{"id":180,"date":"2018-03-06T02:19:25","date_gmt":"2018-03-06T02:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/buildingmaint\/chapter\/faucets-and-fixtures\/"},"modified":"2018-09-06T01:03:50","modified_gmt":"2018-09-06T01:03:50","slug":"faucets-and-fixtures","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/buildingmaint\/chapter\/faucets-and-fixtures\/","title":{"raw":"4.5 Faucets, Fixtures, & Fixture Drains","rendered":"4.5 Faucets, Fixtures, & Fixture Drains"},"content":{"raw":"Plumbing codes require that every house must have at least one toilet, lavatory sink, bathtub or shower, and a kitchen sink. These, and some other items referred to in this chapter, are known as fixtures. Clearances from finished walls and other fixtures are strictly regulated by code and most fixtures are provided with a manufacturer rough-in sheet and installation instructions. Codes regulate the materials that are used to manufacture plumbing fixtures, which must have smooth, impervious surfaces and be defect free. Fixtures that incorporate porcelain enameled surfaces must be capable of withstanding acid without damaging the fixture.\r\n\r\nPay attention to flow rates, volume, and water usage in selecting fixtures.\u00a0One key aspect of sustainability in plumbing focuses on water conservation.\u00a0 Lavatory faucets and shower heads are two primary focal points of conserving water.\u00a0The true water saving aspect of a shower is based on duration of each use. A handheld shower can be equipped with mechanisms to turn off the water flow for certain showering activities, such as lathering.\r\n

Faucets<\/h1>\r\n\"Lavatory\r\n\r\nLavatory with 2 handles by Gwen Arkin is licensed under\u00a0<\/em>CC BY 4.0<\/em><\/a>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSelecting which manufacturer\u2019s product to install is based on cost, quality, and preferred faucet design which includes aesthetics, and functionality. Most master bathrooms and guest bathrooms have more expensive finishes than other bathrooms in a large house. Faucet finishes dictate the finishes used for drain assemblies and bathroom accessories which creates a color theme. Faucet accessories are available to create various themes. Water conservation faucets have aerators that reduce the flow of water to allow only 0.5 gallons per minute as opposed to a 1.0 gallons per minute.\u00a0Single-handle faucets blend the hot and cold water with the use of one handle; two-handle designs require a user to operate both handles to achieve a desired temperature.\r\n\r\n[table id=9 \/]\r\n

Faucet Installation<\/h1>\r\nA faucet installed on a sink through a countertop or through a tub platform, instead of through the fixture itself, is considered a deck mounted faucet. All faucets must be designed to prevent backflow of wastewater into the water distribution system and plumbing codes require that a faucet have an air gap or be protected with a vacuum breaker or approved check valve.\u00a0Most faucets use a tightening nut and flat washer to secure the faucet to a fixture. A bathtub and shower faucet is usually installed during the rough-in phase of construction.\r\n\r\nFaucet Water Supply:<\/strong>Connecting a water supply pipe to a faucet varies with the type of faucet and can be accomplished\u00a0with many common connection methods. Some faucets connect to the water supply with male or female adapters to create a soldered connection, and others use a specially designed 3\/8\u201d OD supply tube that connects to the male threads of a faucet.\r\n\r\n[table id=10 \/]\r\n

Drain Assemblies<\/h1>\r\nDrain assemblies are purchased based on the specific fixture they serve. Codes dictate the minimum drain size serving a particular fixture, and all fixtures and drain assemblies are manufactured based on minimum code requirements. A trap adapter is installed to connect the stubout pipe to the p-trap outlet. Most codes dictate that the largest size foreign object that can enter a drainage system is 1\/2\u201d diameter.\r\n

Fixture Types and Assemblies<\/h1>\r\n

Toilet<\/h1>\r\nToilets are also known as water closets.\u00a0Residential toilets must be self-cleaning during their\u00a0flushing cycle and have a toilet seat\u00a0installed.\u00a0 Water conservation fixtures ate rated at\u00a01.6 gallons per flush (gpf) and 1.28 gpf. The most common residential toilet bowl design uses a siphon-jet flushing action.\u00a0A tank handle activates a flushing cycle, and the water flows from the tank and enters the rim of the bowl.\u00a0\u00a0Small holes in the rim are angled to allow the water to create the vortex.\u00a0The vortex (swirl) begins a siphoning action to evacuate waste from the bowl.\u00a0 The jet stream exits the rim and thrusts into the passageway of the toilet providing the initial thrust in the flushing process.\r\n\r\nThe water supply is located on the left side of all toilets.\u00a0The stop and escutcheon are installed the same for a\u00a0toilet as for other fixtures.\u00a0The water is connected to a toilet using a a tank supply.\u00a0A tank supply is a chrome-plated soft copper tubing having\u00a0a flat end that connects the stop to the fill valve. More modern supply lines are compression fit, plastic tube, with some having a braided stainless steel sleeve that protects the line from swelling and bursting.\u00a0The toilet is installed onto the closet (toilet) flange and\u00a0sealed with a wax ring. Some wax seals have a plastic accessory called a horn\u00a0molded into the wax.\r\n\r\nToilet ADA Requirements:\u00a0<\/strong>Handicap fixtures must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).\u00a0The tank handle of an ADA-compliant toilet must be located on the side of the tank that has the greatest distance from a sidewall.\u00a0A handle located on the top of a tank typically meets ADA handle location regulations.\u00a0The height of a toilet bowl from the floor, which includes the seat, is regulated by code.\u00a0ADA codes dictate that the minimum height from a floor to a toilet seat is 16-1\/2\u201d; the maximum is 19-1\/2\u201d.\r\n\r\nToilet Piping Locations:\u00a0<\/strong>The outlet distance of a standard toilet is 12\u201d from the finished wall located behind the toilet (back wall).\u00a0Lesser used 10\u201d and 14\u201d rough toilets are available in some toilet designs.\u00a0Typically, one-piece toilets have different water rough-in location requirements than two-piece toilets.\u00a0When selecting a one-piece toilet, always request the manufacturer\u2019s data sheet, known as a roughin sheet, to confirm the water and drain pipes\u2019 installation locations.\r\n\r\nToilet Bowl Shapes & Seats:\u00a0<\/strong>Residential toilets have round style bowls.\u00a0Elongated bowls installed in many homes are usually\u00a0considered a fixture upgrade.\u00a0Codes require that an elongated (oval) bowl design be installed in commercial applications.\u00a0When selecting an elongated bowl in place of a round\u00a0bowl, be sure to check your local codes pertaining to the\r\nminimum clearance in front of a toilet.\u00a0Codes require that commercial seats be an open front type and not have a lid.\r\n\r\n \r\n

How To Replace and Install a Toilet<\/h4>\r\n[h5p id=\"82\"]\r\n

Fixing a Noisy Toilet & Other Problems with Fluidmaster<\/h4>\r\n[h5p id=\"83\"]\r\n

Lavatory sink<\/h1>\r\nAlso known as a lavatory, lav, or basin.\u00a0\u00a0Many types, shapes, and colors are available. Many homebuilders install cultured marble solid surface countertops with pre-molded sink basins, so the plumber does not install a separate sink. Other models of lavatory sinks include drop-in, under-mount, and vessel (similar to bowl setting on the countertop fed by a separate counter mounted faucet), The stub-out piping serving a lavatory is either 1 - 1\/4\u201d or 1 -1\/2\u201d. Most residential lavatories use a pop-up drain assembly. The overflow drain on a residential lavatory is an integral feature provided by the sink manufacturer.\r\n