Gina’s Blog INT 322

 Plumbing Systems  Gina Christopher  HOW PLUMBING WORKS (AN OVERVIEW) Plumbing systems consist of two primary parts: supply and waste. Supply water enters a building under pressure. This pressure allows the water to reach the upper levels of a building. At the entry of the building there is amin water shut-off valve with additional locational shut-offs at each fixture for minor repairs and maintenance. The Drain-Waste-Vent (DWV) part of the system relied on gravity and water's ability to seek its own level. Wastewater is either black, which contains sewage or gray, which is from sinks, bathtubs, and washing machines. Portable water is suitable for drinking. The tree primary water supply options include municipal water, provided by means of a water main; private well water; and rainwater harvested water. When a wall extends through a non-permeable layer of earth into aquifer, it is known as an artesian well. Rainwater catchment refers to the active collection of rainwater....

 Electrical Systems & Lighting  Gina Christopher  ELECTRICITY  Electrical current can be either in the form of alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). Electricity travels from the utility company to the user through a combination of overhead and underground electrical lines. Transformers are used to step down the electrical current to specific locations and for specific uses. Electrical power travels across electrical lines to a point of entry at each building it services. Electrical power is typically connected to a building used a drop head. The power line is then run through an exterior meter that is grounded and then into the interior electrical panel. Several types of cable are available  depending on the use. Commercial electrical power requires hard conduit, whereas flexible cable (Romex) can be used residentially as long as it is enclosed. Designers use common electrical symbols on electrical plans and need to understand them to read plans f...

 Mechanical Systems  Gina Christopher  SOURCES OF FUEL  Both mechanical and electrical systems require a fuel source in order to operate. Sources of fuel include bioenergy, fossil fuels, hydrogen, nuclear energy, wind power, solar, hydropower, and fusion. Some of these sources are sustainable, and others are not. Bioenergy is produced from organic matter such as corn, municipal waste, and wood. Fossil fuels provide over 85 percent of the fuel for electricity in the U.S. Coal is a naturally occurring fuel that can be obtained either through underground mining operations or strip mining. Hydrogen is a commonly occurring element and can be made from fossil fuels and renewable sources such as wind, geothermal, and solar. Nuclear energy has been a subject of debate in the U.S. for a long time. The primary reason is that radioactive material is produced which must then be stored for millions of years. Wind turbines are placed on the landscape to capture the prevailing wind...

 Ceilings  Gina Christopher  CATHEDRAL CEILINGS/SLOPED CEILINGS  A ceiling that conforms roughly to the pitch of the roof is known as a cathedral ceiling. Cathedral ceilings were made popular in the 1970's and provide a more spacious interior feeling than flat ceilings. The design challenge associated with the cathedral or sloped ceiling include integration of lighting, consideration for adequate heating and cooling, and creation of a sense of human scale within a space. GYPSUM WALL BOARD  Gypsum wall board is a directly applied ceiling that attaches to the building structure. this is the most common ceiling finish in residential environments. Gypsum can come from either a natural or synthetic source and requires a lot of energy to produce. It comes in sheet sizes; it can also produce a lot of waste when cut to fit a certain dimensional space.  PLASTER Plaster is applied in a three-coat system over lath. This finish was the primary wall and ceiling finish p...