L2 Plumbing Unit 10 Apply domestic above-ground drainage system installation and maintenance techniques

Student Book Answers

Understand and apply domestic above-ground
drainage system installation and maintenance
techniques
Progress check 1 (page 399)
1

According to the current Water Regulations, what is maximum capacity of a WC

flushing cistern?
6 litres

Why is it still permitted to buy and install WC cisterns with the older regulation
capacities of 7.5 and 9 litres?
The Water Regulations allow these to be installed as replacements for existing
cisterns, because in these cases, the WC pan was designed to work on those
capacities.

How are WC soil outlets referred to regarding their trapping arrangements?

P traps or S traps

Which two types of bidet are available?

Over the rim supply and ascending spray

What are the two main types of washbasin?

Fixed to the wall or countertop basins

Generally, why is a slotted waste fitting required with an appliance such as a

washbasin?
This type of appliance incorporates an integral overflow/waste; the slot allows
the overflow water to discharge to the waste.

What is the difference between a hand-rinse basin and a washbasin?

The size: hand-rinse basins are smaller and used for hand washing in
cloakrooms with WCs etc.

What is the difference between the sink patterns known as Belfast and London?
The London pattern has an integral overflow built into the body of the sink. The
Belfast pattern does not have this.

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L2 Plumbing Unit 10 Apply domestic above-ground drainage system installation and maintenance techniques

How is the water supply to urinals controlled?

By an automatic flushing cistern or a pressure flushing valve

10 What is the maximum volume of water that the Water Regulations allow for an
automatic flushing cistern, which should not be exceeded for a single urinal bowl
or stall?
10 litres per hour
11 What is a sparge pipe?
A flush pipe mounted on the face of the urinal and connected to a number of
holes (urinal spreaders). The sparge pipe is used to wash the face of the slab
and channel.

Progress check 2 (page 411)

1

In a primary ventilated stack system, what is the minimum depth allowed

between the lowest connection and the invert of the drain?
450 mm

How can the maximum recommended pipework lengths and gradients be

exceeded in a primary ventilated stack system?
If additional ventilation is provided in the system using a device such as an antisiphon trap or re-sealing valve

What is the important requirement if a kitchen-sink waste pipe is terminated into

a gully rather than the stack pipe?
The pipe end must finish between the grating or sealing plate and the top of the
water seal.

Other than installing anti-siphon traps or self-sealing valves, what other measure
can you take if excessive pipe lengths and/or steep gradients cannot be
avoided?
Ventilate the pipework system using separate ventilating pipework.

Subject to certain requirements, where can air admittance valves be located

internally?
In the roof space or the pipe-boxing arrangement to the WC

Why should bottle traps be avoided when connecting to sinks and, to a lesser
extent, baths and shower trays?
They are likely to become blocked by the accumulation of food, soap deposits
and hair.

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L2 Plumbing Unit 10 Apply domestic above-ground drainage system installation and maintenance techniques

When is it permissible to install a 38-mm seal bath trap?

If the waste connection discharges directly to a ground floor gulley

How does a self-sealing valve connected to a soil and waste system prevent
smells entering the building?
It uses an internal membrane as a seal. This membrane allows waste to flow
through it when water is released, but closes to prevent foul air entering the
building.

In public toilets a running trap may be found. What is it used for?

A running trap can be used to group the untrapped wastes of a range of
washbasins together, before connection to the drainage system.

10 What type of trap seal loss is most common in washbasins?

Self-siphonage
11 What measures are likely to prevent trap seal loss by compression?
Use large-radius bends at the base of the stack and ensure at least 450 mm
length between the invert of the drain and the lowest branch pipe.
12 What is a combined system of below-ground drainage?
Water from sanitary appliances (foul water) and surface water (rainwater) all
collect into one sewer
13 What is a separate system of below-ground drainage?
Foul water runs into a sewer and rainwater runs into a separate sewer for
surface water.
14 What is a partially separate system of below-ground drainage?
This system still uses two pipes, but some of the surface water is discharged into
a watercourse, soakaway or drainage ditch.

Progress check 3 (page 429)

1

When first-fix pipework is installed, what should be done to the open-ended

pipes? Why is this necessary?
The pipework should be capped off, to prevent debris (plaster etc.) from blocking
the pipework installation.

You are replacing an existing bathroom suite. Which piece of sanitary ware
should you install first, and why?
The WC suite, to keep any inconvenience to a minimum

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L2 Plumbing Unit 10 Apply domestic above-ground drainage system installation and maintenance techniques

Why do most washbasins require a slotted waste fitting?

Because most washbasins have integral overflows built into them

When carrying out the dressing process on a bath, which components are
usually fitted first?
The cradle frame or brackets and legs

What should be placed over the siphon nut before securing a close-coupled WC
cistern to the pan?
The soft foam-rubber close-coupling washer

You are fitting a siphonic WC pan. Which type of valve will you fit between the
WC siphon outlet and the WC pan inlet?
A pressure-reducing valve

What are the two recommended fixing heights for wall urinals (measured from
floor level to the front lip of the bowl)?
Adult 610 mm
Child or smaller adult 510 mm

What diameters and lengths are plastic waste pipes available in?
32 mm, 40 mm and 50 mm diameter
3 metre lengths

What diameters and lengths are plastic soil pipes available in?
82 mm and 110 mm diameter
2.5 m, 3 m and 4 metre lengths

10 How is a strap boss secured and made watertight to a soil pipe?

Using gap-filling cement
11 What are the recommended horizontal and vertical clipping distances for 32 mm
and 40 mm plastic waste pipework?
32 mm horizontal 0.8 m
32 mm vertical 1.51.7 m
40 mm horizontal 0.9 m
40 mm vertical 1.8 m
12 What is the recommended vertical clipping distance for plastic soil and vent
pipework?
2m

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L2 Plumbing Unit 10 Apply domestic above-ground drainage system installation and maintenance techniques

Progress check 3 (page 434)

1

What is the recommended water head (in millimetres) when soundness testing
above-ground drainage discharge pipework?
38 mm

How long should the test last when soundness testing above-ground drainage
system pipework?
3 minutes

If a pressure drop is found during the test, how can you identify the leak?
All joints should be tested using leak detection solution.

What is meant by the term charging procedures?

After the test equipment has been removed, all appliances are filled to their
overflow levels and then released at the same time. All WCs should also be
flushed at this time.

After a charging procedure has been carried out, the trap seals on all appliances
should be checked. What is the minimum seal permissible?
Not less than 25 mm

How many times should the charging procedure be carried out?

Three

How can blockages on sinks, washbasins and baths often be cleared?

Using a force cup or plunger

What attachment tools for drain rods are typically available to aid the removal of
blockages and obstructions?
Double worm screw
Drop scraper
Plunger
Clearing wheel

You are removing a soil stack. What should be done to the joint to the drainage
system, and why?
The joint should be covered or capped. This will prevent anyone tripping over it,
prevent debris from entering the drain, and prevent obnoxious smells from
escaping from the drain.

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L2 Plumbing Unit 10 Apply domestic above-ground drainage system installation and maintenance techniques

Check your knowledge

1

What is the maximum recommended length of a 40 mm waste pipe from a bath,

which is connected to a single stack system?
a
b
c
d

Which British Standard covers workmanship on a building site?

a
b
c
d

19 mm
40 mm
50 mm
75 mm

Which type of trap should be installed when taking discharge from a range of
wash hand basins?
a
b
c
d

Parallel junction
Cleaning eye tee
Long radius bend
Multi-branch fitting

What is the minimum recommended seal for a bath trap?

a
b
c
d

BS 6700
BS 8000
BS 9000
Not covered

Which of the following primary ventilated stack system (single-stack system)

components is used to connect a waste pipe to a vertical stack, directly opposite
a connection from a sanitary fitting?
a
b
c
d

3m
4m
5m
6m

Running trap
Walking trap
Bottle trap
S trap

How long should an air test hold when testing an above-ground waste discharge
system?
a
b
c
d

1 minute
3 minutes
4 minutes
2 hours

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L2 Plumbing Unit 10 Apply domestic above-ground drainage system installation and maintenance techniques

What is the most important PPE to wear when removing a WC pan?

a
b
c
d

How many times should a check for trap seal loss be carried out on a
performance test?
a
b
c
d

Helmet
Ear defenders
Industrial gloves
Dust/particle mask

2
3
4
5

What is the recommended number of WC pans that should be stacked on top of

each other for storage?
a
b
c
d

4
5
6
10

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