The bathroom and toilet are such small spaces, but they are of great importance for residents. An indispensable component of these rooms is the bathroom. Technical equipment. Under this complex phrase are hidden familiar objects that each person uses daily several times a day.
Plumbing equipment is a special group of mechanisms and means that are somehow used by a person for heating, sewerage, ventilation, heat, gas and water supply of a dwelling. In other words, plumbing ensures compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards in the room, and also creates additional terms for a comfortable stay.
What about plumbing fixtures?
In fact, this list can be continued for a very long time, because plumbing includes several dozen types of equipment that are directly or indirectly involved in the functioning different systems in the bathroom and toilet.
Plumbing and its division according to various criteria
First of all, each master subdivides plumbing according to its purpose. There are items designed for their installation in the bathroom, and there are items for their use in the bathroom. There are types of plumbing that are versatile. For example, expensive faucets can sometimes be found in the toilets of restaurants. In this case, small washstands are usually installed. Also, faucets and sinks are an indispensable attribute in the kitchen, or rather, in the part where food is prepared.
You can also divide plumbing equipment on a different basis. There are basic plumbing items - bathtubs, toilets, sinks, and there are auxiliary items, which include hoses, faucets, fittings. The first in this case are complete structures, ready for immediate use. The latter only help the former to function normally. Auxiliary elements are often sold separately. This was done in order to save money, for example, during repairs, when repairs or replacements require only certain detail, the cost of which is much lower than the completed goods.
The best plumbing. Where and by whom is it produced?
This question is rather complicated. If earlier almost all high-quality plumbing was produced exclusively in several European countries (Switzerland, Germany, Austria), today the situation is different. It is difficult to give the palm to any one country, because each brand differs from others in its quality characteristics.
Lots of good producers from Germany, their products fully reflect the responsible attitude to the work of all employees of the plants. The brand is different classic design, which has a subtle hint of sophistication. It's typical European style, which today is chosen by millions of people around the world. The German brand, on the other hand, puts design at the forefront. Gorgeous creative installations will significantly improve the room and make it charming. famous for its shower enclosures and railings, which are simple and very easy to use. Such plumbing the best solution for a modern person who strives to simplify his life and space.
A very popular Swiss brand, whose engineers themselves set the fashion in the world plumbing equipment. On sale you can find everything you need: pipes, toilets, flush systems, hidden cisterns. Everything breathes somehow contemporary art, and it is this bright and modern mood that will accompany the buyer all day.
It is quite difficult for a potential user to distinguish engineering plumbing from domestic. Common meaning: engineering plumbing is control valves, connecting pipes and fittings for communications. Domestic plumbing means directly operated by consumers, these are bathtubs, sinks, faucets, etc.
What is the difference between engineering and household plumbing
Household plumbing is designed for domestic use in economic needs, engineering, in turn, is responsible for providing communication systems and well-established continuous work the entire system.
The installation of this plumbing is carried out at the construction stage and is used for large-scale construction of various buildings, because without the use of the necessary engineering plumbing in this case, the installation of all necessary communications is impossible.
What is included in the range of engineering plumbing?
Pipes
Pipes are the main link in engineering plumbing. For installation work pipes of 3 types are used: metal-plastic, metal and polymer. Each of these raw materials has its own characteristics, indicating the final quality of the pipeline.
metal pipes
Previously, in all water mains, metal pipes, but after they began to install polymer parts. The main advantages of such pipes are heat resistance, high mechanical resistance. There are also disadvantages, including high cost, difficulties in installation and application.
The most common raw materials that are used for the manufacture of pipes are cast iron, steel and copper.
1. At one time they were widely used cast iron pipes. They are distinguished by long-term operation (about 80 years), due to the high specific density of raw materials, they reduce the noise level. These pipes have their drawbacks, the main of which is difficulty in installation and fragility. Therefore, these pipes quietly disappear from the range of engineering plumbing. In their place come newer materials.
2. Steel pipes are mainly characterized by their general availability, strength and temperature resistance. Their disadvantage lies in the fragility (quite rarely reaches 25 years), they are prone to corrosion, which is why their throughput characteristics quickly decrease. Often this situation is solved by galvanizing, but general expenses for the operation of such communications remain overestimated.
3. Copper pipes are distinguished by their efficiency among metal ones. Such communications have collected positive sides cast iron and steel, while they have almost no minuses. Copper installations have a long service life, good heat resistance and do not rust. The other side of the coin is the high cost and complexity of installation.
Polymer highways
Polymeric communications began to be used in the 60s of the XX century, and in this period they have their place among engineering plumbing. These installations have a lot of advantages: long-term operation, lack of overgrowth, ease of delivery and installation, affordable prices, chemical stability. The disadvantages include low temperature resistance and strength. In addition, this raw material is subject to decomposition under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Main polymer materials for the manufacture of communications - polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene.
Polyethylene pipes are widely used among polymer pipes. They are divided into two categories - PE (household polyethylene) and PE-X ("cross-linked"). Communications from household material have short term operation and low heat resistance (less than 40°C). Their advantages are a high coefficient of expansion (up to 7%), at which these pipes can be used in seismically hazardous regions and in conditions of possible water hammer.
PE-X lines have increased temperature resistance (95°C) and a long service life. In addition, communications marked PE-X cannot be welded, so they are connected using quick-clamping devices.
PVC pipes are characterized by increased fire resistance and resistance to chemical attack. Polypropylene pipes hard enough to be welded. They have poor flexibility, which is why they are sold in the form of measured segments.
All types of these pipes are presented in the online plumbing store npgportal.ru. Plumbing from NOVA Prom is a quality product with free shipping and qualified installation.
Metal-plastic pipes
Such installations consist of several layers of various raw materials. The most common are PEX-AL-PEX pipes. In them, the main and inner layers are made of cross-linked polyethylene, and between them there is a reinforcing layer of aluminum foil. Such communications are known for high stability, resist deformation, withstanding high pressure and temperature. Differ in high cost.
Fitting
Fittings are the contact details of communications. There are detachable (threaded) and one-piece (compression or welded) types. They are made from the same raw materials as pipes.
Connecting parts apply:
- For turning or branching pipelines (swivel fittings and tees).
- To change the size of communications (fittings-adapters).
- For urgent dismantling of water mains (detachable threaded fittings).
- For plugging an unused end of a water pipe or outlet in the future (plug fittings).
Main types plumbing work have five directions:
- installation of hot and cold water supply;
- installation of the sewerage system;
- installation of a heating system;
- installation of plumbing fixtures;
- connection of household appliances.
Types of plumbing
The most common types of sanitary ware are bathtubs, showers, faucets, toilets and washbasins.
All plumbing is divided into two large groups:
- household plumbing, which is installed in apartments or country houses;
- professional plumbing designed for installation at public facilities: railway stations, airports, offices, beauty salons, hospitals, etc.
The main difference between these types is that professional plumbing is designed for frequent and long-term use, while household plumbing cannot withstand the same loads for a long time, which, in principle, is not necessary. But household plumbing has one important advantage - a more attractive appearance.
In addition, household plumbing is divided into personal and guest. The first subspecies is installed in bathrooms, the entrance to which, as a rule, is located in the master bedroom, and therefore strangers are unlikely to be there. This category also includes children's plumbing if the children also have a separate bathroom. As for guest fixtures, they tend to have a less personal design and are designed for use by guests and the like.
They also distinguish simple and multifunctional plumbing. The latter includes some hot tubs, showers and shower boxes equipped with telephones, music players and televisions.
Simple is, respectively, plumbing with only the most necessary elements.
Attention! Plumbing is understood as all technical equipment that provides sewerage, water and heat supply.
It is also possible to distinguish intra-house plumbing, including a variety of plumbing devices that are equipped with premises, and pipes different size and diameter.
To sewer plumbing refer vertical pipes, or risers that make up sewer system for draining Wastewater into the sewers of the city, and horizontal pipes, sump, vent, sewer.
Materials Science
The main material from which they are made kitchen sinks, is stainless steel. It is also used in the manufacture of washbasins, mostly exclusive models. Usually sinks are made of chromium-nickel stainless steel.
This material is hygienic, perfectly resists mechanical and chemical influences, temperature changes. The service life of quality steel sinks is almost unlimited, they fit perfectly into any environment and color scheme. Perhaps their most serious drawback is that they begin to ring when struck.
When purchasing this item of plumbing, you need to pay attention to the thickness of the metal and the method of creating the product (welding or stamping). positive quality stamped sinks is the absence of seams, ease of manufacture and, accordingly, low cost, and among the disadvantages are the shallow depth of the bowl, which does not exceed 200 mm, the uneven thickness of thin walls, and the simplified design configuration.
Welded sinks consist of several elements. In this case, the seams are ground and polished until they become completely invisible. The advantage of this design is that thick sheets can be used in production, as a result of which the noise from the product is lower, and the configuration can be arbitrarily complex and with a bowl of the required depth.
Among the disadvantages are quite significant financial expenses, lack of insurance against poor-quality welding.
Sanitary ceramics is standard material for the manufacture of washbasins and is divided into faience and porcelain.
Hoti by appearance they are almost the same, porcelain is much better quality, since it contains mineral additives, which, when manufactured under the influence high temperatures turning into a glassy mass. It is thanks to them that porcelain has almost no pores and does not form microcracks, in which dirt usually accumulates.
Then, both porcelain and faience are covered with a smooth, hard, but brittle and durable chemical-resistant enamel, which can additionally be covered with a layer of a special substance that does not allow water and dirt to pass through.
The disadvantages of ceramics are its rigidity, inelasticity, big weight and exposure mechanical damage which should be considered during installation.
Another modern material, going to the manufacture of washbasins and sinks and widely used, is a composite, which has in its composition a filler in the form of granite or quartz powder and an acrylic binder. The composite is characterized by high strength, hardness, environmental friendliness, resistance to chemical and temperature fluctuations. In addition, it can be presented in any color scheme.
Attention! The most expensive plumbing is made from a solid block of stone, usually a piece of marble, so its cost is fabulous.
As an example of such a material, one can cite a crystallite, consisting of 80% granite chips, 15% acrylic and 5% various natural dyes.
multi-stage technological process, including hot polymerization under high pressure, combines these components into a single whole.
The use of this material in plumbing provides many advantages, since structures made from it do not ring, are shock-resistant, water-resistant, and are not affected by any aggressive environments and are so strong that they cannot be scratched even with a knife.
The advantage of using a crystallite is its antibacterial properties, which are manifested due to the presence of silver ions in its composition, which is why the contact of such products with food is completely safe. The only disadvantage of structures made of this material can be considered their high cost.
Acrylic baths (compared to steel and cast iron) have a number of undoubted advantages. So, a product made of this material has a pleasant to the touch surface, is characterized by low thermal conductivity, and therefore the bath itself does not cool, and the water in it does not cool for a long time.
Polymethyl acrylate retains over time original color, because the paint penetrates the entire depth evenly, and it is very easy to wash a bathtub from this material. Acrylic bathtubs can have a variety of shapes, and their weight does not exceed 25 kg, which is very convenient for installation.
The material can be easily processed mechanically, so it is not difficult to install hydromassage devices and lighting in the bathtub. The disadvantages of acrylic include its fragility. Besides acrylic bathtubs Do not clean with products containing abrasives.
Another material from which expensive bathtubs are made is bronze. Bronze bathtubs were most widely used during the creation designer interiors various styles(from retro to high-tech). As a rule, such baths are decorated with figured casting.
Bathtubs can also be made of wood. In this case, use exotic breeds, usually African tree iroko, as well as mahogany, wenge, American maple, oak, larch. Previously, such wood was used in the construction of ships.
Attention! Surfaces from various materials often attached additional properties with the help of antibacterial and anti-mud glaze, and antibacterial compounds are applied to the outer layer of acrylic bathtubs.
AT general view manufacturing process wooden bath looks like this: it is assembled from pre-made wooden plates, which are carefully joined by a friend and glued with special compounds. The joints are covered with sealant, and the surfaces are treated with protective coatings.
Reliability factors
Another factor that directly affects the safety of the installation is the quality of the installation. Even strict European standards are not able to protect the consumer from problems caused by improper assembly of the system. So, the myth that wall hung toilet will not withstand certain loads, it will remain a myth only if you use high-quality plumbing and strictly follow the rules for its installation.
Is there an extra centimeter?
Some manufacturers claim that hanging plumbing is a good way to win a few free centimeters. Such statements, by the way, gave rise to speculation about that. what this equipment used as the only possible variant in small bathrooms and nothing more. However, there are also such consumers. in which the compactness of the design raises serious doubts, because you will have to fit not only a toilet bowl or a sink, but also a frame with a drain barrel. A false wall will also steal a few centimeters.
According to Fanta, a lot depends on the dimensions of the plumbing and the method of its attachment. For example: the length of a conventional floor-standing toilet bowl with a drain barrel is approximately 60-70 cm. Standard length hanging bowl - 50-60 cm.
The frame will require at least 10 cm. It will really save a lot of space if there is already a niche in the wall where you can mount the frame. On the other hand, the statement that the installation steals a lot of space is also not true - too many factors affect its size. Therefore, myths about the dimensions of suspended plumbing in each separate case can be both confirmed and refuted.
Suspended plumbing is expensive?
There is an opinion that wall-mounted toilet bowls and sinks are quite an expensive pleasure. In fact, the financial side of choosing between hanging or floor equipment is not entirely clear. The fact. that the market of plumbing that we are used to is filled with both expensive and cheap models. There are simply no economical options in the suspended analogues segment.
The specifics of their installation and operation impose too stringent requirements on the materials from which the products are made, as well as on the production technology, which ultimately forms a considerable cost. Therefore, it is reasonable to compare only high-quality plumbing of proven brands, and in any of its manifestations it will cost a lot. Another thing is that such stringent requirements are not imposed on floor plumbing, so there is also an economy segment. Of course, the cheapest floor-mounted toilet will cost several times less than the cheapest wall-mounted one.
Suspended plumbing - complex installation
Many are afraid of the complexity of installation. Whether it's a familiar, long-studied floor structure. The technology is really not the easiest, but mastered if desired. Naturally, European manufacturers urge to use the help of professionals. returning to financial matter, it is worth clarifying that it will cost a lot. On the professional installation an amount equal to the cost of all purchased plumbing may be required.
Understanding the alienness of such an approach for the domestic consumer, Russian manufacturers although they remind of the importance professional approach, however, when self assembly recommend using instructions and video tutorials from the Web.
Of course, you need to understand that, without basic skills and knowledge, it is better not to take risks and entrust the installation really knowledgeable people. But even here it is worth checking the quality of work. Firstly, after installation, there should not be any extra parts, especially fasteners. All of them must be involved. Secondly, the fasteners must be located in the places provided for by the instructions. In order to avoid problems with operation, with internal details tank must remove the entire oil film. Otherwise, the parts may stick to each other.
Where to find accessories for suspended plumbing
There is also an opinion that the parts necessary for the assembly of the structure are difficult to find on sale. Here, of course, a lot depends on nearby stores, because it happens that you have to look for parts for the installation of floor plumbing for quite a long time. But since there was already a hanging sink or bidet, it means that in the same store there is everything you need to install them. Parts can be bought as a kit or if the bathroom has any design features, purchase in parts. Of course, it may also happen that, having acquired, it would seem, everything necessary, in fact, it turns out to be insufficient.
a stitch of some kind of adapter or pipe. Finding them can be problematic. In order for the myth to remain just a myth, it is better to do everything at once necessary measurements and draw up a list of the required details.
Meanwhile behind the wall...
A tank hidden behind a false wall is a reason for many to abandon suspended plumbing. The fears are quite understandable. When the water tank is in plain sight, any leakage can be noticed quickly enough. In case of suspended installations there is a belief that a leak can only be learned from a neighbor downstairs.
Such a prospect, of course, scares. Manufacturers give an eloquent example of this: in the process overhaul Suspended plumbing installed 40 years ago was dismantled in a Swiss hotel. Having opened the false walls, the workers found perfectly serviceable equipment that could have served for another long years. The story is convincing, but do not forget about our national characteristics and some subtleties in general.
First, it’s worth repeating, a lot depends on the quality of the plumbing and its installation. Secondly, it is necessary to make adjustments for water quality. And a lot depends on it. If this is not a problem. then the operation of the equipment will be simple and pleasant. And yet, even in this situation, you need to install a filter coarse cleaning at the login.
If the water is hard, most likely, plaque will appear and even high-quality equipment may become unusable over time. But in this case, you can keep the situation under control. The flush system is removed through the drain button, so it can be inspected and, if necessary, repaired.
This is, in fact, the only weak spot in the installation. The rest of the parts that remain walled up in the wall are made of plastic, and therefore are not subject to significant changes.
And yet, if possible, it would be useful to make a small hatch for control, as well as for carrying out the necessary repair work. Another detail that makes the system safe is a backup outlet through which excess water is drained directly into the sewer if the tank is overfilled for any reason. In addition, European manufacturers give a ten-year warranty on their products, which cannot but bribe. 
Suspended plumbing not suitable for the home?
There is a belief that suspended plumbing is more suitable for public places than for home bathroom. Most likely, this can be explained by the fact that it first appeared in public toilets, and over time gained wide popularity in shopping malls and hotels. The latter is the result of the fact that the installation technology is convenient and simple for mass installation of equipment.
Nevertheless, this does not make the installation an attribute of only public bathrooms, because it is convenient to use, looks aesthetically pleasing, and fits into almost any style. Suspended plumbing is especially convenient from a hygienic point of view. Firstly, the tank is hidden behind the wall and does not need to be washed. Second, and this. perhaps most importantly, there is no support, which usually collects hard-to-remove dirt. It would seem, trifles, but very pleasant.
Summing up, we can say that suspended plumbing has a place to be in our Everyday life. But only in his punch performance. If the question of savings arises, it is better to completely abandon this idea: the technology does not tolerate any falsehood, and high-quality equipment cannot be cheap. It will also be useful to understand what exactly this is for. custom solution. Ease of cleaning is, of course, an important but far from decisive factor. It is a completely different matter if the desire to be in a trend acts as a weighty argument.
Surprisingly, the first plumbing appeared in ancient times, among such a nation that disappeared into oblivion as the Sumerians. In particular, it is known for certain that their kings and queens used thrones with built-in toilet seats. Already in the hundredth year BC, the Chinese used an object in everyday life, in many respects similar to a modern toilet bowl, in which the waste was manually washed off with water. But a man of the Middle Ages approached the solution of this problem extremely simply - he relieved himself in the bushes on the street. It is not known how long such an impartial disgrace would have continued if, at the beginning of the last century, one English locksmith had not created the familiar to everyone toilet.
Baths have been known since the times of Ancient Hellas, only at that time they were used mainly for meditation, and not for taking water procedures. In general, people did not have a habit of washing regularly until the eighteenth century. For a long time, having your own bath was the equivalent of being wealthy. Luxurious items cast in silver or made from a single piece of marble served spectacular decoration palaces of rulers and houses of the rich. And only after many years, regular ablution became a mandatory procedure. And today it is simply impossible to imagine a house without a bath. Of course, silver and marble products are still a pleasure for the elite, but wide selection steel, cast iron and acrylic models is able to satisfy even the most demanding customer. They are round, oval, polygonal, simple and elite, cheap and expensive, with or without hydromassage.
Shells are no less diverse. They may differ in shape and size, material used for manufacturing and installation method. They can be mortise and overhead, angular and suspended. Among other things, plumbing is different in appearance. Always has been and always will be current classic which is great for country house or city apartment. Hi-tech, modern and techno styles are very popular. Hot tubs,
better known as jacuzzi, effectively relieve fatigue.
Shower cabins are ideal for cramped rooms. A huge achievement of modern plumbing is the mixer, which is a mechanism that mixes hot and cold water in one stream with temperature controlled. Mixers are wall-mounted, for showers, for bathtubs and sinks. They are mainly made from brass, after which they are coated with a layer of chromium. Generally, modern plumbing affordable and very versatile. And she is very far gone from her distant ancestors.
