Plumbing installations play a fundamental role in buildings, supplying clean water to plumbing fixtures of all types and then sending the used water to the sewer system. Given the importance of water supply, problems affecting plumbing systems must be resolved as quickly as possible. Water must be supplied continuously and protected from contamination, and drainage pipes must be of adequate diameter and unobstructed.
This article will describe some common plumbing problems and how to avoid them. Ideally, plumbing installations should be optimized from the project design stage – reconfiguring a poor system in an existing building is much more difficult, as many pipes are embedded in floors and walls. However, if a major renovation is already planned for your building, it is an excellent opportunity to improve the plumbing.
1) Poor ventilation in plumbing lines
Have you ever noticed that it's harder to pour water from a bottle if you hold it upright? On the other hand, water flows easily if the bottle is held at an angle. When water comes out of a bottle, the vacuum created is filled with air, but the flow is slowed if air movement is restricted.
The same principle applies to plumbing systems: When pipes don't have adequate ventilation, flow is hindered and they may not be able to remove used water from fixtures quickly enough. In the case of plumbing systems, ventilation openings must allow air to enter the pipes, but without letting out odors. The ventilation design also incorporates stacks that reach up to the roof, ensuring that odors are released where no one is affected.
2) Reflux
As the name suggests, backflow consists of the movement of water opposite the intended direction in a pipe. There are two main causes of reflux:
- Back siphoning , which is a reduction in upstream pressure. For example, water supply pressure decreases with a sudden increase in consumption.
- Backpressure , which is an increase in pressure downstream. In tall buildings, for example, gravity pushes the water contained in the piping system backwards and the supply pressure must be high enough to overcome this effect.
In both cases, the result is a pressure difference opposite to the intended flow direction, and backflow occurs unless the piping system includes measures to prevent it. The concept of cross-connection is used to describe any existing or potential connection between a potable water supply and a non-potable fluid. Please note that the non-potable fluid may be the water itself after use.
Any device or building system that utilizes pressurized water creates a cross-connection, and automatic sprinkler systems are perhaps the most common example in New York City buildings. Since cross connections cannot be eliminated, they must be equipped with anti-backflow devices. There are many types and they integrate elements such as check valves, vacuum circuit breakers and detector assemblies.
3) Corrosion
In simple terms, corrosion is the gradual destruction of a material due to chemical action. One of the best-known examples of corrosion is the rusting of iron elements exposed to the elements. As corrosion wears away metal elements, their load capacity slowly decreases. In the case of plumbing, corroded pipes are more susceptible to breaking on impact or bursting under high pressure.
Galvanic corrosion is a specific type that occurs when different metals are in physical contact. Plumbing designers avoid contact between dissimilar metals whenever possible, and protective measures are specified when it cannot be avoided. The following are some examples of corrosion prevention measures:
- Electrical insulation.
- Avoid contact with water with waterproof coating or paint
- Electroplating of metals with a corrosion-resistant metal such as chromium.
- Adding a sacrificial anode – a third metal more vulnerable to corrosion, spares the metal components you want to protect.
Get professional, code-compliant plumbing system design.
Contact us
Conclusion
Plumbing systems may seem static compared to mechanical systems, but they also involve significant engineering challenges. Poor design and installation process can lead to problems such as inadequate ventilation, backflow and corrosion. However, many plumbing problems can be avoided by simply working with a qualified engineering company.
Modifying plumbing systems in existing buildings can be very difficult since plumbing and pipes are embedded in walls and floors. A smarter approach is to schedule plumbing updates along with major renovations when there are no occupants in the property and disruptive updates can be performed freely.
