Need plumbing book

[imported_marako]

WG,
we meet again. I figure your so good at electrical, I'll give you a coulpe of plumbing questions.

First one is I need a good book (with lots of pictures/Diagrams) that I can start with. Something like Ray Mullin's book for wiring would probably be over kill. I'm thinking more like a Black & Decker or Time/Life type might do. Just so you know I'm installing a new master bath in my house and redoing most of the existing plumbing in the mean time. Most question sI have will probably be on the DWV side. Supply side seems more or less straight forward.

Of course my second question will be on the supply side. I have a well, with 1" black plastic pipe. It comes in, goes through the pressure switch and turns to 1" copper. From here it goes through a 1" valve, then to the pressure tank. It then switches to 3/4" copper and feeds the rest of the house. My plan is to start by cutting off the 3/4" copper and scrapping everything.

I want to extend the 1" copper to a tee with a 3/4" tap and a valve. This line would become the new domestic feed to the house (sinks, tubs, laundry, etc). The 1" line would continue on and then go through a large (1" or 1 1/4") check valve. After the check valve would be another tee with a 3/4" tap and valve. This would be for non-domestic loads (hose faucets, feed to barn/ other out buildings, etc). The 1" pipe would then continue on to feed a possible residential sprinkler system.

The question is does this check valve meet the need to isolate the domestic supply from the hoses & sprinkler system? I would prefer to do this than install seperate vacumn breaks at every hose, or seperate check valvles. It sounds good to me but I know little about plumbing code.

Do you have any good sources of information on residential sprinkler systems? I can't find much information on them. I'd like to install one myself, and don't think it would be a problem if I could get some design information (locating heads, pipe sizes, etc). Sprinklers are not required in my town, I'm not even sure if they are required anywhere in NJ so local information might be weak.

Once I can go through the book a bit, I'll be back with more. I night have to draw a few pictures since plumbing is a very 3-D thing.

thanks

[Wgoodrich]

First one is I need a good book (with lots of pictures/Diagrams) that I can start with. Something like Ray Mullin's book for wiring would probably be over kill. I'm thinking more like a Black & Decker or Time/Life type might do. Just so you know I'm installing a new master bath in my house and redoing most of the existing plumbing in the mean time. Most question sI have will probably be on the DWV side. Supply side seems more or less straight forward.

REPLY;
If you can get a copy of the IRC for dwellings and check the plumbing section there will be drawings showing typical drain systems for feeders, branches, etc. I don't know of a plumbing book that I can recommend. Maybe one of the other guys can help you with that.


Of course my second question will be on the supply side. I have a well, with 1" black plastic pipe. It comes in, goes through the pressure switch and turns to 1" copper. From here it goes through a 1" valve, then to the pressure tank. It then switches to 3/4" copper and feeds the rest of the house. My plan is to start by cutting off the 3/4" copper and scrapping everything.

REPLY;
You really need to learn about plumbing units. Water pipes are sized and installed a lot like electrical divided by feeders and branches. What is done is you start normally at the far end of your plumbing. List each plumbing outlet such as toilets, lavatory, kitchen sink, dishwasher and the like. Each pluming outlet is assigned a pumbing unit for water supply line. Then say you start in the bathroom. Each plumbing outlet has a minimum pipe size. Then when you get to a point going from the end of plumbing toward the supply point you have to add all the plumbing units of that bathroom together to size the feeder that carries water to those listed plumbing outlets in that bathroom. Then you do the same thing in the next bathroom again when you get to the feeder serving all plumbing outlets in that second bathroom you again add all the plumbing units in that second bathroom to size the feeder serving that second bathroom. Then at the point where those two bathroom feeders join you must size that feeder serving both bathroom feeders you must again add all the plumbing units that get water through this larger feeder feeding two feeders. The same thing is done for your kitchen and laundry etc, even your outside spigots AND YOU SPRINKLER system. These plumbing unit calculations continue until you get to the well pump. That 1" black plastic pipe is even sized by all the plumbing units it is feeding.

I suspect if you calculate it out your 1" black pipe is fine normally from teh well. I also suspect the 3/4" is fine serving your entire house.

Much like performing a demand load calculation to find the minimum service size to a dwelling for electric the above calculations are done as discribed to find the minimum water supply lines to serve you house all the way through your house.

Also you plumbing and venting is calculated in much the same manner using the IRC [International Residential Code] {this IRC replaced the older CABO one and two family dwelling book. CABO and several other Code orginizations have joined together by signing an agreement as a group to make one International Code system.} This orginzation is called the ICC [International Code Council]. The following link even provides classes through the ICC organization. Do some surfing may help you.

http://intlcode.org/


I want to extend the 1" copper to a tee with a 3/4" tap and a valve. This line would become the new domestic feed to the house (sinks, tubs, laundry, etc). The 1" line would continue on and then go through a large (1" or 1 1/4") check valve. After the check valve would be another tee with a 3/4" tap and valve. This would be for non-domestic loads (hose faucets, feed to barn/ other out buildings, etc). The 1" pipe would then continue on to feed a possible residential sprinkler system.

REPLY;
As far as I now no check valve is required separating potable water from sprinklers unless you have power sprinklers. Then you must install a check valve to protect the house water supply lines from the excess pressure of the sprinkler system. Main thing is to use silver solder instead of and lead base solder. Do your research in load calculations of plumbing before you start your project. You may find you don't need to change anything. It is fine to size larger but how do you know what larger is unless you know what minimum is?

If you are experiencing low water pressure many times you can do other things, some not so legal.

Washer often is slow to fill due to clogged screens at hose bib on back of washer.

Showers can be greatly increased in water flow by taking off your shower head and drilling out the inlet hole that acts as a water saver restricter. [not so legal] {be careful not to get too big of hole or you may run out of hot water before shower is done}

If you have to go a long distance with a water supply line same as voltage drop friction slows the water flow over distance. Oversize same as electrical to address long distances.


The question is does this check valve meet the need to isolate the domestic supply from the hoses & sprinkler system? I would prefer to do this than install seperate vacumn breaks at every hose, or seperate check valvles. It sounds good to me but I know little about plumbing code.

REPLY;

The vacuum breaks on outside hose bibs are there for antifreeze device during winter.

No vacuum breaks or check valves are requried to my knowledge on a sprinkler system if non pressureized and the plumbing is built with non lead joints. A check valve would be required if you have a special pressure pump on your sprinkler system that exceeds maximum water pressure allowed inside a home per the IRC.


Do you have any good sources of information on residential sprinkler systems? I can't find much information on them. I'd like to install one myself, and don't think it would be a problem if I could get some design information (locating heads, pipe sizes, etc). Sprinklers are not required in my town, I'm not even sure if they are required anywhere in NJ so local information might be weak.

REPLY;
Can't help you with this one, maybe others can chime in and give you some guidance.



Once I can go through the book a bit, I'll be back with more. I night have to draw a few pictures since plumbing is a very 3-D thing.


REPLY;
Come on in and we will do what we can to help

Good Luck

Wg

[Anonymous]

I'm just browsing here (nice site), but I can recommend the Black and Decker the Complete Guide to Home Plumbing. Great book, with nice pictures. I've used it for a variety of projects. The Electrical (Complete Guide to Home Wiring) is great too. A bunch of nice circuit diagrams as well as the basics.

[Anonymous]

I had Toro design my sprinkler system and it cost nothing. They returned my design in a week and gave all part numbers and a 20 by 30 inch print. not bad for FREE.

Try the site and ask for the spinkler design book. You can get them at Home Depot and Lowes

http://www.toro.com/

My 2 cents, hope it helps.

Tom

[imported_marako]

tom1843,
Thanks for the info but... I was refering to residential fire sprinklers, not lawn sprinklers. I'm on well water so the only sprinklers I use are the portable ones when needed, and mother nature.

Thanks again.