Installation of a water supply system in an apartment is, at first glance, not a very complicated process. However, in order for this engineering system to work effectively, it is necessary to choose the right wiring diagram and the diameter of the pipes used. Properly carried out design improves the characteristics of the water supply system and reduces the material costs for its assembly, maintenance and operation.
Wiring options for the plumbing system in the apartment
Two main schemes are used: collector and tee (sequential). Each of the proposed systems has its own pros and cons, so plumbers are used for various situations related to the location and number of plumbing fixtures. Often, both schemes are used in the same apartment, creating a combined water supply system.
Serial circuit
This is the easiest way to organize plumbing inside the apartment. It consists of a pipe that is connected to a central riser and carried through all rooms where plumbing fixtures are located, which are connected to the highway. Parallel to the cold water supply, pipes for hot water are laid.
It is very easy to design and install such piping. In all high-rise buildings built during the Soviet era, the water supply system was organized according to this scheme. The main advantage is the low consumption of water pipes.
The sequential system is only suitable for apartments in which there are few plumbing fixtures and the distance between them, as well as to the riser, is small. The longer this type of plumbing system, the lower the pressure at the end of the pipe - a plumbing fixture located in this place may not work correctly. This is especially important for dishwashers and washing machines.
Collector circuit
The installation diagram of the collector wiring consists in the fact that one pipe is mounted from the riser to the collector. A separate pipe section is led from the collector to each plumbing fixture. In addition, the collector (beam) water supply system of the apartment has another advantage - the ability to carry out repair work without disconnecting the entire network from the riser. On the comb in front of the branches of consumers, cut-off valves are installed, which, if necessary, are closed for repair work. In this case, the rest of the circuits are operating normally.
Another advantage of the collector system is the ability to personalize the characteristics of each plumbing circuit that is supplied to the plumbing fixture. For example, for the high-quality operation of the washing machine, a filter is mounted after the shut-off valve, which will retain impurities in the water. The filter is optional for the toilet.
You can save a little if you correctly calculate the diameter of the required pipes. For the sink in the bathroom and sink in the kitchen, a pipe with a diameter of 15 mm is installed. For a shower, the best option is 25 mm. For a toilet cistern - 20.
Increasingly, experts recommend that gearboxes be mounted after the collector before each consumer. With their help, the flow of water is regulated: pressure and volume.
In addition to the high consumption of materials, there are other disadvantages of this water supply system:
- to install a water supply system in a beam-type apartment only an experienced plumber can do;
- it is not always easy to find a place to install the manifold.
It is recommended to first design the network, taking into account the location of plumbing fixtures, determine the number of pipes, fittings and other additional materials and then proceed directly to the installation work.
The collector for cold and hot water supply systems is installed separately. At the same time, shut-off valves are mounted between them and the risers in the form of ball valves or valves, with which you can cut off the entire water supply circuit from the riser. This is in case of extensive repair work or dismantling of the system as a whole.
Complex scheme
If the city apartment has a large area, it makes sense to combine the collector and tee system. The essence of the integrated approach is that one or two pipelines located after the comb can be connected not one, but several plumbing fixtures. In this case, the connection should be carried out sequentially. For example, bring one pipe from the comb into the kitchen, and connect a sink and a dishwasher to it. In the bathroom, a sink and shower are connected to the pipe.
Such a connection will have the disadvantages of a serial system, but in some cases it is the best option. The minus of the wiring is the disconnection of the entire branch during repair work. However, it is the combined approach that makes it possible to save a little on pipes and fittings.
Collector working principle
The device is a pipe with one inlet and several outlets, which are located on the side of the structure. The inlet is always 30% larger than the side ones. This makes it possible to maintain the required pressure and volume of water inside the system, even if several consumers are turned on at the same time.
On the market, these devices are presented in different models, which differ from each other in the material of manufacture:
- from stainless steel;
- brass;
- polymer.
The first two devices are attached to pipes through threads. This applies to both inlet and outlet pipes. The latter type, like all plastic and metal-plastic pipes, is fastened by welding or compression fittings.
There is one more difference - the number of outlet pipes. The more there are, the larger the diameter of the main highway. The number of nozzles varies from 3 to 6 pieces. If there is a large number of consumers (more than six) in the water supply network, two or three collectors are installed in series. In this case, combs with two through holes in the ends are used. Through them, the collectors are connected to each other.
Manufacturers offer collectors for cold water supply separately, for hot water separately. The latter can be installed on the water supply network, along which cold water will move. The first type of comb cannot be mounted on hot water.
The devices are equipped with shut-off valves that are installed on all branch pipes. Such devices are more expensive, but there is no need to separately buy shut-off valves and attach them to the comb. All connections are carried out in the factory with quality assurance. The only drawback of the connection at the factory is the impossibility of replacing the valves with new ones. If at least one crane is out of order, the entire comb will have to be replaced.Therefore, manufacturers manufacture collectors with a long service life, which varies within 50 years.
Possible mistakes
The biggest mistake when laying a water supply system is incorrectly selected pipes in diameter for each plumbing fixture. Often, the main branch in a sequential scheme is assembled from a pipe of the same diameter as the branch sections to the plumbing. Even in small-length water pipelines of this type, there is not always enough water, especially if all devices are operated simultaneously.
The second mistake concerns the location of the hot and cold water pipes running in parallel. There are two positions here:
- the hot pipe is always located on top of the cold one;
- in a horizontal arrangement, the hot circuit is located to the right of the cold one.
Hot water pipes must be insulated regardless of where they are laid. In this way, heat is retained and heat loss is reduced.
