PLUMBING

Instructor: Engr .Hessa G. Azul

Plumbing materials

• Vitrified Clay Pipe• Lead Pipe• Galvanized Steel Pipe• Galvanized Wrought Iron Pipe

Vitrified clay pipe

– Vitrified Clay Pipe is one of the oldest materials used for sewer lines. It is made out from clay, cast into length of 75 centimetres treated with glazing compound.

– The pipe is heated in a large kiln under a temperature of 1370° C, making it impervious to moisture. Clay pipe is highly resistant to most acid wastes.

– It is a durable material for underground installations like public sewer, house sewer or storm drain. Being made of clay, its physical property is brittle. Hence, it should not be laid on unstable ground base.

images of Vitrified Clay Pipe

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGESOF VITRIFIED CLAY PIPE

ADVANTAGES• Very resistant to acids

and most chemicals• Strong

DISADVANTAGES• Joints are susceptible to

chemical attack• Brittle (may crack);

requires careful installation

• Short length and numerous joints make it prone to`infiltration and more costly to install

Lead Pipe

• Lead Pipe is also one of the oldest plumbing materials used by the Egyptians, the Greek and the Roman builders as soil and waste pipe.

• Lead is highly resistant to acid and is suitable

for underground installation. But because lead is poisonous and injurious to human health, it is never used to convey water for human consumption.

Images of lead pipe

Galvanized Steel Pipe

• Galvanized steel is simply steel coated with zinc. After going through a process called galvanizing, in which steel is coated with zinc and a normal steel becomes a galvanized steel. This process is performed to avoid steel from rust and corrosion.

• Galvanized steel pipe is made out from mild steel, drawn through a die and welded cast into 6.00 meters long. This type of pipe is easily corroded by alkaline and acid water.

• The carbonic acid in water, attack the zinc coating and ultimately the steel itself. It is subject to deposits of salt and lime that gradually accumulate and finally choke the flow of water. Galvanized steel pipe deteriorate faster when used as hot water supply line.

Pros and Cons of using Galvanized Steel Pipe

• Anti Rust Pipes– Galvanized pipes are usually preferred since they are rust free pipes. The thin

layer of zinc prevents corrosion and other minerals to develop on the pipe. However, this galvanization layer does not last forever and in fact, the average life span of these pipelines is generally around 40 years. Not bad for an outdoor pipe.

• Heavy to Handle– Galvanized pipes are usually made up of iron or steel and therefore they are a bit

heavy to handle. Thus, PVC pipes are the most lightweight pipes and they are usually used instead of galvanized pipes for small projects such as many household piping jobs.

• The Price Range– When compared to copper, galvanized pipes are not that expensive. However,

they are still a bit expensive when compared to the common PVC pipes but in the long run they are much more resistant and have a longer life span. Moreover, the cost of the pipelines depends on what type of pipes you need to purchase. For example a sewage pipe is always less expensive than compressed air lines which are much more complex and therefore more expensive.

• Blockages– After some years galvanized pipes can start to develop water flow blockages

inside the pipe. These blockages are created from the minerals that start to build up inside the pipes and so will block the water from flowing through the pipe. For this reason, most people have started to replace their galvanized pipes with copper ones which prevent any kind of bacteria or minerals from developing in the pipe. However, copper pipes are often more expensive.

• Large Construction Projects– When it comes to large jobs such as construction projects or farm irrigation

systems, galvanized pipes are usually more commonly used than any other pipes. First of all they are much more durable than any kind of plastic pipes such as PVC or ABS pipes. Secondly, galvanized pipes usually have a larger diameter than copper pipes which have a rather small diameter which makes them perfect for tight places. Hence, galvanized pipes are also commonly found in industries and large sewage plumbings.

• Difficult to Repair– Galvanized pipes are generally replaced rather than repaired. If these pipes get

damaged, the zinc layer of the galvanization will also get weaker and the pipe will start to corrode in a short period of time. In addition, it is not worth it to repair galvanized pipes since it's still a bit expensive and the pipes will never come back as they used to be.

GALVANIZED STEEL FITTINGS

IMAGE OF Galvanized Steel Pipe

Galvanized Wrought Iron Pipe

• Galvanized wrought iron pipe is better in quality than the steel pipe for plumbing installation. Tests showed that wrought iron pipe is more resistant to acid waste than the steel pipe.

• Pipe made from rolled iron plates and welded at the joint. Small sizes are butt-welded, while larger sizes are lap-welded.

Images of galvanized wrought iron pipe