 Water Supply Piping, & Drain Piping, Water Supply Equipment, other Building Pipes and Plumbing
- Building piping installation, inspection, troubleshooting & repair: water supply piping, drain waste & vent piping, water supply: how to inspect, diagnose, test, repair water supply & drain piping
- Tank Types Encyclopedia an encyclopedia of tanks in buildings, water tanks, oil tanks, gas tanks, expansion tanks, cisterns, antique, modern
- Life expectancy of lead water piping
- Life expectancy of galvanized steel water piping
- Life expectancy of copper and plastic water supply and drain piping
- Questions & Answers about building supply & drain piping
- References
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Water supply & drain piping: This article defines and describes different types of building supply and drain piping with an alphabetical list of piping materials and properties. For each type of building piping material, in addition to giving its description and properties and use, we include special concerns or possible defects to watch-out for.
The articles at this website will answer most questions about water supply & drain piping, wells, & water tanks as well as many other building plumbing system inspection or defect topics. We link to in-depth articles on inspecting, testing, and repairing problems with building plumbing: water supply and drain waste vent piping, plumbing traps, piping materials, clogged or noisy pipes, and types of pipe hazards or product defects. Other types of building piping systems are discussed at GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS and at OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Definition & Properties of Types of Building Supply & Drain Piping Materials
This web page describes types of building supply and drain piping listed alphabetically. Drain waste and vent piping articles are listed in detail at DRAIN & SEWER PIPING and VENT PIPING.
ABS Plastic Building Drain Piping
 See ABS PLASTIC PIPE FAILURES for details. Excerpts are below.
In widespread use as drain piping, black ABS drain piping, or "All Black -hit," defective black ABS plastic waste pipe manufactured in the mid 1980's failed by cracking - not something that should be a problem with current ABS products.
Our photo (left) illustrates ABS (black) and PVC (white) drain pipe materials used together. Currently there are primers and glues that can be used on either PVC or ABS or on a combination of the two.
But watch out for older installations where these plastic drain materials may be mixed as it may be an indication of amateur work or use of improper glues that can result in leaks at joints and fittings. |
Cast Iron Building Drain Piping
See CAST IRON DRAIN PIPING for details. Excerpts are below.
 Cast iron drain piping has been used in buildings for more than 100 years. This heavy material is available in diameters from 2" and up, with typical main building drains of 4" to 6" in diameter. A hub system connects pipe sections, originally using melted lead.
The cast iron pipe hub and stub were wiped with oil to remove water, avoiding a dangerous steam flash when lead was poured into the fitting. Most modern cast iron connections are made using rubber or plastic fittings that no longer require heating and melting lead.
The illustrations (left) show accessing a cast iron drain cleanout and two methods of emergency, temporary repair of leaks in drain piping. |
Cast iron piping used for in-building drain piping as well as sewer lines is also illustrated at How to Locate the Main Building Drain, and at How to Use a Power Snake on Building Drains you can see a common splice-in of ABS plastic drain piping into an existing cast iron sewer line.
Copper Building Water Supply & Drain Piping
See COPPER PIPING in buildings for details. Excerpts are below.
Guide to Types of Copper Piping used in buildings
The following summary notes about copper and other types of building piping are from Carson Dunlop Associates' Home Reference Book, used with permission:
Copper piping has been used extensively since the early 1950s for supply lines from the city main to the house as well as for in-building water supply and drain piping.
Copper water supply piping is typically 1/2 or 3/4 inch diameter. Copper piping is typically 1/2 or 3/4 inch diameter. Copper piping has soldered connections and the walls of the pipe are thinner than galvanized steel. Copper piping has soldered connections and the walls of the pipe are thinner than galvanized steel.
From 1950 to 1970, 1/2-inch diameter piping was used commonly. After 1970, 3/4-inch diameter copper service piping has been common.
The life expectancy of
copper piping is dependent on water conditions. In many areas, its life expectancy is indefinite. In harsh corrosive water or corrosive soil conditions, it may fail within 20 years or even less. Occasionally manufacturing defects also result in early failure of copper building piping.
Carson Dunlop Associates' sketch (left) illustrates three types of copper piping used in buildings for water supply or drains.
- Type M copper piping is used for general plumbing, above ground. Type M copper tubing walls are the thinnest used in construction, at 0.026" in wall thickness and thus more vulnerable to leaks if water being handled is aggressive or corrosive.
- Type L copper piping is also used for general plumbing as well as for heating system piping. Type L copper tubing walls are thicker, at 0.040".
- Type K copper piping is used for plumbing, heating, gas lines, and underground, and has a wall thickness of 0.049".
- Flexible copper tubing used as water piping: Flexible copper tubing can be bent around corners using special tools. This is not common since it is more expensive and can be awkward to work with in close quarters. Flexible copper tubing is also used for oil piping (OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS) and natural gas piping (GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS).
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Galvanized Steel Water Supply Piping in buildings
See GALVANIZED STEEL WATER PIPING for details. Excerpts are below.
Galvanized steel is not commonly used as a service pipe, although galvanized steel fittings may be found at the point of entry into the house. Where galvanized service piping is used, it is typically at least 1 1/4-inch diameter. The word galvanized means zinc-coated. The coating helps prevent the steel from rusting.
Galvanized steel piping was common until roughly 1950. This piping typically lasts 40 to
60 years. Some lower-quality pipes do not last as long and there are some oversized pipes still in use after 60 years. Where it is found today in single-family homes, it is usually near the end of its life.
Life expectancy of galvanized steel piping: Galvanized steel supply pipes
are typically 1/2-inch diameter. The connections are threaded. When the pipe corrodes, the rust accumulation inside the pipe chokes down the diameter of the pipe, resulting in poor water pressure.
Rust also attacks the pipe walls, making the walls thinner. Eventually, the pipe will rust through, usually at the joints first, resulting in leakage.
- Home Reference Book, used with permission.
Galvanized Steel Drain Piping in buildings
See GALVANIZED STEEL WATER PIPING for details. Excerpts are below.
Our photographs (below) show galvanized drain piping in use in buildings. At below left, the cleanout in a galvanized drain line has been lost, plugged with who-knows-what, and is an odor and leak source. At below-right, the rope trying to secure the galvanized drain line to the cast iron sewer piping confirm a history of leak troubles and improper plumbing connections.
Lead Water Supply & Drain Piping in buildings
See our detailed articles about lead plumbing pipes in buildings at
Portions of the following summary are from Carson Dunlop Associates' Home Reference Book, used with permission:
Lead piping was used between the street main and the house up until the 1950s. A good deal
of lead supply line is still in use, and the health authorities indicate that as long as it is used
regularly, there is no difficulty with it. If the water has not been run for some time, many
recommend that the water be flowed for several minutes before using it.
Our photographs show a lead water entry main or service pipe (below-left) and lead plumbing drain piping (below-right).
The life expectancy
of lead water supply piping is indefinite in some soils and in more corrosive soils we have plumbers' opinions that the service life of buried lead water supply piping is 40 to 50 years. See LEAD WATER PIPES and LEAD in WATER, ACTION LEVEL & REMEDIES for details. Also see AGE of PLUMBING MATERIALS & FIXTURES.
Orangeburg Pipes at buildings: definition, properties
Orangeburg pipes, named not for their color but for the town where the Fibre Conduit Company, a major pipe manufacturer was located, were used outside buildings to connect the building drain to septic systems or in some areas to sewer pipes.
Orangeburg pipes are black, and somewhat fragile bituminous-coated fiber pipes.
OPINION: think Orangeburg pipe? think "tar impregnated cardboard". Inexpensive, widely used. Orangeburg piping was used in both un-perforated form as septic distribution piping and more widely in perforated form as effluent distribution piping in septic drainfields and as buried downspout drain lines.
As we explain at AGE of PLUMBING MATERIALS & FIXTURES, Orangeburg drain & septic field piping, most widely used in drain piping and septic fields, was made of ground wood fibers bound with an adhesive mastic (coal tar), typically looking like black"tarred" piping. Orangeburg piping was first used in Boston in 1865.
Despite it's name, "Orangeburg pipe" is not orange in color and it never was, though if you want to see some orange-colored sewer piping see our description of Terra Cotta (clay) pipes below in this article. The name Orangeburg pipe comes from the main producer of this product, the Fibre Conduit Co., in Orangeburg, New York. After 1948 the company changed its name to Orangeburg Manufacturing. Black coal-tar impregnated fiber piping was widely used in North American from 1950 to 1970.
Orangeburg drain piping and sewer piping was not made just by Fiber Conduit. Other manufacturers included American Piping Co., J.M. Fiber Conduit, Bermico (Brown Manufacturing), and American Manufacturing
We still come across Orangeburg pipe when excavating old septic drainfields and on occasion when inspecting an older home, say before 1970, you may see the top of a section of Orangeburg pipe peeking up above ground as a connection for a roof gutter downspout.
In our Orangeburg pipe downspout drain photo above we were pointing out (the pen) that perforated pipe was used as a buried drain right next to the building - inviting basement water entry even if the drain is not yet clogged. And figure, if you see a buried downspout drain using a material not commonly installed for 40 years, that the drain itself may be blocked or collapsed by now. Now think "Orangeburg pipe septic drainfield??"
Plastic Building Water Supply Piping & Tubing; Plastic Drain Pipes: ABS, PBS, PEX, CPVC pipes
Terra Cotta Pipes at buildings - Clay Drain Pipes: definition, properties
Terra cotta pipes are clay pipe that was used for external sewer (or septic system) connection in North America from about 1900 to 1940.
Terra cotta pipe is often deep red to orange in color, round with hubs to facilitate pipe section connections. (Photo, above left).
In smaller sizes terra cotta may be hexagonal in external shape (photo above right) though round in its interior profile. Joints in terra cotta piping were made using cement to surround the piping.
The material was both durable (it does not corrode or rot) but fragile, easily broken by heavy traffic above or by improper bedding in the trench if exposed to heavy rocks.
Clay drainfield piping or "drain tiles" is also shown in fragments in our article on sewer line replacement, at Determining Need for Replacement. We also provide this photo of another type of octagonal clay sewer and septic piping that was often used in drainfields as disjointed sections.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About building Supply or Drain Piping: installation, inspection, trouibleshooting, repair
Question: what's the right type of copper pipe to use at my urinals?
Inspector is challenging me about the type of copper pipe installed for waste pipe on my urinals. I installed d.w.v. Copper tube and he says type m is minimum. What do you say I cannot find anything in ontario plumbing code 2006. - Karac Rushton - 6/29/2012
Reply: 2007 Ontario Plumbing code permits K & L copper; M above ground; DWV above ground but not buried.
Karac, the 2007 Ontario Plumbing code is available online at opseu560[dot]org/BuildingCode-2007[dot]pdf
and section 7 discusses plumbing.
There are some additional standards that apply:
7.2.2.2. Conformance to Standards
(1) Every water closet and urinal shall conform to the requirements in Article 7.6.4.2.
(2) Every vitreous china fixture shall conform to CAN/CSA-B45.1, "Ceramic Plumbing
Fixtures".
(3) Every enamelled cast iron fixture shall conform to CAN/CSA-B45.2, "Enamelled Cast Iron
Plumbing Fixtures".
(4) Every porcelain enamelled steel fixture shall conform to CAN/CSA-B45.3, "Porcelain-
Enamelled Steel Plumbing Fixtures".
Copper pipe shall conform to ASTM B42, "Seamless Copper Pipe, Standard Sizes".
That code includes a table of allowed uses of copper. Table 7.2.7.4. - Permitted Use of Copper Tube and Pipe
Forming Part of Sentence 7.2.7.4.(2)
In the table, if I read it correctly it says that
the drainage system piping can use K & L hard copper, and M-hard above ground but not buried, and DWV above ground but not underground.
So if all your DWV is above ground, by that table you're in compliance. You can show the table toyour building inspector, and if you are polite you might get somewhere.
Don't forget that the local code compliance inspector has FINAL AUTHORITY.
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. Mr. Cramer serves on the ASHI Home Inspection Standards. Contact Mark Cramer at: 727-595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
- John Cranor is an ASHI member and a home inspector (The House Whisperer) is located in Glen Allen, VA 23060. He is also a contributor to InspectApedia.com in several technical areas such as plumbing and appliances (dryer vents). Contact Mr. Cranor at 804-747-7747 or by Email: johncranor@verizon.net
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
- Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
- Home Inspection Education Courses including home study & live classes at eleven colleges & universities.
- Home Inspection Education Home Study Courses - ASHI@Home Training 10-course program.
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference eBook, an electronic version for PCs, the iPad, iPhone, & Android smart phones.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter inspectaehrb in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Horizon Software System manages business operations,scheduling, & inspection report writing using Carson Dunlop's knowledge base & color images. The Horizon system runs on always-available cloud-based software for office computers, laptops, tablets, iPad, Android, & other smartphones.
- Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. Contact Mark Cramer at: 727-595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com 11/06
- Eric Galow, Galow Homes, Lagrangeville, NY. Mr. Galow can be reached by email: ericgalow@gmail.com or by telephone: 914-474-6613. Mr. Galow specializes in residential construction including both new homes and repairs, renovations, and additions.
- Roger Hankey is principal of Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN. Mr. Hankey is a past chairman of the ASHI Standards Committee. Mr. Hankey has served in other ASHI professional and leadership roles. Contact Roger Hankey at: 952 829-0044 - rhankey@hankeyandbrown.com. Mr. Hankey is a frequent contributor to InspectAPedia.com.
- Arlene Puentes, an ASHI member and a licensed home inspector in Kingston, NY, and has served on ASHI national committees as well as HVASHI Chapter President. Ms. Puentes can be contacted at ap@octoberhome.com
- ABS Plastic Drain/Waste/Vent (DWV) pipe failures: reported for Centaur, Phoenix, Polaris, Gable, and Spartan pipe mfgs. for pipe made between 1985 and 1988. CPSC Hot Line: 800-638-8270 or ABS Drain Leaks/Failures-Class Action Settlement COX settlement through Shell Oil set up by a contractor involved in the settlement. Polybutylene Plumbing Failures: Spencer Class settlement. 10% of replacement cost/damages, only for acetal (plastic)fittings Polybutylene plumbing info at U. Arizona Polybutylene piping lawsuit settlement website Polybutylene plumbing lawsuit proposed settlement-old site
- Polybutylene Plumbing Failures, Lots of Info about, but slow-loading busy site
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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