This article series provides an updated version of Hubbard Cobb's Your Dream Home, illustrated by Sigman-Ward, first published by Wm. H. Wise & Co. New York, 1950.

From site selection and obtaining financing through each step in construction of a single family home the simple procedures and drawings in this book are still useful for anyone building or repairing a home or other small structure.

How to Design & Install the House Plumbing

This is Chapter 13 of BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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For convenience we have split this chapter into a series of web pages given below in the order that these topics appeared in the original text.

PLUMBING SYSTEM INSTALLATION - home page

1. PROPER PLUMBING WORK is IMPORTANT
2. WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
3. TYPES of PIPING MATERIALS
4. COPPER PIPE INSTALLATION
5. COPPER FLARE CONNECTIONS
6. PIPE SIZE SELECTION
7. CAST IRON PIPE INSTALLATION
8. PLUMBING SYSTEM LAYOUT PLAN
9. PLUMBING FIXTURE INSTALLATION BATH KITCHEN
10. WATER HEATERS & TANKS
11. PLUMBING SYSTEM PRESSURE TESTS
12. SEPTIC TANK, DRAINFIELD INSTALLATION
13. PLUMBING MATERIALS LIST for the basic house

This article is also available as PLUMBING SYSTEM INSTALLATION [eBook], or as a PDF image at THE HOUSE PLUMBING SYSTEM [PDF] original page images.

This article series provides an updated version of Hubbard Cobb's Your Dream Home, illustrated by Sigman-Ward, first published by Wm. H. Wise & Co. New York, 1950. The link above provides versions of each chapter as a web page, as an ePub, and in the original form as a PDF file.

Once you have the rough shell of the house completed, the job of roughing in the plumbing system should be done. This will consist of installing all the pipes through the walls and ceiling for the fresh-water supply and the drainage system as well as installing the various outlets for the plumbing fixtures. The fixtures themselves will be installed after the interior walls have been finished.

Fig. 1. A drilled well showing the casing, concrete seal, and water bearing stratum. This well is using a submersible pump and a single water line extending from the pump up to the top of the well casing. In freezing climates the water line will exit the well casing side below the frost line using a pitless adapter fitting.

Why Proper Plumbing Work is Important

As is the case with electrical wiring, plumbing for residential work is often regulated by local building codes, which vary greatly. In well settled localities, the plumbing codes may possibly insist that the entire plumbing system be installed by a master plumber. This is done to insure the health of the entire community.

A faulty plumbing system in a built-up community can be a definite hazard to health. Other codes, not quite as strict, may demand only that the installation of the system be done in such a fashion that it will meet with the approval of local health and building inspectors.

In rural areas there may not be any code whatsoever and any sort of plumbing system can be installed by anyone who cares to do the job.

Because the comfort and, in most cases, the health of the various members of the household will depend on an adequate plumbing system, it is foolish to install any system that is not perfectly safe from the standpoint of health or will not insure the household an adequate supply of hot and cold water.

Not so very many years ago, installing a plumbing system was an almost hopeless undertaking for anyone except those who had had years of actual experience. Pipe joints had to be made by hand with hot lead, traps had to be made on the job by the plumber, and there were only a few basic fittings manufactured.

Making up the various joints and fittings called for a type of skill that could only be acquired after long training. Today, thanks to the plumbing industry, there are fittings ready made to meet every requirement and the main trick involved in installing a system is to know which fitting to use and how to use it.

But even so, many persons may not feel that they possess the necessary skill to do the entire job of installing a house plumbing system by themselves. To these we suggest calling in a plumber and working along with him on the job.

There is a good deal of rough unskilled work to he done on a plumbing job and if you do this work while the plumber devotes his energies to the more involved problems, you will be pleasantly surprised to find how fast the work will go and how much can be saved.

And helping to install the plumbing system is the best way to gain an understanding of how it works so that in the future, if something should go wrong, you will be in a good position to know where the trouble might lie and how it should be fixed.

But regardless of who does the work, be sure that a first-class system is installed. Do not take any short cuts or let anyone else take them on your house plumbing system.

Water Supply Sources

There is no point in a plumbing system unless there is an adequate supply of fresh water. Hence, perhaps the best place to start when you think of plumbing is right at this factor. If you are building where there is a convenient city water main, your water supply is no problem.

After the system is installed in the house, it is connected to the water main. The job of connecting the house line to the main is usually done by the city or the water company and there is a slight fee charged. If you do not live near city water, you have to think about some other source for the water supply—wells, rivers, lakes or springs.

Drilled Well Construction

By far the most efficient private water supply in most cases is that obtained from a drilled or artesian well. See Fig. 1. These wells are sunk deep into the ground to the point where they reach water-bearing stratum. This may lie many hundreds of feet under the surface. These wells are expensive and may possibly cost over $1000 before you have obtained a sufficient flow of water. They cannot be sunk by the home-owner, for the drilling requires special power equipment.

But in spite of their high costs, drilled wells are usually the best, because they can be counted on to supply plenty of fresh water and they will not go dry during drought periods as will wells that are not very deep. Along with the well you will also need pumping equipment. This consists of a deep-well pump run by electricity and a storage tank.

See details about drilled wells at DRILLED WELLS, STEEL CASINGS

Dug Well Construction

Dug or shallow wells can be dug by hand and cost far less than drilled wells. See Fig. 2. In soil where water is not far below the surface, this type of well may prove perfectly adequate for small homes and where the demand for water is not too great.

The well need only be dug deep enough to insure an adequate flow of water. The inside of the well is lined with rocks or concrete tile, and it should be provided with a tight fitting lid to keep out insects and rodents. A shallow-well pump and a storage tank are required.

For years, dug wells provided an adequate water supply for most rural homes. The chief objection to them today is that, while they provided an adequate supply of water in the days when bathing was regulated to Saturday nights and the over-all water demand of a house was slight, they often are not able to keep up with the load imposed on them by regular daily bathing, automatic washing machines and garbage-disposal units.

If you plan to dig a well yourself, the help of another man is required. One does the digging while the other hauls up the dirt and rocks in a bucket. Great care should be taken in doing this work because in certain soil conditions there is the constant and very real danger of cave-ins.

Fig. 2. A dug well. Unless conditions are very favorable, this type of water supply may have difficulties in meeting the water demands of modern housekeeping.

Watch out: in many if not most areas of the world it is very difficult to assure safe sanitary drinking water from a dug well or from any shallow well for that matter. Surface contaminants flow easily into shallow wells and dug wells.

See details about hand dug wells at HAND DUG WELL PROCEDURE

Driven Point Well Construction

This type of well is common in sections of the country where it is possible to get down to the water-bearing stratum without running into hard rocks. 'The well consists of 2" or 3" extra strength wrought-iron pipe. One end of the pipe is fitted with a drive-well

point. The other end of the pipe is fitted with a drive head. The pipe is then sunk into the ground by striking the drive head with a maul. When one section of pipe has been driven in, the drive head is removed, another section of pipe is attached, the drive head placed on the new section, and the work continues until the drive-well point strikes water.

This method of making a well is impossible in soil where there is a lot of rocks because if the point strikes a rock, it must be pulled back out and started at some other point. The drive point cannot be driven through rock.

In spite of science, in spite of local characters with their divining rods, digging a well and finding an adequate supply of water at the bottom is still far from being a sure thing. It often happens that while your next door neighbor found an abundant supply of water with a 14-foot dug well, you may have to go 15, 20, 25 or even 30 feet and will end up with nothing more than a dry hole in the ground. The same holds true for drilled wells; where one will bring in an ample flow of water at 300 feet, another one in the next lot will have to go down 400 or 500 feet or even deeper.

Sometimes the various mineral conditions in the water will play a part in the decision of which type of well is best. There may be a vein of iron deep in the ground that affects the water coming from drilled wells and necessitates expensive filtering equipment before the water can be used for domestic purposes.

On the other hand, a dug well in the same location might be free of iron but have the unfortunate habit of going dry at times. So before you select any particular type of well, get as much information regarding the local water conditions as you can. Check with neighbors, plumbers and local well-diggers, and find out which type of well seems to offer the best possibilities.

See details about driven point wells or "sand point" wells at DRIVEN POINT WELLS

Drinking Water from Lakes, Rivers and Springs

Many homes located near surface water draw their water supply for all purposes other than drinking and cooking from a lake, river or spring. Bottled water is used for drinking and cooking. Providing the supply is moderately pure, there is nothing wrong with this arrangement except that it is not always convenient.

Springs are often utilized for drinking as well as for the other purposes. Here again as in the case of dug wells, unless the spring has a very good flow it may not be able to keep up with the demands of the modem home.

Once you have a water supply, have the water tested before you do another thing. You not only want to have it tested so that you are sure it is pure for drinking, but you also want to know what minerals and chemicals it contains because this mineral and chemical content is an important factor in deciding which type of pipe to use for the house plumbing system.

Watch out: when drinking water must be obtained from sources whose water supply cannot be counted-on to remain sanitary or free from contaminants, a combination of water testing to identify the contaminants present and then the choice of appropriate water treatment equipment is necessary to assure safe drinking water.

Also see SPRINGS as WATER SUPPLY

See details at WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES - home

Plumbing Pipe Size Selection

The size of pipe used for the freshwater system will depend not only on the type of pipe used but also on the pressure of your water supply.

Larger pipe diameters give considerably better flow at plumbing fixtures.

If your water pressure is not very strong, the distribution mains should be 1" or 1 1/4". If the supply pressure is high, the mains can be reduced to 3/4", but this may not always be sufficient to take care of future expansion of the plumbing system, such as might arise if another bath were to be installed.

In the long run, it is probably best never to use a supply main under 1". Short branch-lines to the washstands, toilets, etc., may be 1/2" pipe, and the kitchen sink and laundry should have 3/4" lines.

These nominal pipe sizes refer to the inside diameter or I.D. of the pipes. The outer diameter of pipes that have the same I.D. will vary depending on pipe material.

Continue reading at: CAST IRON PIPE INSTALLATION

Materials List for Basic Plumbing System

Drainage System

• 1    4" x 4" sanitary tee branch

• 1    4" x 4" Y branch

• 1    4" clean-out plug

• 1    4" x 4" sanitary tee branch with 2" tapping

• 2    4" sanitary tees with 2" tappings 

• 8 5-foot sections of 4" cast-iron soil pipe. Exact number of sections depends on location of sewer and whether basement floor drains are connected into sewer line

• 1 Increaser for top of vent stack 

• 1 4" lead closet bend with brass ferrule and floor flange

• 1 Kitchen sink with fittings 

• 1 Bathtub with shower and fittings 

• 1 Lavatory with fittings

• 1 Water closet with flush tank and fittings

• 4  Drain traps for kitchen sink, bath tub and lavatory

• 6    1 1/2" drain tees

• 5    1 1/2" elbows

• 30 feet (approximately) 1 1/2" galvanized pipe

• 11  feet (approximately) 2" galvanized or lead pipe

Fresh Water System

• 7 Tee fittings    

• 14 Elbows

• 50 feet (approximately) 1/2" galvanized pipe (or copper tubing)

• 10 feet (approximately) 3/4" galvanized pipe (or copper tubing one  size smaller)

Hot Water Supply

• 1 30-gallon hot water heater, gas or electric

Cast Iron Drain Piping Installation

This section is now found at CAST IRON PIPE INSTALLATION

Types of Water Supply Piping

This section is now found at TYPES of PIPING MATERIALS

Galvanized Steel (Iron) Water Pipe Installation

This section is now found at GALVANIZED IRON PIPE INSTALLATION

Brass Water Supply Pipe Installation

This section is now found at BRASS WATER PIPE INSTALLATION

Copper Water Pipe Installation Details

This section is now found at COPPER PIPE INSTALLATION

Flared Copper Pipe Fitting Installation Details

This section is now found at COPPER FLARE CONNECTIONS

Installing the Plumbing System

This section is now found at PLUMBING SYSTEM LAYOUT PLAN

Plumbing layouts for all types of houses, with and without basement, concrete slab homes, etc.

Installation of Plumbing Fixtures

This section is now at PLUMBING FIXTURE INSTALLATION BATH KITCHEN

Plumbing Fresh Water Supply Piping

This section is now found at PLUMBING SYSTEM LAYOUT PLAN

Plumbing for Hot Water Heaters & Storage Tanks

This discussion is now at WATER HEATERS & TANKS

How to Pressure Test the Plumbing Drain & Supply Piping

This discussion is now at PLUMBING SYSTEM PRESSURE TESTS

Plumbing The House Sewer Pipe

This section is at SEPTIC TANK, DRAINFIELD INSTALLATION

This entire book chapter is also available as PLUMBING SYSTEM INSTALLATION [eBook], or as a PDF image at THE HOUSE PLUMBING SYSTEM [PDF] original page images.

...

Continue reading at CAST IRON PIPE INSTALLATION, or go to book contents at BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or go to ELECTRICAL WIRING INSTALLATION BASICS - next chapter in this book

Or see these sections of Chapter 13 - PLUMBING SYSTEM INSTALLATION

1. PROPER PLUMBING WORK is IMPORTANT
2. WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
3. TYPES of PIPING MATERIALS
4. COPPER PIPE INSTALLATION
5. COPPER FLARE CONNECTIONS
6. PIPE SIZE SELECTION
7. CAST IRON PIPE INSTALLATION
8. PLUMBING SYSTEM LAYOUT PLAN
9. PLUMBING FIXTURE INSTALLATION BATH KITCHEN
10. WATER HEATERS & TANKS
11. PLUMBING SYSTEM PRESSURE TESTS
12. SEPTIC TANK, DRAINFIELD INSTALLATION
13. PLUMBING MATERIALS LIST for the basic house

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• BATH & KITCHEN DESIGN GUIDE - home
• BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME
• PLUMBING FIXTURES, KITCHEN, BATH - home
• PLUMBING VENT DISTANCES & ROUTING
  
• SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS - home
  
• SEPTIC TANKS HOME MADE SITE BUILT
• SUPPLY PIPING - home
• TOILET DESIGN CHOICES
• WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS
• WATER HEATERS - home
• WATER PUMPS, TANKS, TESTS, WELLS, REPAIRS - home
• WATER SUPPLY - home
• WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING - home
  
• WATER TANK: USES, TROUBLESHOOTING - home
• WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS - home

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