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A sewer pipe is normally at neutral air pressure compared to the surrounding atmosphere.When a column of waste water flows through a pipe, it compresses air ahead of it in the system, creating a positive pressure that must be released so it does not push back on the waste stream and downstream traps, slow drainage, and induce potential clogs.
The valves are normally installed with the first installation of a system, then remain in place for the life of the system. They are generally reliable and require no maintenance. If they do eventually fail, they are replaced rather than repaired. A leaking valve commonly shows a dribble of water from the air vent, or stains of rust or limescale.
Each fixture usually has a characteristic means of connection. Normal plumbing practice is to install a valve on each water supply line before the fixture, and this is most commonly termed a stop or "service valve". The water supply to some fixtures is cold water only (such as water closets and urinals). Most fixtures also have a hot water supply.
A trap primer (or trap seal primer) is a plumbing device or valve that adds water to traps.The water seals in traps are needed to prevent sewer gases from entering buildings, but because this water is exposed to the air, it is subject to evaporation over time in infrequently used floor drains, leading to the release of sewer gas into the environment.
Old water pipe, remnant of the Machine de Marly near Versailles, France. Lead was the favoured material for water pipes for many centuries because its malleability made it practical to work into the desired shape. Such use was so common that the word "plumbing" derives from plumbum, the Latin word for lead.
Maintaining the water seal is critical to trap operation; traps might dry out, and poor venting can suction or blow water out of the traps. This is usually avoided by venting the drain pipes downstream of the trap; by being vented to the atmosphere outside the building, the drain lines never operate at a pressure much higher or lower than ...
The fill valve in a toilet water tank is a liquid level-actuated valve. When a high water level is reached, a mechanism shuts the valve which fills the tank. In some valve designs, the pressure of the flow fluid itself or pressure difference of the flow fluid between the ports automatically controls flow through the valve.
It is usually constructed of brass and resembles a 90-degree elbow with a hood on its top to allow air to enter the water system if a siphon attempts to form. Inside this elbow is a poppet valve that is held "up" by the water pressure found in the system, closing the air entrance to the device. If the pressure in the "upstream side" is reduced ...