Division B
Acceptable Solutions

Part 2 — Plumbing Systems

Section 2.3. Piping

2.3.1. Application

2.3.1.1. General

1) This Section applies to the construction and use of joints and connections, and the arrangement, protection, support and testing of piping.

2.3.2. Construction and Use of Joints

2.3.2.1. Caulked Lead Drainage Joints

1) Caulked lead drainage joints shall not be used except for cast-iron pipe in a drainage system or venting system, or between such pipe and

a) other ferrous pipe,

b) brass and copper pipe,

c) a caulking ferrule, or

d) a trap standard.

2) Every caulked lead drainage joint shall be firmly packed with oakum and tightly caulked with lead to a depth of not less than 25 mm.

3) No paint, varnish or other coating shall be applied on the lead until after the joint has been tested.

4) A length of hub and spigot pipe and pipe fittings in a drainage system shall be installed with the hub at the upstream end.

2.3.2.2. Wiped Joints

1) Wiped joints shall not be used except for sheet lead or lead pipe, or between such pipe and copper pipe or a ferrule.

2) Every wiped joint in straight pipe shall

a) be made of solder,

b) have an exposed surface on each side of the joint at least 19 mm wide, and

c) be not less than 10 mm thick at the thickest part.

3) Every wiped flanged joint shall be reinforced with a lead flange that is not less than 19 mm wide.

2.3.2.3. Screwed Joints

1) In making a screwed joint, the ends of the pipe shall be reamed or filed out to the size of the bore and all chips and cuttings shall be removed.

2) No pipe-joint cement or paint shall be applied to the internal threads.

2.3.2.4. Soldered Joints

1) Soldered joints shall be made in accordance with ASTM B 828, “Making Capillary Joints by Soldering of Copper and Copper Alloy Tube and Fittings.”

2.3.2.5. Flared Joints

1) In making a flared joint, the pipe shall be expanded with a proper flaring tool.

2) Flared joints shall not be used for hard (drawn) copper tube.

2.3.2.6. Mechanical Joints

1) Mechanical joints shall be made with compounded elastomeric rings that are held in compression by

a) stainless steel or cast-iron clamps, or

b) groove and shoulder type mechanical couplings.

(See Appendix A.)

2.3.2.7. Cold-Caulked Joints

1) Cold-caulked joints shall not be used except for bell and spigot pipe in a water system, a drainage system or a venting system.

2) Caulking compound used in cold-caulked joints shall be applied according to the manufacturer's directions.

3) Every cold-caulked joint in a drainage system shall be firmly packed with oakum and tightly caulked with cold caulking compound to a depth of not less than 25 mm.

2.3.2.8. Stainless Steel Welded Joints

2) Butt weld pipe fittings shall have an equal or thicker section than the pipe wall specified.

2.3.3. Joints and Connections

2.3.3.1. Drilled and Tapped Joints

1) Drilled and tapped joints shall not be made in a soil-or-waste pipe or vent pipe and fittings unless suitable provision has been made for drilling and tapping.

2.3.3.2. Extracted Tees

1) Tees may be extracted from the wall thickness of Types K and L copper tube used in a water distribution system provided that

a) a tool specifically designed for the purpose is used,

b) the branch is at least one size smaller than the tube in which the tee is formed,

c) the end of the branch incorporates a means to prevent it from penetrating into the run and thereby obstructing flow, and

d) the joint at the tee is brazed with a filler metal having a melting point not below 540°C.

2.3.3.3. Prohibition of Welding of Pipes and Fittings

1) Cast-iron soil pipe and fittings shall not be welded.

2) Galvanized steel pipe and fittings shall not be welded.

2.3.3.4. Unions and Slip Joints

1) Running thread and packing nut connections and unions with a gasket seal shall not be used downstream of a trap weir in a drainage system or in a venting system.

2) A slip joint shall not be used

a) in a venting system, or

b) in a drainage system, except to connect a fixture trap to a fixture drain in an accessible location.

2.3.3.5. Increaser or Reducer

1) Every connection between 2 pipes of different size shall be made with an increaser or a reducer fitting installed so that it will permit the system to be completely drained.

2.3.3.6. Dissimilar Materials

1) Adaptors, connectors or mechanical joints used to join dissimilar materials shall be designed to accommodate the required transition.

2.3.3.7. Connection of Roof Drain to Leader

1) Every roof drain shall be securely connected to a leader and provision shall be made for expansion.

2.3.3.8. Connection of Floor Outlet Fixtures

1) Every pedestal urinal, floor-mounted water closet or S-trap standard shall be connected to a fixture drain by a floor flange, except that a cast-iron trap standard may be caulked to a cast-iron pipe.

2) Except as provided in Sentence (3), every floor flange shall be brass.

3) Where cast-iron or plastic pipe is used, a floor flange of the same material may be used.

4) Every floor flange shall be securely set on a firm base and bolted to the trap flange of the fixture.

5) Every joint in a floor flange shall be sealed with a resilient watertight and gas-tight seal.

6) Where a lead water-closet stub is used, the length of the stub below the floor flange shall be not less than 75 mm.

2.3.3.9. Expansion and Contraction

1) The design and installation of every piping system shall include means to accommodate its expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes, movement of the soil, building shrinkage or structural settlement. (See Appendix A.)

2.3.3.10. Copper Tube

1) Types M and DWV copper tube shall not be bent.

2.3.3.11. Indirect Connections

1) Where a fixture or device is indirectly connected, the connections shall be made by terminating the fixture drain above the flood level rim of a directly connected fixture to form an air break.

2) The size of the air break shall at least equal the size of the fixture drain, branch or pipe that terminates above the directly connected fixture, and it shall be not less than 25 mm. (See Appendix A.)

2.3.3.12. Copper Joints Used Underground

1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), joints in copper tubes installed underground shall be made with either flared or compression fittings, or be brazed using a brazing alloy within the American Welding Society's AWS-BCuP range.

2) Compression fittings shall not be used underground under a building.

2.3.4. Support of Piping

2.3.4.1. Capability of Support

1) Piping shall be provided with support that is capable of keeping the pipe in alignment and bearing the weight of the pipe and its contents.

2) Every floor- or wall-mounted water-closet bowl shall be securely attached to the floor or wall by means of a flange and shall be stable.

3) Every wall-mounted fixture shall be supported so that no strain is transmitted to the piping.

2.3.4.2. Independence of Support

1) Piping, fixtures, tanks or devices shall be supported independently of each other.

2.3.4.3. Insulation of Support

1) Where a hanger or support for copper tube or brass or copper pipe is of a material other than brass or copper, it shall be suitably separated and electrically insulated from the pipe.

2) Where a hanger or support for stainless steel pipe or tube is of a material other than stainless steel, it shall be suitably separated and electrically insulated from the pipe or tube.

2.3.4.4. Support for Vertical Piping

1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), vertical piping shall be supported at its base and at the floor level of alternate storeys by rests, each of which can bear the weight of pipe that is between it and the rest above it.

2) The maximum spacing of supports shall be 7.5 m.

2.3.4.5. Support for Horizontal Piping

1) Nominally horizontal piping that is inside a building shall be braced to prevent swaying and buckling and to control the effects of thrust.

2) Nominally horizontal piping shall be supported as stated in Table 2.3.4.5.

Table 2.3.4.5. Support for Nominally Horizontal Piping Forming part of Sentence 2.3.4.5.(2)
Piping Material	Maximum Horizontal Spacing of Supports, m	Additional Support Conditions
Galvanized iron or steel pipe
• diameter ≥  6 inches	3.75
• diameter < 6 inches	2.5
Stainless steel pipe
• diameter  ≥  1 inch	3
• diameter < 1 inch	2.5
Stainless steel tube
• diameter  ≥  1 inch	3
• diameter < 1 inch	2.5
Lead pipe	Throughout length of pipe
Cast-iron pipe	3	At or adjacent to each hub or joint
Cast-iron pipe with mechanical joints that is ≤  300 mm long between adjacent fittings	1
Asbestos-cement pipe	2(1)
Asbestos-cement pipe that is ≤  300 mm long between adjacent fittings	1
ABS or PVC plastic pipe	1.2	At the end of branches or fixture drains and at changes in direction and elevation
ABS or PVC plastic trap arm or fixture drain pipe > 1 m long	n/a	As close as possible to the trap
CPVC pipe	1
Copper tube or copper and brass pipe, hard temper, diameter > 1 inch	3
Copper tube or copper and brass pipe, hard temper, diameter ≤  1 inch	2.5
Copper tube, soft temper	2.5
PE/AL/PE composite pipe	1
PEX/AL/PEX composite pipe	1
PEX plastic pipe	0.8
PP-R plastic pipe	1	At the end of branches and at changes in direction and elevation

3) Where PVC, CPVC or ABS plastic pipe is installed

a) the pipe shall be aligned without added strain on the piping,

b) the pipe shall not be bent or pulled into position after being welded, and

c) hangers shall not compress, cut or abrade the pipe.

4) Where PEX, PP-R, PE/AL/PE or PEX/AL/PEX plastic pipe is installed, hangers shall not compress, cut or abrade the pipe.

5) Where hangers are used to support nominally horizontal piping, the hangers shall be

a) supported by metal rods of not less than

i) 6 mm diam to support piping 2 inches or less in size,

ii) 8 mm diam to support piping 4 inches or less in size, and

iii) 13 mm diam to support piping over 4 inches in size, or

b) solid or perforated metal straps of not less than

i) 0.6 mm nominal thickness and 12 mm wide to support piping 2 inches or less in size, and

ii) 0.8 mm nominal thickness and 18 mm wide to support piping 4 inches or less in size.

6) Where a hanger is attached to concrete or masonry, it shall be fastened by metal or expansion-type plugs that are inserted or built into the concrete or masonry.

2.3.4.6. Support for Underground Horizontal Piping

1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), nominally horizontal piping that is underground shall be supported on a base that is firm and continuous under the whole of the pipe. (See Appendix A.)

2) Nominally horizontal piping installed underground that is not supported as described in Sentence (1) may be installed using hangers fixed to a foundation or structural slab provided that the hangers are capable of

a) keeping the pipe in alignment, and

b) supporting the weight of

i) the pipe,

ii) its contents, and

iii) the fill over the pipe.

2.3.4.7. Support for Vent Pipe above a Roof

1) Where a vent pipe that may be subject to misalignment terminates above the surface of a roof, it shall be supported or braced. (See Article 2.5.6.5. for location of vent pipe terminals.)

2.3.5. Protection of Piping

2.3.5.1. Backfilling of Pipe Trench

1) Where piping is installed underground, the backfill shall be

a) carefully placed and tamped to a height of 300 mm over the top of the pipe, and

b) free of stones, boulders, cinders and frozen earth. (See Appendix A.)

2.3.5.2. Protection of Non-Metallic Pipe

1) Where asbestos-cement drainage pipe or vitrified clay is located less than 600 mm below a basement floor and the floor is constructed of other than 75 mm or more of concrete, the pipe shall be protected by a 75-mm layer of concrete installed above the pipe. (See Appendix A.)

2.3.5.3. Isolation from Loads

1) Where piping passes through or under a wall, it shall be installed so that the wall does not bear on the pipe.

2.3.5.4. Protection from Frost

1) Where piping may be exposed to freezing conditions, it shall be protected from the effects of freezing.

2.3.5.5. Protection from Mechanical Damage

1) Plumbing, piping and equipment exposed to mechanical damage shall be protected.

2.3.5.6. Protection from Condensation

1) Piping used as an internal leader, which may be subject to condensation, shall be installed in a manner that limits the risk of damage to the building due to condensation.

2.3.6. Testing of Drainage or Venting Systems

2.3.6.1. Tests and Inspection of Drainage or Venting Systems

1) Except in the case of an external leader, after a section of a drainage system or a venting system has been roughed in, and before any fixture is installed or piping is covered, a water pressure test or an air pressure test shall be conducted.

2) After every fixture is installed and before any part of the drainage system or venting system is placed in operation, a final test shall be carried out when requested.

3) Where a prefabricated system is assembled off the building site in such a manner that it cannot be inspected and tested on site, off-site inspections and tests shall be conducted.

4) Where a prefabricated system is installed as part of a drainage system or venting system, all other plumbing work shall be tested and inspected and a final test shall be carried out on the complete system when requested.

5) When requested, a ball test shall be made to any pipe in a drainage system.

2.3.6.2. Tests of Pipes in Drainage Systems

1) Every pipe in a drainage system, except an external leader or fixture outlet pipe, shall be capable of withstanding without leakage a water pressure test, air pressure test and final test.

2) Every pipe in a drainage system shall be capable of meeting a ball test.

2.3.6.3. Tests of Venting Systems

1) Every venting system shall be capable of withstanding without leakage a water pressure test, air pressure test and final test.

2.3.6.4. Water Pressure Tests

1) A water pressure test shall consist in applying a water column of at least 3 m to all joints.

2) In making a water pressure test,

a) every opening except the highest shall be tightly closed with a testing plug or a screw cap, and

b) the system or the section shall be kept filled with water for 15 min.

2.3.6.5. Air Pressure Tests

1) Air pressure tests shall be conducted in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions for each piping material, and

a) air shall be forced into the system until a pressure of 35 kPa is created, and

b) this pressure shall be maintained for at least 15 min without a drop in pressure.

2.3.6.6. Final Tests

1) Where a final test is made

a) every trap shall be filled with water,

b) the bottom of the system being tested shall terminate at a building trap, test plug or cap,

c) except as provided in Sentence (2), smoke from smoke-generating machines shall be forced into the system,

d) when the smoke appears from all roof terminals they shall be closed, and

e) a pressure equivalent to a 25 mm water column shall be maintained for 15 min without the addition of more smoke.

2) The smoke referred to in Clauses (1)(c) and (d) may be omitted provided the roof terminals are closed and the system is subjected to an air pressure equivalent to a 25 mm water column maintained for 15 min without the addition of more air.

2.3.6.7. Ball Tests

1) Where a ball test is made, a hard ball dense enough not to float shall be rolled through the pipe.

2) The diameter of the ball shall be not less than

a) 50 mm where the size of the pipe is 3 inches or more, or

b) 25 mm where the size of the pipe is less than 3 inches.

2.3.7. Testing of Potable Water Systems

2.3.7.1. Application of Tests

1) After a section of a potable water system has been completed, and before it is placed in operation, a water pressure test shall be conducted, except that an air pressure test may be used in freezing conditions.

2) A pressure test may be applied to each section of the system or to the system as a whole.

3) Where a prefabricated system is assembled off the building site in such a manner that it cannot be inspected and tested on site, off-site inspections and pressure tests shall be conducted.

4) Where a prefabricated system is installed as part of a water system,

a) all other plumbing work shall be tested and inspected, and

b) the complete system shall be pressure tested when requested.

2.3.7.2. Pressure Tests of Potable Water Systems

1) Except as required in Sentence (2), every potable water system shall be able to withstand

a) without leaking, a water pressure that is at least equal to the maximum in-service pressure, or

b) an air pressure of not less than 700 kPa for at least 2 h without a drop in pressure.

2) If a manufacturer states that an air pressure test is not recommended, a water pressure test shall be performed. (See Appendix A.)

2.3.7.3. Water Pressure Tests

1) Where a water pressure test is made, all air shall be expelled from the system before fixture control valves or faucets are closed.

2) Potable water shall be used to test a potable water system.