Page 138 - The City and Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1 for the Level 3 Apprenticeship (9189), Level 2 Technical Certificate (8202) and Level 2 Diploma (6035)

The City & Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1

● Partially installed items, such as baths, washbasins and WCs should be
protected from damage. Any protective tape or plastic coverings on sanitary
ware should be removed before installation so that they can be visually
checked for any damage that may have occurred in transit.

4 USING PIPE CLIPS AND PIPE

BRACKETS

Much thought should be given to the positioning of pipework because not all
of the pipes we install can be hidden. The golden rule is that visible pipework
needs to be as neat as possible. A pipe that is not plumb or level looks unsightly
and the eye is drawn to it immediately. Most people believe that surface-
mounted pipework is an eyesore and customers will invariably ask the plumber
to hide pipes wherever possible. There are occasions, however, because of the
constraints of regulations and approved good practice, where this cannot be
done and surface-mounted pipes are the only solution. In these cases, the
correct positioning, marking and installation of pipework is essential.

Positioning of pipework

The routes taken by surface-mounted pipework should be well planned to take
the shortest practicable route but not be intrusive, and there should be as little
marking out as possible so as not to deface the customer’s decorations. The area
must be well protected by dust sheets and coverings.

Select an appropriate pipe clip. Large, sturdy pipe clips in a domestic dwelling
would look obtrusive and plastic pipe clips used on large commercial/industrial
installations would not stand up to every knock. If a number of pipes are to be
installed in one place, say, in an airing cupboard, they can be arranged in banks,
so that all the pipe clips are in a neat line.
KEY TERM The use of machine-made bends over elbows should be considered wherever
possible, as these not only provide a visually attractive installation but also aid
Aesthetically pleasing: better flow rates. The finished pipework should be as aesthetically pleasing
beautiful in appearance,
good-looking, in keeping as possible, with even spaces between the pipe clips and supports, and even
with the rest of the gaps between different lines. The tube should be installed plumb and level, or
surroundings. installed with the correct fall where this is needed.

Finally, make sure that when the pipework is in position it is wiped down with
a damp cloth. This will seem a menial task but it will ensure that any flux that
has run down the pipe during soldering operations is removed. Where possible,
remove any setting-out marks and fingerprints from the wall with a damp,
soapy cloth.

Types of pipe clip available for copper tubes
As we have already seen, copper is relatively easy to joint and bend, and can
produce an installation that not only looks good but is also economical in
terms of tube usage and installation costs. By adopting a systematic approach

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