Plumbing fixture
Encyclopedia
A plumbing fixture is an exchangeable device which can be connected to an existing plumbing system
to deliver and drain away water but which is also configured to enable a particular use.
outlets and a drain
. In some cases, the drain has a device that can be manipulated to block the drain to fill the basin of the fixture. Each fixture also has a flood rim, or level at which water will begin to overflow. Most fixtures also have an overflow, which is a conduit for water to drain away, when the regular drain is plugged, before the water actually overflows at the flood rim level. However, water closets and showers (that are not in bathtubs) usually lack this feature because their drains normally cannot be stopped.
Each fixture usually has a characteristic means of connection. Normal plumbing practice is to install a valve on each water supply line before the fixture, and this is most commonly termed a stop or "service valve". The water supply to some fixtures is cold water only (such as water closets and urinals). Most fixtures also have a hot water supply. In some occasional cases, a sink may have both a potable (drinkable) and a non-potable water supply.
Lavatories and water closets normally connect to the water supply by means of a supply, which is a tube, usually of nominal 3/8 in (U.S.
) or 10 or 12 mm diameter (Europe
and Middle East
), which connects the water supply to the fixture, sometimes through a flexible (braid
ed) hose. For water closets, this tube usually ends in a flat neoprene
washer that tightens against the connection, while for lavatories, the supply usually ends in a conical
neoprene washer. Kitchen sinks, tubs and showers usually have supply tubes built onto their valves which then are soldered
or 'fast joint'ed directly onto the water supply pipes.
in their drains; these traps are either internal or external to the fixtures. Traps are pipes which curve down then back up; they 'trap' a small amount of water to create a water seal between the ambient air space and the inside of the drain system
. This prevents sewer gas
from entering buildings.
Most water closets, bidets, and many urinals have the trap integral with the fixture itself. The visible water surface in a toilet is the top of the trap's water seal.
Each fixture drain, with exceptions, must be vented
so that negative air pressure in the drain cannot siphon the trap dry, to prevent positive air pressure in the sewer
from forcing gases past the water seal, and to prevent explosive sewer gas
buildup.
Floor-mounted water closets seal to the toilet flange of the drain pipe by means of a wax ring. These are traditionally made out of beeswax. However, their proper sealing depends on proper seating of the water closet, on a firm and secure base (floor), and on proper installation of the closet bolts which secure the closet to the flange, which is in turn supposed to be securely fastened to the floor.
In public facilities, the trend is toward sensor-operated fixtures that improve hygiene and save money. For example, sensor operated automatic-flush urinals have fewer moving parts, reduce wear, and tend to last longer than manual-flush valves. Also they ensure fixtures are flushed only once per use. Some contain intelligence that flushes them at different amounts of water flow depending on traffic patterns: e.g., the fixture can detect a lineup of users and only give a full flush after the last person has used the urinal.
Automatic flush compensates for users who do not bother to flush. Also, since the fixtures are always flushed, there is no need for a urinal cake, or other odor reduction. Sensor-operated toilets also have automatic flush. Sensor-operated faucets and showers save water. For example, while a user is lathering up with soap, the fixture shuts off and then resumes when the user needs it to. Sensor-operated soap and shampoo dispensers reduce waste and spills that might otherwise represent a slippage hazard.
However, many people, especially children, dislike or even fear automatic flush toilets, since they have the tendency to flush without warning, even while the user is still sitting on the toilet. Some parents have started keeping track of public bathrooms that have manual flush toilets, or even carrying post-it notes or other devices with them to temporarily disable the automatic flush sensor.
These fixtures typically cost more to install than conventional plumbing fixtures, because thy require the services (or presence) of both a licensed plumber and a licensed electrician. Construction companies on cost-plus contracts may actually favor these fixtures for this reason, although their clients may not. The additional complexity of these fixtures also complicates repairs, particularly the diagnosis of malfunctions causing unexpected flushing. Few electricians, and fewer plumbers, understand microelectronics well enough for complex diagnosis.
disposal unit, Canada: garbage grinder or garburator, portions of US: garbage disposal
) was invented in 1927 by architect
John Hammes of Racine, WI. He went on to found InSinkErator, which is still at work making millions of garbage disposers a year. The function of the garbage disposer is to grind food waste (e.g. chicken bones, fruit, coffee grinds, meat) so that it can be sent down standard household plumbing without clogging. The device works by attaching a small chamber underneath the drain of a sink. This chamber contains whirling blades and grinders which chop and grind the waste into much smaller particles. Once the food is small enough to pass out of this chamber, it is flushed down the rest of the plumbing.
A few tips for maintaining a garbage disposer:
In most of Europe
, garbage disposers are not used at all; the high load of organic matter in the waste water requires a higher capacity sewage treatment plant, since the increased organic matter requires additional oxygen and water to process. Instead, garbage is separated at the source, into compostable and other types of garbage and collected. Similarly, in the United States
there have been some political and environmental issues with garbage disposers. For many years, New York City
had ban
ned their use. The stated reason was the above-mentioned increased sewage treatment capacity, but many area residents also suspected that it was the garbage unions
not wanting work taken away from them. The ban was rescinded on September 11, 1997.
System
System is a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole....
to deliver and drain away water but which is also configured to enable a particular use.
Common fixtures
The most common plumbing fixtures are:- BathtubBathtubA bath , bathtub , or tub is a large container for holding water in which a person may bathe . Most modern bathtubs are made of acrylic or fiberglass, but alternatives are available in enamel over steel or cast iron, and occasionally waterproof finished wood...
s - BidetBidetA bidet is a low-mounted plumbing fixture or type of sink intended for washing the genitalia, inner buttocks, and anus. It was originally a French word.-History:...
s - Channel drainsTrench drainA trench drain is a specific type of floor drain containing a dominant through- or channel-shaped body. It is used for the rapid evacuation of surface water or for the containment of utility lines or chemical spills...
(also called trench drains) - Drinking fountains
- Hose bibbs (connections for water hosesHose (tubing)A hose is a hollow tube designed to carry fluids from one location to another. Hoses are also sometimes called pipes , or more generally tubing...
) - Kitchen sinkKitchen sinkKitchen sink is a term often used in the phrase everything but the kitchen sinkKitchen sink may also refer to:* A sink in a kitchen for washing dishes, vegetables, etc* Kitchen Sink, a 1989 short film by Alison Maclean...
s - Lavatories (also called bathroom sinks)
- ShowerShowerA shower is an area in which one bathes underneath a spray of water.- History :...
s - Tapware - an industry term for that sub-category of plumbing fixtures consisting of tap valvesTap (valve)A tap is a valve controlling release of liquids or gas. In the British Isles and most of the Commonwealth, the word is used for any everyday type of valve, particularly the fittings that control water supply to bathtubs and sinks. In the U.S., the term "tap" is more often used for beer taps,...
, also called water taps (British English) or faucets (American English), and their accessories, such as water spouts and showerShowerA shower is an area in which one bathes underneath a spray of water.- History :...
heads. - Terminal valveValveA valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category...
s for dishwashers, ice makers, humidifiers, etc. - Urinals
- Utility sinks
- Water closets (WCWC-Computing:* wc , a Unix utility used for counting words and lines in a file* Wing Commander , a video game media franchise* Write-combining, a computing performance method of combining multiple memory writes before sending them-Industry:...
) (known as toiletToiletA toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
s in the USA, loos, flush toiletFlush toiletA flush toilet is a toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location. Flushing mechanisms are found more often on western toilets , but many squat toilets also are made for automated flushing...
s or lavatories in Britain)
Outlets and drains
Each of these plumbing fixtures has one or more waterWater
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
outlets and a drain
Drain (plumbing)
A drain is the primary vessel for unwanted water to be flumed away, either to a more useful area, funnelled into a receptacle, or run into the sewers as waste.-Waste versus re-circulated drains:...
. In some cases, the drain has a device that can be manipulated to block the drain to fill the basin of the fixture. Each fixture also has a flood rim, or level at which water will begin to overflow. Most fixtures also have an overflow, which is a conduit for water to drain away, when the regular drain is plugged, before the water actually overflows at the flood rim level. However, water closets and showers (that are not in bathtubs) usually lack this feature because their drains normally cannot be stopped.
Each fixture usually has a characteristic means of connection. Normal plumbing practice is to install a valve on each water supply line before the fixture, and this is most commonly termed a stop or "service valve". The water supply to some fixtures is cold water only (such as water closets and urinals). Most fixtures also have a hot water supply. In some occasional cases, a sink may have both a potable (drinkable) and a non-potable water supply.
Lavatories and water closets normally connect to the water supply by means of a supply, which is a tube, usually of nominal 3/8 in (U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) or 10 or 12 mm diameter (Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
), which connects the water supply to the fixture, sometimes through a flexible (braid
Braid
A braid is a complex structure or pattern formed by intertwining three or more strands of flexible material such as textile fibres, wire, or human hair...
ed) hose. For water closets, this tube usually ends in a flat neoprene
Neoprene
Neoprene or polychloroprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene. Neoprene in general has good chemical stability, and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range...
washer that tightens against the connection, while for lavatories, the supply usually ends in a conical
Cone (geometry)
A cone is an n-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a base to a point called the apex or vertex. Formally, it is the solid figure formed by the locus of all straight line segments that join the apex to the base...
neoprene washer. Kitchen sinks, tubs and showers usually have supply tubes built onto their valves which then are soldered
Soldering
Soldering is a process in which two or more metal items are joined together by melting and flowing a filler metal into the joint, the filler metal having a lower melting point than the workpiece...
or 'fast joint'ed directly onto the water supply pipes.
Traps and vents
All plumbing fixtures have trapsTrap (plumbing)
In plumbing, a trap is a U-, S-, or J-shaped pipe located below or within a plumbing fixture. An S-shaped trap is also known as the S-bend invented by Alexander Cummings in 1775 but became known as the U-bend following the introduction of the U-shaped trap by Thomas Crapper in 1880. The new U-bend...
in their drains; these traps are either internal or external to the fixtures. Traps are pipes which curve down then back up; they 'trap' a small amount of water to create a water seal between the ambient air space and the inside of the drain system
Plumbing drainage venting
In modern plumbing, a drain-waste-vent is part of a system that removes sewage and greywater from a building and regulates air pressure in the waste-system pipes, facilitating flow. Waste is produced at fixtures such as toilets, sinks and showers, and exits the fixtures through a trap, a dipped...
. This prevents sewer gas
Sewer gas
Sewer gas is a complex mixture of toxic and non-toxic gases produced and collected in sewage systems by the decomposition of organic household or industrial wastes, typical components of Sewage....
from entering buildings.
Most water closets, bidets, and many urinals have the trap integral with the fixture itself. The visible water surface in a toilet is the top of the trap's water seal.
Each fixture drain, with exceptions, must be vented
Plumbing drainage venting
In modern plumbing, a drain-waste-vent is part of a system that removes sewage and greywater from a building and regulates air pressure in the waste-system pipes, facilitating flow. Waste is produced at fixtures such as toilets, sinks and showers, and exits the fixtures through a trap, a dipped...
so that negative air pressure in the drain cannot siphon the trap dry, to prevent positive air pressure in the sewer
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
from forcing gases past the water seal, and to prevent explosive sewer gas
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
buildup.
Drains
The actual initial drain part in a lavatory or sink is termed a strainer. If there is a removable strainer device that fits into the fixed strainer, it is termed a strainer basket. The initial pipe that leads from the strainer to the trap is termed the tailpiece.Floor-mounted water closets seal to the toilet flange of the drain pipe by means of a wax ring. These are traditionally made out of beeswax. However, their proper sealing depends on proper seating of the water closet, on a firm and secure base (floor), and on proper installation of the closet bolts which secure the closet to the flange, which is in turn supposed to be securely fastened to the floor.
Electronic plumbing
Automatic flush compensates for users who do not bother to flush. Also, since the fixtures are always flushed, there is no need for a urinal cake, or other odor reduction. Sensor-operated toilets also have automatic flush. Sensor-operated faucets and showers save water. For example, while a user is lathering up with soap, the fixture shuts off and then resumes when the user needs it to. Sensor-operated soap and shampoo dispensers reduce waste and spills that might otherwise represent a slippage hazard.
However, many people, especially children, dislike or even fear automatic flush toilets, since they have the tendency to flush without warning, even while the user is still sitting on the toilet. Some parents have started keeping track of public bathrooms that have manual flush toilets, or even carrying post-it notes or other devices with them to temporarily disable the automatic flush sensor.
These fixtures typically cost more to install than conventional plumbing fixtures, because thy require the services (or presence) of both a licensed plumber and a licensed electrician. Construction companies on cost-plus contracts may actually favor these fixtures for this reason, although their clients may not. The additional complexity of these fixtures also complicates repairs, particularly the diagnosis of malfunctions causing unexpected flushing. Few electricians, and fewer plumbers, understand microelectronics well enough for complex diagnosis.
Garbage disposer
The garbage disposer (UK: wasteWaste
Waste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
disposal unit, Canada: garbage grinder or garburator, portions of US: garbage disposal
Garbage disposal
A garbage disposal unit or waste disposal unit is a device, usually electrically powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap which shreds food waste into pieces small enough—generally less than —to pass through plumbing.Garbage disposal units are widely used in...
) was invented in 1927 by architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
John Hammes of Racine, WI. He went on to found InSinkErator, which is still at work making millions of garbage disposers a year. The function of the garbage disposer is to grind food waste (e.g. chicken bones, fruit, coffee grinds, meat) so that it can be sent down standard household plumbing without clogging. The device works by attaching a small chamber underneath the drain of a sink. This chamber contains whirling blades and grinders which chop and grind the waste into much smaller particles. Once the food is small enough to pass out of this chamber, it is flushed down the rest of the plumbing.
A few tips for maintaining a garbage disposer:
- Whenever the disposer is on, always continually flush cold water through it. The water cools the motor.
- Items like chicken bones and ice cubes are actually good for the disposer; they can sharpen the blade.
- However, some items should not be put down a disposer, including: beef and pork bones, large amounts of hot oil, and stringy fiberous materials such as corn silk.
- If the disposer develops an unpleasant odor, you can freshen it by grinding an aromatic item—such as a small lemon.
In most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, garbage disposers are not used at all; the high load of organic matter in the waste water requires a higher capacity sewage treatment plant, since the increased organic matter requires additional oxygen and water to process. Instead, garbage is separated at the source, into compostable and other types of garbage and collected. Similarly, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
there have been some political and environmental issues with garbage disposers. For many years, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
had ban
Ban (law)
A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something.Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some see this as a negative act and others see it as maintaining the "status quo"...
ned their use. The stated reason was the above-mentioned increased sewage treatment capacity, but many area residents also suspected that it was the garbage unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
not wanting work taken away from them. The ban was rescinded on September 11, 1997.
See also
- Domestic water system
- PlumbingPlumbingPlumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...
- Plumbing drainage ventingPlumbing drainage ventingIn modern plumbing, a drain-waste-vent is part of a system that removes sewage and greywater from a building and regulates air pressure in the waste-system pipes, facilitating flow. Waste is produced at fixtures such as toilets, sinks and showers, and exits the fixtures through a trap, a dipped...
- Trap (plumbing)Trap (plumbing)In plumbing, a trap is a U-, S-, or J-shaped pipe located below or within a plumbing fixture. An S-shaped trap is also known as the S-bend invented by Alexander Cummings in 1775 but became known as the U-bend following the introduction of the U-shaped trap by Thomas Crapper in 1880. The new U-bend...
- Flushing troughFlushing troughA flushing trough is a long cistern which serves several WC pans. It is designed to allow more frequent flushing.- Common uses :Flushing troughs are commonly used in places such as schools, colleges, public toilets, factories and public buildings where quick refill of the flushing cistern is required...