Basic Plumbing And Central Heating: Teach Yourself

This is the book for anyone who wants a quick, easy-to-understand and affordable guide to mastering basic household plumbing and heating jobs.

A straightforward guide to plumbing and central heating tasks
Master Basic Plumbing and Central Heating is a straightforward guide to such easy, yet frequently mysterious, tasks as replacing a radiator or changing a tap; it also offers ample help for such crises as blocked toilets and frozen pipes. It will tell you all about the layout of a house and water system, then show you how to undertake basic emergency repairs; complete small and achievable projects; and even tackle bigger things like installing a bathroom suite or plumbing in a dishwasher.

With plenty of illustrations, step-by-step guides, a full glossary and a whole chapter on how and when to call in expert help, this book is perfect for you if you dread the expense of call-out charges and labour.

Master Basic Plumbing and Central Heating includes:

Chapter 1: The plumbing in your home
Incoming cold water supply
Cold supply inside the dwelling
The storage cistern
The toilet flushing cistern
Hard and soft water
Water softeners and water conditioners
The above-ground drainage system
The below-ground drainage system
Protective equipotential earth bond

Chapter 2: Hot water in your home
Gas installations
Oil installations
Flues and ventilation for gas- and oil-burning appliances
Hot water supply
Hot water storage systems
Direct systems of hot water supply
Indirect systems of hot water supply
Instantaneous systems of domestic hot water supply
Thermal storage systems of hot water supply
Choice of domestic hot water supply

Chapter 3: Domestic central heating
Radiant heating
Central heating systems using radiators
Radiators and heat emitters
The boiler
Heating controls
Protecting heating systems

Chapter 4: Emergencies and contingency work 1
Turning off the water supply
Draining water from the various systems
A dripping tap
Water leaking from the body of a tap
Lack of water flow from a tap
Toilet will not flush
Toilet continuously discharging water into the pan
Toilet or storage cistern overflowing
Toilet leaks when it is flushed

Chapter 5: Emergencies and contingency work 2
Burst pipes
Noises from the pipework
Hot water problems
Blockages to the waste water pipework
Smell of gas fumes

Chapter 6: Plumbing processes
Corrosion
Pipework used for water supplies
Copper pipework and fittings
Bending copper tube
Plastic pipework and fittings for hot and cold pipework
Specialist plumbing tools

Chapter 7: Ancillary works and maintenance
Employing a qualified professional
Gas or oil boiler maintenance
Gas fire maintenance
General plumbing maintenance

Chapter 8: Undertaking small plumbing projects
Installing a washing machine or dishwasher
Installing a water softener
Making a branch connection to the existing vertical soil pipe
Installing an outside tap
Removing a radiator to decorate behind it
Repairing the incoming water supply main
Replacing the supply main
Installing a new storage cistern
Faulty immersion heaters
Insulating to prevent freezing and frost damage
Installing new guttering and rainwater pipes
Installing a new WC suite
Installing a new sink, basin or bath taps
Installing a new sink, basin or bath
Installing a shower cubicle
Replacing a shower booster pump

Learn effortlessly with a new easy-to-read page design and interactive features:

Not got much time?
One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.

Author insights
Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author’s many years of experience.

Test yourself
Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.

Extend your knowledge
Extra online articles to give you a richer understanding of the subject.

Five things to remember
Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts.

Try this
Innovative exercises illustrate what you’ve learnt and how to use it.