Plumbing Full course part 33

In this part of Full Plumbing Course, We are going to learn about Cold Water Systems in Plumbing.

Cold Water Systems in Plumbing

The cold water system is comprised of four parts, the hot side, the cold side, the mixing valve, and the drain. When looking at these components, we have to understand what they do so that we can understand how they work together to make sure that our pipes always run smoothly.

Hot Side

There are two primary ways that a potable water supply enters a home. These systems are known as gravity flow and forced flow. In both instances, the water supply enters the house through a pipe, or line, under the sink. The water then flows down a vertical section of pipe called a riser. However, in a forced flow system, the force of gravity pulls the water through the riser. On the other hand, in a gravity-flow system, the force of the falling water pushes the water through the risers.

In either case, after the water travels down the risers, it begins its journey toward the bottom of the home where it's stored. At that point, it makes a right turn and continues its trip to various fixtures throughout the house. If you've ever turned on a faucet and had cool water spray out of it, this was probably due to a forced-flow system.

Cold Side

At the top of the house, the water turns back to become the cold side of the system. As the name suggests, the cold side is where the water goes to chill before it gets distributed to the rest of the home. There are two different types of cold sides: single-stage and multi-stage. Single-stage cold is a simple design consisting of only one coil—the coil is simply wrapped around a pipe or tube. Multi-stage cold takes advantage of the fact that the water in contact with a coil actually loses some of its temperature. Instead of having just one coil, the cold side has many coils, each serving a slightly different purpose. One coil might serve to cool down the water going through it while another serves to warm up the water coming out of it. By combining the effects of several coils, the overall cooling efficiency is improved.

Mixing Valve

One of the biggest problems with any type of plumbing system is leaks. Leaks occur at joints between pipes (or valves). The mixing valve is designed to solve this problem. A typical mixing valve consists of three sections: the cold water input, the mixing chamber, and the hot water output. The mixing chamber contains a series of holes. When the valve is open, the incoming cold water passes through the holes and mixes with the outgoing hot water. This combination of cold and hot water creates a uniform mixture. A check valve prevents the hot water from flowing backward.

Drain

After the hot and cold water mingles, the combined water exits the mixing valve through the drain. Since no pipes touch each other, there is no chance of leaks occurring here. In addition, since the mixing valve is sealed off from the rest of the system, the potential for contaminants entering the system is greatly reduced.

Water Heaters

Water heaters or hot water tanks are the most effective way of providing warm water to a residence. These are designed to hold heated water at a certain temperature and supply it to places where the temperature is not adequate. There are two types of water heaters; tank-type (also called storage) and instantaneous. Tank type is the most popular choice among homeowners. Instantaneous heater provides instant hot water while tank type requires some time to heat the water before being delivered to the sink faucet.

Sinks

Sinks are sinks either with or without drainboards. Draining boards are placed underneath the sink bowl to catch the debris and garbage. Sink should have a hole around 2 inches diameter to connect directly to the sewer line. A hole less than 1 inch diameter will make the sink difficult to use.

Hot Tap Plunger

Hot tap plunger is a common fixture found in bathroom sinks. In many homes, these taps work only once without any pressure required to pull out water. However, in newer models, they can deliver hot water using a pressurized mechanism.

Cold Tap Plunger

Cold tap plungers are generally used for washing hands. Unlike normal plungers, cold tap plungers do not need suction power to remove water. Cold tap plungers are often preferred over soap dispensers since they do not require cleaning.

Shower Head

Shower heads can be installed on the wall or ceiling. Shower head works similarly to a bathtub spout. The size of the shower head determines how much flow rate is achieved.

Kitchen Faucets

Kitchen faucets have a standard design. They come in a variety of colors, shapes, styles, and materials. Their function is to provide clean water to kitchen appliances such as dishwashers, ovens, and cooktops.

Bathroom Faucets

Bathroom faucets have several parts such as body, stem, and aerator. Body is the part that attaches directly to the pipe. Stem holds the sprayer or flow restrictor. Aerators are the small holes located on top of the faucet sprayer. Different types of aerator designs are available including side mounted, center mounted, pop up, and dual aerator.

Cold Water Systems In Plumbing

We have been using cold water systems throughout our entire lives; the pipes that deliver hot water were installed at the same time we were born. However, cold water systems in plumbing are not something we think about until we get to college where we learn how to install piping systems, drain pipe, and plumbing fixtures. In fact, before we learned these skills our teachers would teach us about the different components of plumbing including cold, hot, and water pressure. We had little knowledge or understanding of what was going on inside our homes. What if we knew exactly what was happening in our home? How much do plumbing professionals know about their work?

If you would like to find out more information about plumbing, I recommend taking a look at my article entitled, “The Difference Between Plumbing Professionals And DIYers”. You can read this article here.

Why Learn About Cold Water Systems In Plumbing?

There are many reasons why you should learn about cold water systems in plumbing. First and foremost, knowing the basics of plumbing will enhance your life. There is no denying that learning about plumbing increases your ability to repair any type of plumbing problem. The second advantage that comes with plumbing knowledge is knowing how to maintain your own plumbing system. Learning how to fix small leaks and replacing worn parts are just some of the things that you can accomplish once you become knowledgeable about plumbing. Lastly, plumbing knowledge will allow you to save money on repairs. No matter how thorough you are about maintaining your plumbing system, you may still need to call a plumber to correct problems. Saving money on repairs means being able to allocate more money towards other expenses. How Do Cold Water Systems Work In Plumbing?

Before diving into how cold water systems work in plumbing, let’s first understand how the typical hot-water plumbing system works. Hot water systems in plumbing consist of two types of equipment: a boiler and a pump. Boilers are placed outside and are connected to a tank filled with water. Inside the tank, the water is heated and sent to a thermostat. When the temperature reaches the set point, the thermostat sends a signal to turn on the heating unit. Once the heating unit turns on, it heats the water inside the tank and send it to the pump located either directly under the tank or via a series of pipes. Pumps use electricity to force water through a tube called a suction line. As the water passes through the suction line, the water is drawn back into the tank from the supply line. This continuous cycle of filling and emptying the tank keeps the water warm for showering, washing machines, and various other purposes.

The difference between a hot water system and a cold water system is that instead of the water being forced to flow through tubes, cold water systems are based on gravity. These designs use a pump that pushes water through a pipe. Similar to a hot water system, a cold water system consists of a tank that holds water. To keep the water cold, the water is pumped to a storage device that forces the water down a pipe. This pipe runs vertically downwards and splits into two smaller ones. One of these is connected to your house while the other goes directly to your faucet. Your faucet has two holes – one for hot water and the other for cold. The smaller hole is connected to the storage device and the larger hole is attached to a hose. By pulling the hose upwards, you pull cold water up and release the air bubbles trapped inside the pipe. Air bubbles prevent the water from freezing. When the cold water arrives at the top, the bubbles are released and the water flows down the pipe until it reaches its destination.

When do People Use Cold Water Systems?

One of the greatest advantages of cold water systems in plumbing is that they offer you the ability to operate your appliance without wasting any hot water. Many people don’t realize that they waste a significant amount of water each month by running appliances that normally require hot water.

For example, you might run a dishwasher using only cold water to clean dishes. Additionally, you could wash your clothes with cold water as well. All of these activities would reduce the amount of hot water you waste monthly.

Another great benefit of cold water systems in bathroom is that you can easily adjust the temperature. If you notice that the water is becoming too cool, simply adjust the valve so that you can raise the temperature. Similarly, you can lower the temperature when the water is getting too hot.

You will also notice that there is less wear and tear on your pipes. Instead of constantly pushing water through pipes, cold water systems rely on gravity to move the water. Because cold water systems don’t require as much energy to run, you won’t experience as much wear and tear on your plumbing system.

Plumbing cold water systems uses pressurized water to circulate cool water through pipes. There are many different types of cold water systems, including gravity fed, forced-air, and evaporative cooling systems. Gravity-fed and forced-air systems both use pumps. Evaporative cooling systems operate without any moving parts. Plumbing experts recommend using low-flow toilets to conserve water.

The cold water system in plumbing consists of two parts: The hot water system and the cold water system. Hot water systems have a temperature range between 120°F and 140°F (49°C-60°C). To make sure the temperature does not exceed 140°F, the hot water should only flow through the pipes at a rate below 10 gallons per minute. Most homes use a 50 gallon water heater tank to provide the necessary amount of heat to the home, therefore these tanks need to be checked periodically to ensure they do not overheat. If the temperature exceeds 140°F then water damage will occur, and if the temperature reaches 160°F then it could cause a fire.

The cold water system controls the water temperature in the house and helps keep the pipes inside warmer than the air around them. This prevents the pipes from expanding and contracting due to changes in temperature. A cold water system includes a pump, thermostat, and filters. The pump circulates cold water through radiators and throughout the house keeping everything warm. Filters are added to prevent any impurities from entering the radiator and causing rust build up, clogged drains, or worse yet, a pipe burst. A thermostat regulates the temperature of the water flowing through the pipes by controlling the flow of electricity running through the coils. When the unit senses that temperatures rise, the electric current increases and turns off the valve, while when temperatures drop, the valve shuts off. Thermostats are generally placed outside near the valves that control each section of the house.

The cold-water system consists of pipes, valves, pumps, and controls. If you have trouble with your faucet leaking, or if your toilet won't stop running, then the cold-water system may play a role.