What is Plumbing | Plumbing Fixture | Types of Plumbing Fixtures | Water Pipe Sizing Charts
Important Point
What is Plumbing?
Plumbing may be a system that conveys fluids for a good range of operations. The plumbing system is used for water distribution systems. Plumbing systems use pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids. Heating and cooling, waste junking, drinkable water delivery are among the foremost common uses for plumbing, but it’s not limited to those operations.
The word derives from the Latin language for lead, plumbum, because the first effective pipes utilized in the Roman period were lead pipes. Plumbing systems include domestic water (cold and hot), sanitary sewer, vent, storm drain, special waste like grease, and special systems (oxygen, fuel-gas, vacuum, nitrogen).
Plumbing Fixture
The plumbing system is the system of water carried under pressure. A plumbing fixture is an exchangeable device connected to plumbing to deliver and drain water. The most common Plumbing fixtures are used in buildings.
Types of Plumbing Fixtures
List of Bathroom Fixture as follows.
- Pipes
- Hose Bib
- Tapware
- Terminal Valves
- Washbasins
- Water Closet
- Bidets
- Kitchen Sinks
- Bathtubs
- Showers
- Urinals
- Flush Cisterns
1. Pipes
Pipes are the Plumbing fixtures provided for carried water. Several types of pipes are used for carrying the water in plumbing systems. Such as cast iron pipes, wrought iron pipes, steel pipes, concrete pipes, galvanized iron pipes, copper pipes, etc.
2. Hose Bib (Connections for Water Hoses)
Hose bibs are the Plumbing fixtures provided in the exterior of the house. Hose bibs are outdoor faucets that carry water from indoor systems outside.
3. Tapware
Tapware is the plumbing fixtures provided in an industry. The plumbing fixtures consist of tap valves, also called water taps or faucets, and their accessories, like water spouts and showerheads.
4. Terminal Valves
Terminal valves are the Plumbing fixtures provided in the pipeline to control water flow. Terminal valves are used for dishwashers, ice makers, humidifiers, etc.
5. Washbasins
Washbasins are the plumbing fixtures for washing hands and face and brushing teeth in a standing position. These are generally made of glazed earthenware or vitreous china. Occasionally these are also made of iron, stainless steel, or plastic.
6. Water Closet
A water closet is a visage-like water flushed plumbing fixture designed to admit human excreta directly from the user. It is made of vitreous china or porcelain and is connected to the soil pipe utilizing a trap. The water closet’s inside face and the trap is made smooth by glazing to ensure an effective flush.
7. Bidets
A bidet is a plumbing fixture installed as a separate unit in the bathroom besides the toilet, shower, and sink.
8. Kitchen Sinks
Sinks are the plumbing fixtures handed in kitchens for cleaning utensils. For cleaning laboratory earthenware, Sinks are also provided in laboratories.
9. Bathtubs
Bathtubs are the plumbing fixtures handed in the bathrooms for taking a bath. These are generally made of glazed earthenware cement concrete finished with terrazzo or glazed porcelain tiles or marble titles and enameled iron. For draining, the bathtubs are handed with an indirect waste hole at the bottom.
10. Showers
Showers are the Plumbing fixtures provided in the bathrooms.
11. Urinals
Urinals are the plumbing fixtures handed to urinate.
12. Flush Cisterns
Flushing cisterns are the plumbing fixtures for flushing out water closets and urinals. These are cast iron, glazed earthenware or vitreous china, or plastic.
Plumbing Fixture Units
Plumbing Fixture Units or Drain Fixture Units may be a unit of measure, supported by the speed of discharge, operation time, and frequency of use of a fixture. The expresses the hydraulic cargo assessed by that fixture on the sanitary plumbing installation. A Fixture Unit isn’t an inflow unit but a design factor. Plumbing fixture units pipe sizing
Plumbing Fixture Units Pipe Sizing
With the sizing of a domestic water system and determining pipe sizes, it’s important to know the concept of fixture units. Water Supply Fixture Units (WSFU) is the standard method for estimating the water demand for a building.
This system assigns an arbitrary value called a WSFU to every fixture during a building, supporting the quantity of water required and, therefore, the frequency of use.
The water system fixture units differ between cold, hot, or both. A plumbing line serves only the cold water side; then, the corresponding value should be used.
For example, a path may serve both cold and predicament; on the other hand, a spur track may attend the water heater. The spur track would only use the current water value.
It is extremely difficult to quickly obtain the speed, water demand, friction loss, and static pressure losses within a piping system to size the plumbing lines.
Often, estimates are wont to size the most and branch piping, which may cause inaccuracies and increased pressure losses or oversized piping.
These estimates typically consist of a table of copper pipe sizes and, therefore, the maximum fixture units that every pipe size can serve.
The designer will sum the WSFUs served by each pipe then choose a pipe size that will accommodate the entire WSFUs. This process is strictly and equipment because of the previous process, with a table and the maximum WSFUs for every pipe size.
The table is often customized for any pipe material, tank, or flush valve and any range of velocities and pressure drops. The previous process determined the maximum WSFUs for a pipe size supported some random velocity and pressure loss limitations.
Still, advanced velocities are often accommodated in areas where bang and noise aren’t problems. Advanced pressure drops also can be accommodated on piping that’s not a part of the hydraulically remote run.
In both processes, the pipeline layout must be completed. The pipeline layout consists of a geometrical arrangement of the pipes from the water system to any plumbing fixtures.
Also Read:What Is Waterlogging | How to Prevent Waterlogging | Effect of Waterlogging | Causes of Waterlogging
Water Pipe Sizing
Water pipe sizing procedures are based on pressure requirements and losses. The appliances, appurtenances, and fixtures that will not reference within the table below shall be permitted to be sized about fixtures having an identical flow rate and frequency of use.
The listed fixture unit values mirror their load on the cold water building supply. The separate cold water and predicament water fixture unit value for fixtures having both hot and cold water connections shall be allowed to be each taken as three-quarters of the listed total value of the fixture.
For fixtures or supply connections likely to impose continuous flow demands, determine the required flow in gallons per minute (GPM or L/s). It is added separately to the demand in GPM (L/s) for the water distribution system.
Minimum fixture branch pipe size refers to the dimensions of the cold branch pipe. The minimum supply branch pipe sizes for individual fixtures are nominal (ID) pipe sizes.
Water Pipe Sizing Charts
| Appliances, Appurtenances, or Fixtures | Minimum Fixture Branch Pipe Size (inches) | Private | Public |
| Bathtub or Combination Bath/Shower | 1/2 | 4 | 4 |
| 3/4? Bathtub Fill Valve | 3/4 | 10 | 10 |
| Bidet | 1/2 | 1 | — |
| Clothes Washer | 1/2 | 4 | 4 |
| Dental Unit, Cuspidor | 1/2 | — | 1 |
| Dishwasher, Domestic | 1/2 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Drinking Fountain or Water Cooler | 1/2 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Hose Bib | 1/2 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Hose Bib, Each Additional | 1/2 | 1 | 1 |
| Lavatory | 1/2 | 1 | 1 |
| Lawn Sprinkler, Each Head | — | 1 | 1 |
| Mobile Home, Each (minimum) | — | 12 | — |
| Bar Sink | 1/2 | 1 | 2 |
| Clinic Faucet Sink | 1/2 | — | 3 |
| Clinic Flush meter Valve Sink (with or without faucet) | 1 | — | 8 |
| Kitchen Sink, Domestic (with or without a dishwasher) | 1/2 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Laundry Sink | 1/2 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Service Sink or Mop Basin | 1/2 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Washup Sink (each of faucets) | 1/2 | — | 2 |
| Shower, Per Head | 1/2 | 2 | 2 |
| Urinal, Flush Tank | 1/2 | 2 | 2 |
| Wash Fountain (circular spray) | 3/4 | — | 4 |
| Water Closet, 1.6 GPF Gravity Tank | 1/2 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Water Closet, 1.6 GPF Flush meter Tank | 1/2 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Water Closet, Greater than 1.6 GPF Gravity Tank | 1/2 | 3 | 5.5 |
Conclusion of Water Pipe Sizing Charts
The most common Plumbing fixtures are used in buildings. Several plumbing fixtures are available in the markets, like basins, bathtubs, washbasins, kitchens sinks, flush cisterns, valves, pipes, etc. Plumbing fixtures are getting various types, shapes, and sizes available in the markets. Water pipe sizing Charts refer to water pipe sizing.
Water Pipe Sizing Chart PDF: Click Here
What Does Every Plumbing Fixture Have?
All plumbing fixtures have traps 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.
What Is a Fixture Drain in Plumbing?
Basically, it’s a simple cup of water that keeps sewer air from communicating with the air you breathe. The trap arm is the portion of a fixture drain between a trap weir and its protecting vent.
Is a Shower a Plumbing Fixture?
Fixtures include components like faucets and sinks, toilets, showerheads, and bathtubs. Other fixtures include showers, and less commonly in the U.S., bidets. The kitchen tap is also a plumbing fixture. Each fixture may have a different function and use.
How Do You Calculate Fixture Units?
A fixture unit is equal to one cubic foot of water drained in an 1 1/4 pipe over one minute (≈ 7.48 US gpm, ≈ 0.47 l/s). Fixture Units are used in plumbing design for both water supply (WFSU) and waste water (DFU).
What Is a Fixture Unit Rating?
Each plumbing fixture has a unit rating which is calculated by considering the rate of discharge, the frequency of use and the time between each use of a plumbing fixture. The fixture unit rating represents the hydraulic load placed by that fixture on the sanitary drainage system.
What Are Bathroom Fixtures and Fittings?
A bathroom fixture comprises permanent features, that are plumbed or wired in. You cannot easily remove fixtures without renovation work. Examples of bathroom fixtures include bathtubs and toilets. A bathroom fitting is an element you include in your bathroom in addition to permanent features.
Is a Toilet a Fixture or Fitting?
Examples of bathroom fixtures include bathtubs and toilets. A bathroom fitting is an element you include in your bathroom in addition to permanent features. Fittings are easier to remove or replace. Examples include mirrors and wall cabinets.
What Is the Difference Between a Hose Bib and a Spigot?
Hose bibs disguise themselves under various names depending on who you ask – sometimes a sill cock, sometimes an outdoor water faucet or even a spigot – but they all refer to the same water mechanism attached to the outside of your home. Your hose bib connects directly to the plumbing system in your home.
How Do I Calculate Water Pipe Size?
The equation for pipe diameter is the square root of 4 times the flow rate divided by pi times velocity. For example, given a flow rate of 1,000 inches per second and a velocity of 40 cubic inches per second, the diameter would be the square root of 1000 times 4 divided by 3.14 times 40 or 5.64 inches.
How Many Fixtures Can a 1 Inch Water Line Supply?
Our 1-inch pipe can have up to 30 fixture units, our 3/4-inch can have up to 14, and our 1/2-inch can have up to 4.
How Do You Calculate Total Fixture Units?
First, insert the number of each type of fixture on your premises under the column headed “Quantity”. Second, multiply the quantity by the number of fixture units given under either column “Private Use” or “Public Use”, whichever is applicable. Third, post the result in the “Total column”.
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We are finally into the construction stage of building our new home. We are now looking into the plumbing fixtures we might have for all the bathrooms. So, thanks for this comprehensive article as I didn’t know that the sizes of water piping and how often the fixture will be used are both taken into consideration, so we need to make sure to purchase durable ones with the right fitting.
Thank You. I am very interested in the information!