Building Installations and Municipal

Systems
Water installation systems
Dr in. Zsuzsanna Iwanicka

iwanicka@pk.edu.pl

pl.kan-therm.com

Water distribution in buildings

Hot water
Cold water
Hot water recirculation

Branch pipes

Riser mains

Fixtures

Source: Gd K. Sanitary Installation lecture notes

Fixtures
Definition:
Any device for the distribution and use of
water in a building. Example: shower, urinal,
fountain, sink, water faucet, tap, hose bibs,
Source:
hydrant etc.
www.thegreatfitnessexperiment.com

Source: lazienkowy.pl

Source: www.rynekinstalacyjny.pl

Criteria for material selection used

in water distribution system
System operation criteria:
The pipes, valves, taps and other fittings must be capable of
conveying water at a nominated internal pressure within a
prescribed environment.
Underground pipes and fixtures must be able to withstand
external pressures.
Environmental factors: heat, cold, expansion, contraction, ground
and drinking water corrosiveness, pH and bacteria levels.

Criteria for material selection used

in water distribution system
Health criteria:
All pipes, valves, taps and other fittings used for the supply of
drinking-water must not contain harmful substances above the
specified amount that could leach into the water (ex: Pb, Ca, As,
organic compounds).

Pipe materials
Galvanized steel or iron traditional piping material
Copper
Plastic:
Most common:
PEX - Cross-Linked Polyethylene
PE - polyethylene
PP - polypropylen
Other:
PCV - polyvinyl chloride
CPCV - chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (C,
PB - polybutylene
Source: http://www.js-ind.com

Galvanized steel
or iron pipes
Characteristics:
High compressive, tensile and bending strengths.

www.blucher-marine.com

High rigidity less anchors needed for mounting.

Low linear expansion coefficient heat expantion/contraction
compensation is required only for very long straight pipe segments.
High pressure resistancy.
Easy to detect in walls and ground.

Widely used in fire protection systems.

Galvanized steel or iron

Corrosion is a problem where connected to dissimilar materials, such
as copper alloy (brass) in taps and valves.
Internal corrosion can add iron compounds to the water.
Effects:
undesirable taste
precipitation of iron salts on clothes fixtures.
External corrosion results leaks and water loss.
High linear pressure drop
due to pipe wall friction.
http://www.bartosz.com.pl

Galvanized steel pipe corrosion

Soruce: Supply plumbing available at www.recampus.com/documents/plumb_c01.pdf

Pipe corrosion

http://www.e-lazienki.pl

Steel pipe installations

Joined by threaded connection.
Sealants:
thread sealing compound
teflon tape
Pipe rotation direction during
screwing the components

Thread seal tape

winding direction

For direction change

use elbows, do not
bend the pipe!
Source: Gd K. Sanitary Installation lecture notes

Copper pipe characteristic

Advantages:
Higher corrosion resistance than steel pipe
Low linear pressure drop
Smaller in diameter and can be used in tight places
Inhibits bacterial growth the water is safe to drink
More resistant to flame than PVC pipes
Life expectancy indefinite, unless unusual water conditions or
manufacturing defects are present
Disadvantages:
High costs, water condensation concerns, heat conductivity.

Copper pipe connection methods

1. Compression fittings
Source: www.ehow.com

2. Soldering (capillary fitting)

Source: www.spudfiles.com

3. Coupling
Source: www.shanghaimetal.com

Copper pipes
For tubing up to 50mm diameter,
soft copper might be used.
It can be bent easily to travel
around obstacles in the path of
the tubing.

Plastic pipes characteristic

Advantages:
Low-weight piping material that makes it easier to install;
Can withstand higher water pressure than the copper
Non-conductive no corrosion problems,
No water condensation problems
Less noisy at higher water pressure levels
Low heat losses

Source: www.purmo.com

Plastic pipes characteristic

Disadvantages:
Less flame resistant than metal pipes
Source: www.rynekinstalacyjny.pl
Fitting failures and leakage may occur because of poor
workmanship.
Plastic pipes can contain volatile compounds which are harmful
to the environment and might be released to the water.

Plastic pipe joints

Pipe

Pipe

1. Heat fusion
Welding machine
Heating

Joined pipe

Plastic pipe welding machine

Source: www.tmj.cc

Plastic pipe joint

3. Compression fittings

2. Glued fittings

Source http://www.quickfitting.com
Source: http://www.netplaces.com

Water distribution systems

Tee joint system
Distributors (Manifolds)

Source: instalacjeb2b.pl

 Steel pipes should run the walls

Plastic pipes might run in the floor

Source: www.enaplastgroup.com

Source: www.pioneerplumber.com

Hot and cold water pipes in the building

Rough water
installation must be
tested to avoid
leaks.

Source: muratordom.pl

Hot water installation

1. Source of hot water
a. Direct fired heaters
Electric
Oil or gas fired

Source: http://inspectapedia.com/heat/Flooded_Heaters.htm

Hot water installation

Oil fired heaters

1. Source of hot water

a. Direct fired heaters
Electric
Oil or gas fired

Source: www.calebclark.org

Hot water installation

Gas heaters
1. Source of hot water
a. Direct fired heaters
Electric
Oil or gas fired
When using boiler
combustion proper room
ventilation is required!

Source: www.ehi.eu

Hot water installation

Source of hot water
b. Indirect heaters
Heat source is remotely
located heat exchanger
Often applied in multi family
housing, when heat is supplied
from the heating plant.

Source: www.gd-wholesale.com

Hot water installation

2. Storage of hot hot water
Storage type water heaters
Instantaneous type heaters
Semi-instantaneous type heaters

Source: www.consumerenergycenter.org

Hot water installation

2. Storage of hot hot water
Storage type water heaters
Instantaneous type heaters
Semi-instantaneous type heaters

Source: www.saintbest.pl

Pipe insulation
Reason:
Source: rynekisntalacyjny.pl
Condensation controll applied when the pipes operate at belowambient temperatures to prevent the condensation of water vapor
on the pipe surface.
Heat loss prevention applied for hot water pipes to save energy
To prevent cold water temperature increase.
Pipe freeze protection applied to pipes in unheated
areas, when the temperature drops below 0C

Insulation thickness for hot water pipes

Min. insulation thickness [mm]
Room characteristic

Nominal pipe diameter DN [mm]

<20

25

32

40

50

Heated area T>12 C

15

15

15

15

20

Heated area T<12 C

30

30

30

30

35

50

50

50

50

55

Unheated area T>-2 C

Unheated area T<-2 C
Source: K. Gd Sanitary Installations lecture notes

Pipe insullation

Source: energyefficiencyandretrofits.blogspot.com

Pipe hangers and supports

Used to attach the pipe to the building construction.

3. Pipe hangers

2. Floor mount
1. Wall bracket
Source: www.easyfit.com

Source: export.rsdelivers.com

Maximum distance between pipe support

for steel pipes [m]
Diameter [mm] Vertical pipe
DN 10-DN 20
2,0

Other
1,5

DN 25
DN 32

2,9
3,4

2,2
2,6

DN 40

3,9

3,0

DN 50
DN 65
DN 80
DN 100

4,6
4,9
5,2
5,9

3,5
3,8
4,0
4,5

Maximum distance between pipe supports

for PE-X and PP-R cold and hot water pipes [m]
Diameter [mm]

Vertical
pipe

Other

Vertical
pipe

Hot water

Other

Cold water

PE-X

DN 12-DN 25

1,0

0,8

1,0

0,8

PP-R

DN 16

0,8

0,6

0,9

0,7

DN 20

0,8

0,6

1,0

0,8

DN 25

0,9

0,7

1,1

0,8

DN 32

1,1

0,8

1,3

1,0

DN 40

1,2

0,9

1,4

1,1

DN 50

1,3

1,0

1,6*

1,2

DN 63

1,5

1,2

1,8*

1,4

DN 75

1,7

1,3

2,0*

1,5

DN 90

1,9

1,4

2,1*

1,6

Temperature change results pipe length change:

L L t , mm
L

L
t

thermal expansion/contruction
linear expansion coefficient, mm/m*K
pipe length, m,
temperature difference between ambient temperature
and operating temperatures K

Rozszerzalno
Linear
expansion coefficient

Source: K. Gd Sanitary Installations lecture notes

 - Axial stress

E, MPa
L
L thermal expansion, m,
L pipe segment length, m,
E modulus of elasticity, MPa,

Source: K. Gd Sanitary Installations lecture notes

P- Axcial force at the anchor

P f , MN
- axial stress , MPa
f - pipe cross section, m2,

Ls a Dz L, mm

Source: K. Gd Sanitary Installations lecture notes

Ls lenght of leg, mm, mm,

PP- sliding support
Dz External diameter, mm
PS - anchor
L thermal expansion, mm
a coefficient - depends on pipe materia:
Steel: a=70, Copper: a=61
Plastic: a= 1575 data provided by producent

 Anchor

Source: K. Gd Sanitary Installations lecture notes

Source: http://www.spiraxsarco.com

Sliding support

Expansion loops
It is a common way to absorb the
temperature expansion in pipes. Expansion
loops can be fabricated from standard pipes
and elbows.
Full loop

Source: http://www.spiraxsarco.com

Horse shoe (lyre loop)

Expansion loop

Ls a Dz L, mm
Ls lenght od leg, mm,
Dz External pipe diameter, mm
Amin min. expansion loop width
L thermal expansion, mm
a Coefficient depends on pipe materia:
Steel: a = 20, Copper: a=33
Plastic: a= 8 38 data provided by producent

PP- sliding support

PS - anchor

L
Ls a Dz
, mm
2

Source: K. Gd Sanitary Installations lecture notes

Pipe expansion joints

Source http://www.roth-kompensatoren.de
Source: K. Gd Sanitary Installations Lecture notes

Pipe installation rules

Minimal distance between pipes wall (or its insulation) and
building construction elements (walls, floor etc.) depends on the
pipe diameter:
Dn
Distance

25 mm
3 cm

32-50mm 65-80 mm 100 mm

5 cm
7 cm
7 cm

Water installation must run below hot water pipe, gas pipe and
electric cables.
Minimal distance between water pipes and electric cables is
0,1m.

Pipe protection sleeves

Source: www.nullifirefirestopping.co.uk

It is a fixed cylindrical insert, that is located where the pipe is to

pierce a slab. It should pass completely through the partision
and extend 2cm above the surface and 1 cm below it.
Protection sleeves inner diameter should be:
min. 1 cm higher than pipes external diameters when
crossing across the floor
min. 2 cm higher than pipes external diameters when
crossing arcoss the wall
It should be extended 2cm both sides of the wall

Pipe protection sleeves

New buildings
Source: www.instalpack.pl

Existing buildings

Pipe protection sleeves

Source: www.integra.gliwice.pl

Source: swbh.pl/