvecannot have a fluctuation in temperature thatexceeds 3F. If the cold water shuts off com-pletely, the hot water shuts off as well.

Thermostatic mixing valves adjust the tem-perature of the water by maintaining a constanttemperature once the water temperature is set.This is accomplished by thermally sensing con-trols that modify the quantity of hot and coldwater to keep the set temperature.

The difference between a thermostatic mix-ing valve and a pressure-balancing valve is thata thermostatic mixing valve will adjust the tem-perature when there is a fluctuation in thetemperature of either the hot or cold water. Witha pressure-balancing valve, when the tempera-ture of either the hot or cold water changes, thetemperature of the shower water will change ac-cordingly.

Figure 1-16 Built-in-place showers requirea pan below the floor. The drain must have

weep holes at the shower pan level.


The maximum flow rate permitted for eachshower is 2.5 gpm at 80 psi. If body sprays areadded to the shower, the total water flow rate isstill 2.5 gpm at 80 psi for the total water flow.

The shower valve is typically located 48 to50 in. above the floor. The installation height for

a shower head ranges from 65 to 84 in. abovethe floor of the shower. The standard height is78 in. for showers used by adult males.

BATHTUBS

The bathtub was the original fixture used tobathe or cleanse ones body. Eventually, theshower was added to the bathtub to expeditethe bathing process. The standard installationwas a combination tub/shower. With the intro-duction of the whirlpool bathtub, there has beena renaissance with a change to a separate whirl-pool bathtub without an overhead shower and aseparate shower. It is still common, however, tohave a whirlpool bathtub with an overheadshower as the main bathing fixture.

The bathtub has been a traditional residen-tial fixture. Bathtubs tend to be installed withinresidential units only. The standard bathtub sizeis 5 ft long by 30 in. wide with a depth of 14 to16 in. The drain can be either a left-hand (drainhole on the left side as you face the bathtub) orright-hand outlet. (See Figure 1-17.)

All bathtubs must have an overflow drain.This is necessary since the bathtub is often filledwhile the bather is not present. Porcelain enam-eled steel and enameled cast iron bathtubs arerequired to have a slip-resistant base to preventslips and falls. Plastic bathtubs are not requiredto have the slip-resistant surface since the plas-tic is considered to have an inherent slipresistance. However, slip resistance can be speci-fied for plastic bathtub surfaces.

In addition to the standard 5-ft bathtub,there are a variety of sizes and shapes of bath-tubs and whirlpool bathtubs. When whirlpoolbathtubs are installed, the controls for the whirl-pool must be accessible.

BATHTUB FILL VALVE

The two types of bathtub fill valve are the tubfiller and the combination tub and shower valve.Tub and shower valves must be pressure-bal-ancing, thermostatic mixing, or combinationpressure-balancing and thermostatic mixingvalves conforming to ASSE 1016. The tub filleris not required to meet these requirements, al-though there are pressure-balancing andthermostatic mixing tub filler valves available.

The spout of the tub filler must be properlyinstalled to maintain a 2-in. air gap between theoutlet and the flood level rim of the bathtub. Ifthis air gap is not maintained, then the outletmust be protected from backflow by some othermeans. Certain decorative tub fillers have an at-mospheric vacuum breaker installed to protectthe opening that is located below the flood levelrim.

The standard location of the bathtub fill valveis 14 in. above the top rim of the bathtub. Thespout is typically located 4 in. above the top rimof the bathtub to the centerline of the pipe con-nection.

BIDET

The bidet is a fixture designed for cleaning theperineal area. The bidet is often mistaken to bea fixture designed for use by the female popula-tion only. However, the fixture is meant for bothmale and female cleaning. The bidet has a fau-cet that comes with or without a water sprayconnection. When a water spray is provided, theoutlet must be protected against backflow since

Figure 1-17 A standard bathtub is 5 ft inlength.


the opening is located below the flood level rimof the bidet. Manufacturers provide a decorativeatmospheric vacuum breaker that is located onthe deck of the bidet.

Bidets are vitreous china fixtures that aremounted on the floor. The fixture, being similarto a lavatory, has a 1-in. drainage connection.Access must be provided around the bidet to al-low a bather to straddle the fixture and sit downon the rim. Most bidets have a flushing rim tocleanse the fixture after each use.

The bidet is used only for external cleans-ing. It is not designed for internal body cleansing.This is often misunderstood since the body spraymay be referred to as a douche (the Frenchword for shower).

FLOOR DRAINS

A floor drain is a plumbing fixture that is theexception to the definition of a plumbing fixture.There is no supply of cold and/or hot water to afloor drain. Every other plumbing fixture has awater supply. Floor drains are typically providedas an emergency fixture in the event of a leak oroverflow of water. They are also used to assist inthe cleaning of a toilet or bathroom.

Floor drains are available in a variety ofshapes and sizes. The minimum size drainageoutlet required by the plumbing code is 2 in.Most plumbing codes do not require floor drains;it is considered an optional fixture that theplumbing engineer may consider installing. Mostpublic toilet rooms have a least one floor drain.Floor drains are also used on the lower level ofcommercial buildings and in storage areas, com-mercial kitchens, and areas subject to potentialleaks.

Floor drains may also serve as indirect wastereceptors for condensate lines, overflow lines,and similar indirect waste lines.

A trench drain is considered a type of floordrain. (See Figure 1-18.) Trench drains are con-tinuous drains that can extend for a number offeet in length. Trench drains are popular in in-door parking structures and factory andindustrial areas. Each section of trench drainmust have a separate trap.

When floor drains are installed for emergencypurposes, the lack of use can result in the evapo-ration of the trap seal and the escape of sewer

gas. Floor drain traps subject to such evapora-tion are required to be protected with trap sealprimer valves or devices. These valves or devicesensure that the trap seal remains intact and pre-vents the escape of sewer gas. (See Figure 1-19.)

EMERGENCY FIXTURES

The two types of emergency fixture are the emer-gency shower and the eyewash station. Thesefixtures are designed to wash a victim with largevolumes of water when there is a chemical spillor burn or another hazardous material is spilledon an individual.

Emergency fixtures are normally required byOSHA regulations. In industrial buildings andchemical laboratories, emergency fixtures aresometimes added at the owners request in ad-dition to the minimum number required byOSHA.

An emergency shower is also called a drenchshower because of the large volume of waterdischarged through the emergency shower. (See

Figure 1-19 Floor Drain

Source: Courtesy of Jay R. Smith Company.

Figure 1-18 A trench drain can be used as afloor drain in a building. A separate trap isrequired for each section of trench drain.


Figure 1-20.) A typical low-end flow rate throughan emergency shower is 25 gpm. The flow ratecan be as high as 100 gpm. The minimum sizewater connection is 1 in. The shower head istypically installed 7 ft above the finished floor.

Eyewash stations are for washing the eyes.Unlike in emergency showers, in eyewash sta-tions the water flow rate is gentle so that theeyes can remain open during the washing pro-cess. The flow rates for an eyewash station rangefrom 1.5 to 6 gpm.

There are also combination emergencyshower and eyewash stations.

Most plumbing codes do not require a drainfor emergency showers or eyewash stations. Thisis to allow greater flexibility in the location ofthe fixtures and the spot cleanup of any chemi-cals that may be washed off the victim.

Figure 1-20 Emergency Shower

Source: Courtesy of Haws Corporation.

The standard regulating emergency fixturesis ANSI Z358.1. This standard requires the wa-ter supply to emergency fixtures to be tepid. Thetemperature of tepid water is assumed to be inthe range of 85F. When controlling the watertemperature, the thermostatic control valve mustpermit full flow of cold water in the event of afailure of the hot water supply. This can be ac-complished with the use of a fail-safethermostatic mixing valve or a bypass valve forthe thermostatic mixing valve. Since the showerand eyewash stations are for extreme emergen-cies, there must always be an available supplyof water to the fixtures.

MINIMUM FIXTUREREQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDINGS

The minimum number of required plumbing fix-tures for buildings is specified in the plumbingcodes. See Table 1-3, which reprints Table 403.1of the ICC International Plumbing Code, and Table1-4, which reprints Table 4-1 of the InternationalAssociation of Plumbing and Mechanical Offi-cials (IAPMO) Uniform Plumbing Code.

Both the International Plumbing Code and theUniform Plumbing Code base the minimum num-ber of plumbing fixtures on the occupant loadof the building. This is the maximum loadingpermitted based on the exiting of the building.It should be recognized that the occupant loadand occupancy of the building are sometimessignificantly different. For example, in an officebuilding, the occupancy is typically 25% of theoccupant load. The minimum fixture tables havetaken this into account in determining the mini-mum number of fixtures required.

Single-Occupant Toilet Rooms

The International Plumbing Code has added a re-quirement for a single-occupant toilet room foruse by both sexes. This toilet room is also calleda unisex toilet room. The single-occupant toi-let room must be designed to meet the accessiblefixture requirements of ANSI/ICC A117.1. Thepurpose of the single-occupant toilet room is toallow a husband to help a wife or vice versa. Italso allows a father to oversee a daughter or amother to oversee a son. These rooms are espe-cially important for those temporarilyincapacitated and the severely incapacitated.


Source: Reproduced from the 2000 edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code! , Copyright 1999, withpermission of the publishers, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials. All rightsreserved.Notes: 1. The figures shown are based upon one fixture being the minimum required for the number ofpersons indicated or any fraction thereof. 2. Each building shall be provided with sanitary facilities,including provisions for the physically handicapped, as prescribed by the department having jurisdiction.For requirements for the handicapped, ANSI A117.1-1992, Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities,may be used. 3. The total occupant load shall be determined by minimum exiting requirements. Theminimum number of fixtures shall be calculated at 50% male and 50% female based on the total occupantload.a Building categories not shown on this table shall be considered separately by the administrativeauthority.b Drinking fountains shall not be installed in toilet rooms.c Laundry trays. One (1) laundry tray or one (1) automatic washer standpipe for each dwelling unit or one(1) laundry tray or one (1) automatic washer standpipe, or combination thereof, for each twelve (12)apartments. Kitchen sinks, one (1) for each dwelling or apartment unit.d For each urinal added in excess of the minimum required, one water closet may be deducted. Thenumber of water closets shall not be reduced to less than two-thirds (2/3) of the minimum requirement.e As required by ANSI Z4.1-1968, Sanitation in Places of Employment.f Where there is exposure to skin contamination with poisonous, infectious, or irritating materials, provideone (1) lavatory for each five (5) persons.g Twenty-four (24) lineal inches (610 mm) of wash sink or eighteen (18) inches (457 mm) of a circularbasin, when provided with water outlets for such space, shall be considered equivalent to one (1) lavatory.

h Laundry trays, one (1) for each fifty (50) persons. Service sinks, one (1) for each hundred (100) persons.i General. In applying this schedule of facilities, consideration shall be given to the accessibility of thefixtures. Conformity purely on a numerical basis may not result in an installation suited to the need of theindividual establishment. For example, schools should be provided with toilet facilities on each floor havingclassrooms.

A. Surrounding materials, wall and floor space to a point two (2) feet (610 mm) in front of urinal lipand four (4) feet (1219 mm) above the floor, and at least two (2) feet (610 mm) to each side of theurinal shall be lined with nonabsorbent materials.B. Trough urinals shall be prohibited.

j A restaurant is defined as a business that sells food to be consumed on the premises.A. The number of occupants for a drive-in restaurant shall be considered as equal to the number

of parking stalls.B. Employee toilet facilities shall not be included in the above restaurant requirements. Hand

washing facilities shall be available in the kitchen for employees.k Where food is consumed indoors, water stations may be substituted for drinking fountains. Offices, orpublic buildings for use by more than six (6) persons shall have one (1) drinking fountain for the first onehundred fifty (150) persons and one (1) additional fountain for each three hundred (300) personsthereafter.l There shall be a minimum of one (1) drinking fountain per occupied floor in schools, theatres,auditoriums, dormitories, offices or public buildings.m The total number of water closets for females shall be at least equal to the total number of water closetsand urinals required for males.


The International Plumbing Code requires thesingle-occupant toilet room in mercantile andassembly buildings when the total number ofwater closets required (both men and women) issix or more. When installed in airports, the fa-cilities must be located to allow use before anindividual passes through the security check-point.

Another feature typically added to single-oc-cupant toilet rooms is a diaper changing station.This allows either the mother or the father tochange a babys diaper in privacy. To allow allpossible uses of the single-occupant toilet room,the rooms are often identified as family toiletrooms. This is to clearly indicate that the roomsare not reserved for the physically challenged.

25Chapter 2 Piping Systems

PipingSystems

The selection of piping materials depends onpressure, velocity, temperature, the corrosive-ness of the medium conveyed within, initial cost,installation costs, operating costs, and good en-gineering practice. This chapter is intended toprovide information and guidance regardingcommon types of pipe materials. The informa-tion is offered to the plumbing engineer forgeneral applications of various pipe materialsand various applications of materials. It shouldbe noted that plumbing codes and regulationsdiffer from one state to another and should bereferred to prior to the beginning of any design.

INSTALLATION

Pipes should be neatly arrangedstraight, par-allel or at right angles to wallsand cutaccurately to established measurements. Pipesshould be worked into place without springingor forcing. Sufficient headroom should be pro-vided to enable the clearing of lighting fixtures,ductwork, sprinklers, aisles, passageways, win-dows, doors, and other openings. Pipes shouldnot interfere with access to maintain equipment.

Pipes should be clean (free of cuttings andforeign matter inside) and exposed ends of pip-ing should be covered during site storage andinstallation. Split, bent, flattened, or otherwisedamaged pipe or tubing should not be used. Suf-ficient clearance should be provided from walls,ceilings, and floors to permit welding, solder-ing, or connecting joints and valves. A minimumof 610 in. (152.4254 mm) clearance shouldbe provided. Installation of pipe over electricalequipment, such as switchgear, panel boards,

and elevator machine rooms, should be avoided.Piping systems should not interfere with safetyor relief valves.

A means of draining the piping systemsshould be provided. A or -in. (12.7 or 19.1-mm) hose bib (provided with a threaded end andvacuum breaker) should be placed at the lowestpoint of the piping system for this purpose. Con-stant grades should be maintained for properdrainage, and piping systems should be free ofpockets due to changes in elevation.

SPECIFICATION

Only new materials should be specified. A typi-cal piping specification should include thefollowing items:

1. Type of system,

2. Type of material,

3. Applicable standard(s),

4. Wall thickness,

5. Method of joining,

6. Methods of support,

7. Type of end connection,8. Type of weld or solder,

9. Bolting,

10. Gasket materials, and

11. Testing.

Piping is usually tested at 1.5 times the work-ing pressure of the system. It should not be


buried, concealed, or insulated until it has beeninspected, tested, and approved. All defective pip-ing is to be replaced and retested.

Note: All domestic water piping and fittingsare to conform to National Sanitation Founda-tion (NSF) Standard 61.

COMMON TYPES OF PIPE

Asbestos Cement

This type of pipe is made of asbestos fibers com-bined under pressure with Portland cement andsilica flour to form a dense and homogeneousmaterial. It is then autoclave cured for strength.

There are two types of pipe, pressure andnonpressure. Both types are available with orwithout an epoxy lining of 12, 20, or 40-mil thick-ness. The pressure type is used primarily unlinedas water piping and secondarily as lined sewerforce mains and industrial effluent and processpiping. The nonpressure type is used for sani-tary and storm drainage systems, casings forelectric cables, and ductwork.

The size range is 436 in. (100914 mm) indiameter for water piping and 442 in. (1001067mm) for nonpressure piping. The 4 and 6-in. (100and 150-mm) diameter is available in either 10or 13-ft (3 or 4-m) lengths and the 842-in. (2001060-mm) diameter in 13-ft (4-m) lengths.Pressure pipe is available in 100, 150, and 200-psi (689.5, 1035.2, and 1379-kPa) workingpressures. Sewer pipe is classified in grades of1500, 2400, 3300, 4000, 5000, 6000, and 7000-lb/ft. (2234.3, 3574.8, 4468.5, 5958, 7447.5,8937.2, and 10426.7-kg/m) crush strength. Theselection of pipe is determined by such factorsas working pressure, earth loading, and wheelor live loading.

The asbestos is not considered a health haz-ard because of the process by which it is bondedinto the pipe. Very little asbestos cement pipingis manufactured in the United States becauseof the hazard of breathing asbestos during thecutting and manufacturing of the pipe. Anotherreason it is seldom used is the high cost of dis-posal for unused and damaged piping.

Note: The use of asbestos cement pipinghas been banned in some states; the designershould check with the local code officials priorto use.

The applicable standard for asbestos cementwater piping is American Standard for Testingand Material (ASTM) C-296 and for nonpressuredrainage piping ASTM C-428.

Pipe joints are made with a machined spigotend on the pipe which pushes into a coupling.Fittings are belied. Both couplings and fittingsbells are grooved, with a rubber gasket that fitsbetween the groove and the spigot pipe end. Thismakes a watertight joint, permitting 2.55.0deflection. Cast iron fittings are normally usedfor pressure pipe and miter cut and epoxy jointasbestos cement fittings for nonpressure pipe.Couplings for both pipes are asbestos cement.See Figure 2-1.

Applicable standards and specifications forasbestos cement piping include the following: forpressure pipe ASTM C-296, American WaterWorks Association (AWWA) C-400, and AWWAC-402, and for nonpressure pipe ASTM C-428.

Note: Environmental as well as health prob-lems are asssociated with cutting asbestoscement pipe. The designer should check withlocal code officials, the local health authority,and pipe manufacturers recommendations.

Figure 2-1 Asbestos-Cement Pressure PipeJoints and Fittings


(Red) Brass (Copper Alloy) Pipe

(Red) brass pipe is an alloy of copper manufac-tured to the requirements of ASTM B-43, StandardSpecification for Seamless Red Brass Pipe, Stan-dard Sizes. It is manufactured from alloyC23000, which is composed of approximately85% copper (Cu) with no greater than 0.05% lead(Pb) and 0.05% iron (Fe) and the remainder zinc(Zn).

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regu-lations have set a maximum concentration of 8%lead in brass piping. Lead was previously usedin the manufacturing of pipe as a filler material.It was added to make the pipe softer, thereforemaking it easier to cut and shape.

Available sizes are 812-in. (3.18304.8-mm)diameters in both standard weight (Schedule 40)and extra-strong weight (Schedule 80). Extra-strong pipe has the same outside diameter asstandard weight piping; the difference is in thewall thickness, thus reducing the inside diam-eter. The standard length for (red) brass pipe is12 ft (3.7 m). Brass piping dimensions are simi-lar to those of steel piping.

Brass pipe is moderately resistant to manycorrosive solutions and is often utilized for wa-ter supply and distribution.

Joints in (red) brass pipe can be threaded,flanged, or brazed to the fittings of the appropri-ate joint configuration. Fittings in the smallersizes, normally those below 2-in. diameter arescrewed cast copper alloy or brazed cup cast cop-per alloy. Fittings above 2-in. diameter arenormally threaded, flanged, brazed, orin somecasesgrooved mechanical joint fittings.

Fittings used with (red) brass pipe includethose meeting the applicable requirements ofANSI/ASME B16.15, Cast Bronze Threaded Fit-tings; ANSI/ASME B16.24, Cast Copper AlloyPipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings, MIL F-1183,Bronze Fittings for Brazed Joints (threadlessbrass/bronze fittings).

Note: Many of the federal specification num-bers have been replaced by the appropriateASTM, ANSI/ASME numbers using the appro-priate numbering format. See Figure 2-2.

Cast Iron Soil Pipe

Cast iron soil pipe used in the United States isclassified into two major types: hub and spigot,and hubless (no hub).

Cast iron soil pipe is made of gray cast ironwith a compact close grain. Three classificationsarc used: XH (extra heavy), SV (service), andhubless. Cast iron soil pipe is primarily used forsanitary drain, waste, vent, and storm systems.The extra heavy class is often used for under-ground applications. Sizes include 2 to 15-in.diameters and 5 or 10-ft (1.5 or 3.1-m) lengthsfor extra heavy and service pipe. It is availablein single and double hub. Traps can have re-movable cleanouts. Hubless class cast iron sizesinclude 1 to 15-in. diameter, and it is manu-factured in 5 to 10-ft (1.5 to 3.1-m) lengths.Piping is also available with beaded ends.

Hub and spigot pipe and fittings have hubsinto which the spigot (plain end) of the pipe orfitting is inserted. The joint is sealed with a rub-ber (neoprene) compression gasket or molten leadand oakum. Hub and spigot pipe and fittingsare available in two classes or thicknesses: ser-vice (SV) and extra heavy (XH). Because theadditional wall thickness is added to the out-side diameter, service and extra heavy classeshave different outside diameters and are notreadily interchangeable. These two different typesof pipe and fittings can be connected with adapt-ers available form the manufacturer. Hub andspigot pipe and fittings are available in 2 to 15-in. (50.8 to 381-mm) sizes. Compression gaskets,lubricants, and assembly tools are available frommanufacturers.

Figure 2-2 Cast-Bronze Threaded Fittings


Hubless cast iron soil pipe and fittings aresimply pipe and fittings manufactured withouta hub. The method of joining these pipes andfittings utilizes a hubless coupling, which slipsover the plain ends of the pipe and fittings andis tightened to seal it. Hubless cast iron soil pipeand fittings are made in only one class, or thick-ness. There are many varied configurations offittings, and both pipe and fittings range in sizefrom 1 to 10 in. (38.1 to 254 mm). Couplings

for use in joining hubless pipe and fittings arealso available in these size ranges from variousmanufacturers.

Fittings vary in size and shape. See Figures2-3, 2-4, and 2-5 and Tables 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3.

Applicable standards and specifications in-clude: ASTM A-74, ASTM A-888, Cast Iron SoilPipe Institute (CISPI) 301, and CISPI 310.

Figure 2-4 Cast-Iron Soil Pipe (Extra-Heavy and Service Classes)

Notes :1. Laying length, all sizes:single hub 5 ft; double hub 5 ft less Y, 5-ft lengths; single hub 10 ft; double hub 10 ft lessY, for 10 ft lengths. 2. If a bead is provided on the spigot end, M may be any diameter between J and M. 3. Hub ends andspigot ends can be made with or without draft, and spigot ends can be made with or without spigot bead.

Figure 23: Cast Iron Soil Pipe Joints

Figure 2-5 Hubless Cast-Iron Soil Pipe and Fittings


Table 2-1 Dimensions of Hubs, Spigots, and Barrels for Extra-Heavy Cast-Iron Soil Pipe and FittingsNominal Inside Outside OutsideInside Diameter Diameter Diameter Telescoping Thickness

Diameter of Hub of Spigot a of Barrel Length of BarrelSize (in.) (in.) (in.) (in.) (in.) (in.)

A M J Y T (nominal) T (minimum)2 3.06 2.75 2.38 2.50 0.19 0.123 4.19 3.88 3.50 2.75 0.25 0.184 5.19 4.88 4.50 3.00 0.25 0.185 6.19 5.88 5.50 3.00 0.25 0.186 7.19 6.88 6.50 3.00 0.25 0.188 9.50 9.00 8.62 3.50 0.31 0.25

10 11.62 11.13 10.75 3.50 0.37 0.3112 13.75 13.13 12.75 4.25 0.37 0.3115 17.00 16.25 15.88 4.25 0.44 0.37

Nominal Thickness Width Width of Distance fromInside of Hub (in.) of Hub Spigot Lead Groove to Depth of

Diameter Bead b Bead b End, Pipe and Lead GrooveSize (in.) Hub Body Over Bead (in.) (in.) Fittings (in.) (in.)

S (minimum) R (minimum) F N P G (minimum) G (maximum)

2 0.18 0.37 0.75 0.69 0.28 0.10 0.133 0.25 0.43 0.81 0.75 0.28 0.10 0.134 0.25 0.43 0.88 0.81 0.28 0.10 0.135 0.25 0.43 0.88 0.81 0.28 0.10 0.136 0.25 0.43 0.88 0.81 0.28 0.10 0.138 0.34 0.59 1.19 1.12 0.38 0.15 0.19

10 0.40 0.65 1.19 1.12 0.38 0.15 0.1912 0.40 0.65 1.44 1.38 0.47 0.15 0.1915 0.46 0.71 1.44 1.38 0.47 0.15 0.19

Note: Laying length, all sizes:single hub 5 ft; double hub 5 ft less Y, 5-ft lengths; single hub 10 ft; double hub 10 ft less Y, for 10 ft lengths.a If a bead is provided on the spigot end, M may be any diameter between J and M.b Hub ends and spigot ends can be made with or without draft, and spigot ends can be made with or without spigot bead.

Table 2-1(M) Dimensions of Hubs, Spigots, and Barrels for Extra-Heavy Cast-Iron Soil Pipe and FittingsNominal Inside Outside OutsideInside Diameter Diameter Diameter Telescoping Thickness

Diameter of Hub of Spigot a of Barrel Length of BarrelSize (in.) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)

A M J Y T (nominal) T (minimum)2 77.72 69.85 60.45 63.50 4.83 3.053 106.43 98.55 88.90 69.85 6.35 4.574 131.83 123.95 114.30 76.20 6.35 4.575 157.23 149.35 139.70 76.20 6.35 4.576 182.63 174.75 165.10 76.20 6.35 4.578 241.30 228.60 218.95 88.90 7.87 6.35

10 295.15 282.70 273.05 88.90 9.40 7.8712 349.25 333.50 323.85 107.95 9.40 7.8715 431.80 412.75 403.35 107.95 11.18 9.40

(Continued)


Table 2-2 Dimensions of Hubs, Spigots, and Barrels for Service Cast-Iron Soil Pipe and FittingsNominal Inside Outside OutsideInside Diameter Diameter Diameter Telescoping Thickness

Diameter of Hub of Spigot a of Barrel Length of BarrelSize (in.) (in.) (in.) (in.) (in.) (in.)

A M J Y T (nominal) T (minimum)

2 2.94 2.62 2.30 2.50 0.17 0.123 3.94 3.62 3.30 2.75 0.17 0.134 4.94 4.62 4.30 3.00 0.18 0.145 5.94 5.62 5.30 3.00 0.19 0.156 6.94 6.62 6.30 3.00 0.20 0.168 9.25 8.75 8.38 3.50 0.22 0.17

10 11.38 10.88 10.50 3.50 0.26 0.2112 13.50 12.88 12.50 4.25 0.28 0.2215 16.75 16.00 15.62 4.25 0.30 0.25

(Table 2-1(M) continued)Nominal Thickness Width Width of Distance fromInside of Hub (mm) of Hub Spigot Lead Groove to Depth of

Diameter Bead b Bead b End, Pipe and Lead GrooveSize (in.) Hub Body Over Bead (mm) (mm) Fittings (mm) (mm)


2 4.57 9.40 19.05 17.53 7.11 2.54 3.303 6.35 10.92 20.57 19.05 7.11 2.54 3.304 6.35 10.92 22.35 20.57 7.11 2.54 3.305 6.35 10.92 22.35 20.57 7.11 2.54 3.306 6.35 10.92 22.35 20.57 7.11 2.54 3.308 8.64 14.99 30.23 28.45 9.65 3.81 4.83

10 10.16 16.51 30.23 28.45 9.65 3.81 4.8312 10.16 16.51 36.58 35.05 11.94 3.81 4.8315 11.68 18.03 36.58 35.05 11.94 3.81 4.83

Note: Laying length, all sizes: single hub 1.5 m; double hub 1.5 m less Y, 1.5 m lengths; single hub 3.1 m; double hub 3.1 m less Y, for 3.1 m lengths.a If a bead is provided on the spigot end, M may be any diameter between J and M.b Hub ends and spigot ends can be made with or without draft, and spigot ends can be made with or without spigot bead.

Nominal Thickness Width Width of Distance fromInside of Hub (in.) of Hub Spigot Lead Groove to Depth of

Diameter Bead b Bead b End, Pipe and Lead GrooveSize (in.) Hub Body Over Bead (in.) (in.) Fittings (in.) (in.)


2 0.13 0.34 0.75 0.69 0.28 0.10 0.133 0.16 0.37 0.81 0.75 0.28 0.10 0.134 0.16 0.37 0.88 0.81 0.28 0.10 0.135 0.16 0.37 0.88 0.81 0.28 0.10 0.136 0.18 0.37 0.88 0.81 0.28 0.10 0.138 0.19 0.44 1.19 1.12 0.38 0.15 0.19

10 0.27 0.53 1.19 1.12 0.38 0.15 0.1912 0.27 0.53 1.44 1.38 0.47 0.15 0.1915 0.30 0.58 1.44 1.38 0.47 0.15 0.19

Note: Laying length, all sizes:single hub 5 ft; double hub 5 ft less Y, 5-ft lengths; single hub 10 ft; double hub 10 ft less Y, for 10 ft lengths.a If a bead is provided on the spigot end, M may be any diameter between J and M.b Hub ends and spigot ends can be made with or without draft, and spigot ends can be made with or without spigot bead.


Table 2-2(M) Dimensions of Hubs, Spigots, and Barrels for Service Cast-Iron Soil Pipe and FittingsNominal Inside Outside OutsideInside Diameter Diameter Diameter Telescoping Thickness

Diameter of Hub of Spigot a of Barrel Length of BarrelSize (in.) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)

A M J Y T (nominal) T (minimum)

2 74.68 66.55 58.42 63.50 4.32 3.053 100.08 91.95 83.82 69.85 4.32 3.304 125.48 117.35 109.22 76.20 4.57 3.565 150.88 142.75 134.62 76.20 4.83 3.816 176.28 168.15 160.02 76.20 5.08 4.068 234.95 222.25 212.85 88.90 5.59 4.32

10 289.05 276.35 266.70 88.90 6.60 5.3312 342.90 327.15 317.50 107.95 7.11 5.5915 425.45 406.40 396.75 107.95 7.62 6.35

Nominal Thickness Width Width of Distance fromInside of Hub (mm) of Hub Spigot Lead Groove to Depth of

Diameter Bead b Bead b End, Pipe and Lead GrooveSize (in.) Hub Body Over Bead (mm) (mm) Fittings (mm) (mm)


2 3.30 8.64 19.05 17.53 7.11 2.54 3.303 4.06 9.40 20.57 19.05 7.11 2.54 3.304 4.06 9.40 22.35 20.57 7.11 2.54 3.305 4.06 9.40 22.35 20.57 7.11 2.54 3.306 4.57 9.40 22.35 20.57 7.11 2.54 3.308 4.83 11.18 30.23 28.45 9.65 3.81 4.83

10 6.86 13.46 30.23 28.45 9.65 3.81 4.8312 6.86 13.46 36.58 35.05 11.94 3.81 4.8315 7.62 14.73 36.58 35.05 11.94 3.81 4.83

Note: Laying length, all sizes: single hub 1.5 m; double hub 1.5 m less Y, 1.5 m lengths; single hub 3.1 m; double hub 3.1 m less Y, for 3.1 m lengths.a If a bead is provided on the spigot end, M may be any diameter between J and M.b Hub ends and spigot ends can be made with or without draft, and spigot ends can be made with or without spigot bead.

Table 2-3 Dimensions of Spigots and Barrels for Hubless Pipe and FittingsInside Outside Outside Width Gasket

Nom. Diam. Diam. Diam. Spigot Thickness of Positioning Laying Length,Size Barrel Barrel Spigot Bead Barrel Lug La, b(in.) (in.) (mm) (in.) (mm) (in.) (mm) (in.) (mm) (in.) (mm) (in.) (mm) (in.) (mm) (in.)

B J M N T-Nom. T-Min. W 5 Ft 10 Ft1 1.50 3.81 1.90 4.83 1.96 4.98 0.25 0.64 0.16 0.38 0.13 0.33 1.13 2.87 60 1202 2.00 5.08 2.35 5.97 2.41 6.12 0.25 0.64 0.16 0.38 0.13 0.33 1.13 2.87 60 1203 3.00 7.62 3.35 8.51 3.41 8.66 0.25 0.64 0.16 0.38 0.13 0.33 1.13 2.87 60 1204 4.00 10.16 4.38 11.13 4.44 11.28 0.31 0.79 0.19 0.48 0.15 0.38 1.13 2.87 60 1205 4.94 12.70 5.30 13.46 5.36 13.61 0.31 0.79 0.19 0.48 0.15 0.38 1.50 3.81 60 1206 5.94 15.24 6.30 16.00 6.36 16.15 0.31 0.79 0.19 0.48 0.15 0.38 1.50 3.81 60 1208 7.94 20.32 8.38 21.29 8.44 21.44 0.31 0.79 0.23 0.58 0.17 0.43 2.00 5.08 60 12010 10.00 25.40 10.56 26.82 10.62 26.97 0.31 0.79 0.28 0.71 0.22 0.56 2.00 5.08 60 120

a Laying lengths as listed are for pipe only.b Laying lengths may be either 5 ft 0 in. or 10 ft 0 in. (1.5 or 3.1 m) long.


Ductile Iron Water and Sewer Pipe

Ductile iron pipe has replaced gray cast iron pres-sure pipe for water and sewer uses. Gray castiron pressure pipe is no longer manufactured inthe United States. Ductile iron pipe is a high-strength material and is available in sevenclasses (5056) and in sizes from 3 to 64-in. (76to 1626-mm) diameter. Ductile iron pipe is notas brittle as cast iron pipe. The pipe is manufac-tured with bell ends and has lengths of either18 or 20 ft (5.49 or 6.1 m). Pressure ratings forthe working pressure are available in all sizes to350 psi (2414 kPa). The primary uses of thispipe are in water and sewer systems and indus-trial applications.

Standard joints for pipe and fittings arepush-on, mechanical, and flanged. Other spe-cial joints are also available, such as restrained,ball and socket, and grooved and shouldered.Fittings are manufactured and available as ei-ther gray cast iron or ductile iron. See Figure2-6.

Cement-lined piping is normally required forwater distribution systems. The cement liningprovides a protective barrier between the potablewater supply and the ductile iron pipe to pre-vent impurities and contaminants form leachinginto the water supply.

Applicable standards and specifications in-clude the following:

ANSI/AWWA C104/A21.4, Cement Mortar Lining ANSI/AWWA C105/A21.5, Polyethylene En-

casement ANSI/AWWA CI10/A21.10, Fitting ANSI/AWWA C111/A21.11, Rubber-Gasket

Joints ANSI/AWWA C115/A21.15, Flanged Pipe ANSI/AWWA C116/A21.16, Fusion-Bonded

Epoxy Coating ANSI/AWWA C150/A21.50, Thickness Design ANSI/AWWA C151/A21.51, Manufacturing ANSI/AWWA C153/A21.53, Compact Fittings ANSI/AWWA C600, Installation AWWA C651, Disinfecting ASTM A716, Culvert Pipe ASTM A746, Gravity Sewer Pipe.

Concrete Pipe (Underground Use Only)

There are three commonly used processes forproducing precast concrete pipe: packerhead, drycast, and wet cast. Packerhead and dry cast areclassified as immediate strip methods. Immedi-ate strip is characterized by the use of no-slumpconcrete that is sufficiently compacted duringthe pipe-making cycle to allow removal of theinner core or outer form as soon as the pipe hasbeen produced. Strip means the removal of theform from the pipe. Wet casting utilizes relativelywet concrete to fill the annular space betweenan inner core and outer form.

Nonreinforced concrete pipe is used for drain-age and sewer lines, and for gravity-flow watersupply lines if the joints are carefully made. Thispipe is available in 4 to 36-in. (100 to 900-mm)diameters. Nonreinforced concrete pipe is notavailable in all markets.

Reinforced concrete pipe is (RCP) is made bythe addition of steel wire or steel bars. Reinforcedconcrete pipe is used primarily for sewage andstorm drainage and is available in 12 to 144-in.(300 to 3600-mm) diameters.

RCP is also the most commonly used drain-age pipe for parking areas and roadways. RCPis installed by site contractors during site prepa-ration more usually than it is installed by theplumbing trade. Joints are usually made with acement plaster.

For use in sanitary sewers, the joints for bothnonreinforced concrete pipe and RCP should beconstructed utilizing rubber gaskets. More andmore building codes are permitting only elasto-meric gasket joints conforming to ASTM C-443for use below buildings.

Applicable standards and specifications in-clude ASTM C-14, Standard Specification forConcrete Sewer, Storm Drain, and Culvert Pipefor Non-reinforced Concrete; ASTM-C-76, Stan-dard Specification for Reinforced ConcreteCulverts, Storm Drain, and Sewer Pipe, and C-655, Standard Specification for ReinforcedConcrete D-Load Culvert Storm Drain and SewerPipe for Reinforced Concrete Pipe; and ASTM C-443, Standard Specification for Joints for CircularConcrete Sewer and Culver Pipe, Using RubberGaskets.


Figure 2-6 Joints and Fittings for Ductile-Iron Pipe


Copper Pipe

Copper pipe is almost pure copper manufacturedto the requirements of ASTM B42, StandardSpecification for Seamless Copper Pipe, StandardSizes. It may be manufactured from any of fivecopper alloys (C10200, C10300, C10800,C12000, and C12200) that all conform to thechemical composition requirements of alloys con-taining a minimum of 99.9% Copper (Cu) and amaximum of 0.04% Phosphorous (P). Availablesizes are 8 to 12-in. (3.18 to 304.8-mm) diam-eters in regular wall thickness and 8 to 10 in.(3.18 to 254 mm) in extra strong wall thickness.The standard length for copper pipe is 12 ft (3.7m). Copper pipe dimensions are similar to thosefor brass and steel pipe.

Copper pipe is suitable for water supply;drain, waste, and vent (DWV); boiler feed lines;refrigeration; and similar purposes.

Joints in seamless copper pipe can bethreaded, flanged, or brazed to fittings of the ap-propriate joint configuration. Fittings in thesmaller sizes, normally those below 2-in. diam-eter, are screwed cast copper alloy or brazed cupcast copper alloy. Fittings above 2-in. diameterare normally threaded, flanged, or brazed; in

some cases, grooved mechanical joint fittings areemployed.

Fittings used with seamless copper pipe in-clude those meeting the applicable requirementsof ANSI/ASME B16.15, Cast Bronze ThreadedFittings; ANSI/ASME B16.24, Cast Copper AlloyPipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings; and MIL F-1183, Bronze Fittings for Brazed Joints(threadless brass/bronze fittings).

Note: Many of the federal specification num-bers have been replaced by the appropriateASTM, ANSI/ASME numbers using the appro-priate numbering format. See Table 2-4.

Copper Water Tube

Copper water tube is a seamless, almost purecopper material manufactured to the require-ments of ASTM B88, Standard Specification forSeamless Copper Water Tube. It has three basicwall thickness dimensions, designated as typesK, L, and M, type K being the thickest, type Lbeing of intermediate thickness, and type M be-ing the thinnest. All three types of tube aremanufactured from copper alloy C12200, whichhas a chemical composition of a minimum of99.9% copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) combined and

Figure 2-7 Copper Tube Flared Fittings


Table 2-4 Commercially Available Lengths of Copper Plumbing Tube

The first of the three principal classes of copper tubular products is commonly referred to as commodity tube. It includestypes K (heaviest), L (standard), and M (lightest) wall thickness schedules as classified by ASTM B88, Specification forSeamless Copper Water Tube; type DWV of ASTM B306, Specification for Copper Drainage Tube (DWV); and medical gastube of ASTM B819, Specification for Seamless Copper Tube for Medical Gas Systems. In each case, the actual outsidediameter is 8 in. (0.32 cm) larger than the nominal or standard size.

Copper TubeTypes, Standards, Applications, Tempers, LengthsTube Type Color CodeType K Green ASTM B 88 a

Commercially Available Lengths b

Straight Lengths Coils

Standard Applications c Drawn Annealed

Domestic water service and distribution to 8 in. 20 ft 20 ft to 1 in. 60 ftFire protection 10 in. 18 ft 18 ft 100 ftSolar 12 in. 12 ft 12 ft 1 and 1 in. 60 ftFuel/fuel oil 2 in. 40 ftHVAC 45 ftSnow melting

Tube Type Color CodeType L Blue ASTM B 88

Commercially Available Lengths b

Straight Lengths Coils

Standard Applications c Drawn Annealed

Domestic wa

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Aspe Data Book Volume 4