Building Services – Taps & Water Supply JSS2 Basic Technology Lesson Note

BUILDING SERVICES

TOPIC: TAPS AND WATER SUPPLY

CONTENT

•   Definition of Tap
•  Types of Taps 
•  Water Supply/ Plumbing/Fitting   

 Definition of Tap

A tap is a valve controlling the release of a liquid or gas. Taps are made using a wide range of materials, including stainless steel, chrome, brass, nickel, and gold.

Types of Taps

There are three main varieties of washerless taps available nowadays they are

1.         Ball taps: This works by pushing a hollow plastic or stainless steel ball over a rounded cover, which controls the temperature and flow of water.
2.         Cartridge Taps: These have a lever controlling a plastic or brass cartridge which moves up and down to restrict flow and from left to right to change temperature.
3.         Ceramic disc Taps: These have two ceramic plates that slide over each other to regulate temperature and flow and require the least maintenance out of all types.

Tap Styles

1.         Cross head tap
2.         Lever tap

 How Taps Work 

Different taps also regulate the water in different ways. Many of us are familiar with the compression type of tap – when the tap is screwed down it compresses a washer made of rubber or neoprene against a metal seat, which restricts water flow. These washers will wear out over time and need to be replaced. 

Water Supply/Plumbing 

Definition of plumbing

Plumbing can be defined as the system of arranging and connecting pipes with other things (fittings and machines) that supply water to and drain liquid wastes out of the building.

Domestic pipeline fitting has the following components.

1.         Stops Corks
2.         Drain Corks
3.         Valves (gates valves ball valves)
4.         Taps 
5.         Elbows
6.         Tees 

•    Stop Cork: This is used to control the flow of water through water supply pipes.
•   The Stop Cork has a crutch handle, which is turned clockwise or anticlockwise to raise or lower the jumper on valve seating.
•    Drain Cork: It is connected to a water supply pipe to drain off water.
•     Gate valve: It is a valve used to control the flow of water in the distribution pipes.
•     Taps: We get supply by opening a tap at the end of the supply line.
•     Elbows: These are connected to the water supply pipe to change the direction of flow through an angle. For example, it is important when a horizontal pipe is to be connected to a vertical pipe. One end of the elbow turns through the required angle (90, 112½, 135, 157½  )
•    Tee: A tee is used for joining three pipes meeting at a junction from one of the pipes the flow divides into the two other pipes.

EVALUATION 

•             Define (a) Tap (b) Plumbing
•             State three (3)types of tap
•             Explain five (5) domestic line fittings and state their uses.

PIPELINE SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY

Pipes referred to as the mains are laid underground to distribute water to various outlets. The water from the street mains enters the compound of a building in a 30 m-diameter pipe (community pipe). It connects to a side of the water authority stop cork which is buried in a pit at least 80cm deep.

The main pipes are laid underground to distribute water to various outlets. The main is connected to the kitchen sink to the outside tap and up to the elevated tank. Baths, water closet, washing hand basin, and hot water system are supplied directly by gravity through a 22m diameter pipe from the overload storage tank.

WATER STORAGE TANK

The water storage tank is important when one considers the fact that a regular supply of water cannot be guaranteed. The storage tank is important because:

1.         The water demand varies during the day from the peak period demand in the morning to low demand later in the evening.
2.         Water is distributed from the storage tank generally at low pressure, thus if there is a leakage along the supply line, It will not be as serious as leakage along the high-pressure supply mains.
3.         There are occasions when the water authority has to cut off supply to effect repairs unless one has a storage tank there will be no supply to the building.

SINKS

They are made from stainless steel or enameled steel. Sinks are provided with Piller bib taps depending on the orientation of the water supply pipe. It has over over-flown hole to provide passage for water in case the tap is carelessly left open. A tipper is used to block the water passage when the tap is open to provide a pool of water for washing. 

When a blockage occurs, a sink plunger down or a force cup may be used. The plunger placed over the waste outlet is then plunged forcibly as many times as necessary. 

The plunging action generates a lot of compressive force, which moves the obstruction out of the way. If the plunging fails to remove the blockage the clearing “ey” will have to be unscrewed. A wire can then be used to probe into the piping to dislodge the offending materials.

BASINS

Wash basins are usually made of ceramic. It has almost the same components as the sinks.

BATHTUBS AND SHOWERS 

Baths are of different sizes and shapes. They are made of enameled cast iron or acrylic plastic. Cold water taps as well as hot water taps are provided. It also has a stopper to stop water flow as often required.

For a body wash, there is a great advantage to installing a shower:

1.         It ensures more economical use of water than a bathtub.
2.         Showers are more hygienic.

WATER CLOSET

The water closet is one of the most important components of a household’s plumbing installation.

Human wastes are got rid of through the W.C. Any malfunctioning will lead to an unhealthy environment. The cisterns contain at least two gallons of water.  

HOT WATER SYSTEM 

A hot water system is required mainly for providing warm water for bathing and for brushing the teeth at the wash basin. This can be achieved. This can be achieved by installing an electric water heating system. The hot water is piped to the bathtub and washbasin.

EVALUATION

1.         Define (a) Taps (b) Sinks (c) Basins
2.         State the types of taps we have

THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM 

The importance of drainage cannot be over-emphasized. A drainage system must be provided with a pipe to get rid of liquid waste from the kitchen sink, the bathtub, and the wash-hand basins, water closets.

The effluents flushed from the W.C. travel through the ‘soil’ pipe into the inspection chamber, which constituted the junction for all drains. The water drained from the water basins travels through a separate pipe first into a gulley where solids are removed before the drain enters into the inspection chamber, 

After the inspection chamber, the liquid waste either goes into the public sewage works or a septic tank. The septic tank is an underground chamber into which sewage from the house enters and leaves as clean effluent. The inlet of the septic tank is slightly higher than the outlet, this is to ensure that when fresh discharge of sewage enters the tank, an equal volume of old liquid in the tank is displaced into the filter tank, anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that cannot live in the pressure of free oxygen) act on the sewage to break down the solids to liquid, gas and mineral sludge.

The liquid effluent from the tank enters the second chamber or filter tank where aerobic bacteria (bacteria that live in the presence of oxygen) complete the sewage purification process by oxidation. 

For septic tanks to be able to perform the above-mentioned point, then this practice should be noted.

1.         The use of disinfectants destroys the disease germs in a toilet and at the same time destroys the bacteria in the septic tank, thus it slows down the bacterial action in the waste.
2.         Household chemicals like bleaches, detergents, etc when used excessively and sent into the septic tank interfere with the bacteria decomposition of waste. The rate of absorption of the soil is thereby reduced liquid effluent from the soil may then find its way to the surface consequences the surrounding area gets polluted.
3.         The empty of a large volume of water may result in the churning up of the solids that are still being broken down by bacterial action as well as the sludge. Such products may also flow into the filter or drainage field to cause clogging 
4.         It is important to establish the absorption properties of soil in an area where a septic tank is to be installed.

GENERAL EVALUATION

1.         Explain the following 

•             sink
•             water closet
•             storage tank

2.         Mention three practices to be noted in the use of septic tanks in our home.