Page 628 - 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

KEY POINT Cleaning out the overflows of the appliances
Make a note of all Belfast sink overflow are notorious for blocking. These can be cleaned with stiff
wire and then thoroughly flushed out.
actions taken on the
maintenance report.
Checking access covers
These should be checked for leakage and tested to ensure that the bolts on the
access door are free moving. A little silicone grease will prevent the bolts from
HEALTH AND SAFETY rusting. Also, check the rubber seals to make sure that they are not showing

When dealing with signs of perishing.
blockages, always wear
the correct PPE, including Checking the pipework
rubber gauntlets, eye Pipework is often neglected during periodic maintenance. Always check for signs
protection, a face mask, of leakage and that the clips are in good order, especially if the soil and waste
full boiler suit and pipes are external as they can be affected by the weather. Direct sunlight is
wellington boots.
especially damaging to pipework and clips. Damaged or broken clips should be
replaced. Also, check the cage on the top of the stack as these often blow off in
high winds. These should be replaced as necessary.

Check for signs of overflowing WC cisterns
Adjust the water levels and check their correct operation.

Dealing with blockages

Unblocking drains and soil stack pipework is probably the most unpleasant of all
the jobs a plumber undertakes, and can pose a real health risk.

Blocked soil pipes
There are a number of reasons why soil pipes and drains block. Often, it can be
attributed to three possible causes:

1 A broken drain: if this is suspected, there is very little we, as plumbers, can
do. The drain will probably need a camera inspection to accurately pinpoint
the problem. Broken drains often occur because of ground compression or
movement.
2 A tree root growing through the drain: again, if this is suspected, a camera
inspection will be necessary.
3 A physical blockage: these are usually caused by something being flushed
down the toilet and eventually becoming wedged in the drain. These can
be moved by the use of drain rods (Figure 9.112), which come with various
p Figure 9.112 Drain rods and
attachments attachments to deal with a variety of blockage situations.
Sinks, washbasins and baths can often be cleared by a tool known as a force
cup (Figure 9.113) (also known as a plunger). The blockage is cleared by filling
the appliance with water and pressing down repeatedly on the handle of the
force cup. This creates a positive pressure on the downward push and a negative
pressure on the upward pull. This results in movement of water in the waste
pipe, which is usually enough to dislodge the blockage. The force of the water
when the force cup is removed will move the blockage down the wastepipe,
p Figure 9.113 A force cup breaking it up as the water flows.

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