Introduction x

List of Abbreviations xi

Acknowledgements xii

A Qualification in Plumbing xiii

Workplace Evidence for NVQ Achievement xiv

Part 1 Key Principles, Safety and Common Plumbing Processes 1

The Plumbing Industry 2

Customer Relations and Communication Skills 4

Functional Skills 6

Employment Rights and Responsibilities 8

Effective Working Relationships 10

Health and Safety Legislation 12

Safe Working Practices 14

Personal Protective Equipment 16

Safety Signs 18

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 20

Access Equipment and Working at Heights 22

Safe Working with Hand Tools and Machinery 24

Fire Safety 26

Regulations Governing Plumbing Work 28

Identification of Pipework 30

The International Metric System 32

Areas, Volumes and Capacities 34

Mass, Weight, Force, Pressure and Density 36

Water Pressure 38

Physical Properties of Materials 40

Heat and its Effects 42

Corrosion 44

Plumbers' Tool Kit 46

Specialist Hand Tools for Pipework 48

Specialist Hand Tools for Sheetwork 50

Plastic Pipe and Fittings 52

Low Carbon Steel Pipe and Fittings 54

Copper Pipe and Fittings 56

Low Carbon Steel Pipe Bending 58

Copper Pipe Bending 60

Pipe Bending Using Heat 62

Soldering 64

Welding Equipment and Safety 66

Welding Processes 68

Bronze Welding 70

Lead Welding (Lead Burning) 72

In-Line Valves 74

Terminal Valves 76

Float-operated Valves 78

Part 2 Hot and Cold Water Supplies 81

Classification of Water 82

Cold Water to the Consumer 84

Backflow Prevention 86

Assessing Water Efficiency in New Dwellings 88

Cold Water Systems 90

Cold Water Storage 92

Water Treatment 94

Boosted Water Supplies 96

Fire-fighting Systems 98

Domestic Sprinkler Systems 100

Hot Water Systems (Design Considerations) 102

Direct Hot Water Supply (Centralised) 104

Indirect Hot Water Supply 106

Unvented Domestic Hot Water Supply 108

Hot Distribution Pipework 110

Heat Recovery Period 112

Instantaneous Domestic Hot Water Supplies (Centralised) 114

Localised Hot Water Heaters 116

Connections to Hot and Cold Pipework 118

Installation of Pipework 1 120

Installation of Pipework 2 122

Sizing of Hot and Cold Pipework 124

Noise Transmission in Pipework 128

Commissioning of Hot and Cold Supplies 130

Disinfection of Hot and Cold Water Systems 132

Maintenance and Servicing Schedule 134

Part 3 Central Heating 137

Domestic Central Heating 138

Wet Central Heating Systems 140

Central Heating Components 1 142

Central Heating Components 2 144

Heating Controls 146

Fully Pumped System 148

Sealed (Closed) Systems 150

Boilers 152

Combination Boiler (Combi) 154

High Efficiency or Condensing Boiler 156

Domestic Heating and the Building Regulations 158

Domestic Boilers Requirements 160

Central Heating System Protection 162

Advanced Central Heating Control 164

Radiator and Boiler Sizing 166

Whole House Boiler Sizing Method 170

Pipe and Pump Sizing 172

Radiant Heating 176

Underfloor Central Heating Sizing 178

Warm Air Heating 180

Commissioning of Wet Central Heating Systems 182

Part 4 Gas Supplies 185

Properties and Combustion of Natural Gas 186

The Law Relating to Gas Installation Work 188

Gas Supply to the Consumer 190

Sizing of Domestic Gas Pipework 192

Domestic Tightness Testing and Purging 196

Pressure and Flow 198

Gas Controls 1 200

Gas Controls 2 202

Flame Supervision Devices (Flame Failure Devices) 204

Open Flued Appliances (Conventional Flue) 206

Terminal Location for Open Flues 208

Materials and Construction of Open Flues 210

Installation of Gas Fires 212

Installation of Gas Cookers 214

Room Sealed Appliances 1 (Balanced Flue) 216

Room Sealed Appliances 2 218

Ventilation Requirements up to 70 kW Net Input 220

Other Flueing Systems 222

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Installations 1 224

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Installations 2 226

Combustion Analysis 228

Flue Efficiency in Gas Appliances 230

Commissioning of Gas Installations 232

Maintenance and Servicing 234

Carbon Monoxide Detection 236

Unsafe Gas Installations 238

Part 5 Oil Supplies 241

Properties and Combustion of Fuel Oils 242

Oil Storage 244

Oil Feed Pipework 246

Controls Used on Oil Feed Pipework 248

Pressure Jet Burners 1 250

Pressure Jet Burners 2 252

Pressure Jet Burners 3 254

Open Flued Appliances 256

Room Sealed Appliances 258

Vaporising Burners 260

Combustion Efficiency Testing 262

Commissioning and Fault Diagnosis 264

Part 6 Electrical Work 267

Basic Electrical Theory 268

Electrical Current 270

Electrical Supply 272

Electrical Safety 274

Earth Continuity 276

Domestic House Wiring 1 278

Domestic House Wiring 2 280

Installation Practices 282

Electrical Components 1 284

Electrical Components 2 286

Central Heating Wiring Systems 288

Inspection and Testing of Electrical Work 290

Part 7 Sanitation 293

Sanitary Accommodation 294

Sanitary Appliances 1 296

Sanitary Appliances 2 298

Flushing Cisterns 1 300

Flushing Cisterns 2 302

Waste Pipe Connections 304

Sanitary Pipework 306

Primary Ventilated Stack System 308

Ventilation of Sanitary Pipework 310

Trap Seal Loss 312

Mechanical Disposal Units 314

Sizing of Sanitary Pipework 316

Testing of Sanitary Pipework 318

Maintenance and Periodic Inspection 320

Part 8 Drainage 323

Below Ground Drainage 324

Protection of Pipework 326

Gullies and Traps 328

Provision for Access 330

Connections to Existing Systems 332

Determining Drainage Levels 334

Sizing of Drainage Pipework 336

Eaves Guttering 338

Rainwater Pipes 340

Soakaways, Cesspools and Septic Tanks 342

Soundness Testing of Drainage Systems 344

Part 9 Sheet Weathering 347

Lead Sheet 348

Lead Bossing 350

Sheet Fixing 352

Lead Roof Coverings and Wall Cladding 354

Expansion Joints for Lead Roofs 356

Abutment Flashings in Lead 358

Chimney Flashings in Lead 360

Lead Slates and Pitched Valley Gutters 362

Gutter Linings 364

Dormer Windows 366

Part 10 Energy Conservation & Sustainability 369

Environmental Awareness 370

Energy Efficiency in Domestic Dwellings 372

Renewable Energy 374

Energy Costs & Payback Period 376

Solar Energy 378

Solar Hot Water Heating Systems 1 380

Solar Hot Water Heating Systems 2 382

Solar Power 384

The Heat Pump 386

Installation of a Heat Pump 388

Biomass 390

Biomass/Wood Burners 1 392

Biomass/Wood Burners 2 394

Wind & Micro Hydro (Water) Power 396

Combined Heat & Power (CHP) 398

Rainwater Harvesting 1 400

Rainwater Harvesting 2 (System Design) 402

Grey Water Recovery 404

Part 11 Assessing Your Knowledge 407

Assessing Your Knowledge 408

Self Assessment 409

Supplementary Assessment 424

Problem Solving 464

Answers to Problems 1-10 474

Answers to Multiple Choice Questions 476

Index 477