Plumbing Drawings

[daaguirre]

Hi Everyone,

I recently graduated from college (Mechanical Engineering) and started working as a Plumbing engineer at a small company. I am currently the only plumbing engineer at my office and I would like to hear your suggestions about how to present the different plumbing systems in the floor plan drawings. For example, for the building and plumbing systems shown in the attached figure, I've seen two ways of preparing the drawings, are both of them correct, and if so which one is more common ? (in the United States).

Option 1
Roof Plumbing Plan: Shows the storm drainage below the roof (level 4)
Level 3 - Plumbing Plan - Domestic Water: Shows the domestic water system (Above level 3)
Level 3 - Plumbing Plan - Drainage: shows the sanitary drainage system below level 3 (that one corresponding to the fixtures on level 3)
Level 2 - Plumbing Plan - Domestic Water: Shows the domestic water system (Above level 2)
Level 2 - Plumbing Plan - Drainage: shows the sanitary drainage system below level 2 (that one corresponding to the fixtures on level 2)
Level 1 - Plumbing Plan - Domestic Water: Shows the domestic water system (Above level 1)
Underground Plumbing Plan: the sanitary drainage system below level 1 (that one corresponding to the fixtures on level 1)

Option 2
Roof Plumbing Plan: Shows only the roof drains
Level 3 - Plumbing Plan - Domestic Water: Shows the domestic water system (above level 3)
Level 3 - Plumbing Plan - Drainage: shows the storm drainage (above level 3)
Level 2 - Plumbing Plan - Domestic Water Shows the domestic water system (above level 2)
Level 2 - Plumbing Plan - Drainage: shows the drainage system above level 2 (that one corresponding to the p. fixtures on level 3)
Level 1 - Plumbing Plan - Domestic Water Shows the domestic water system (above level 1)
Level 1 - Plumbing Plan - Drainage: shows the drainage system above level 1 (that one corresponding to the p. fixtures on level 2)
Underground Plumbing Plan: shows the drainage system below level 1 (that one corresponding to the plumbing fixtures on level 1)

For reference, in the figure, blue is domestic water, purple is storm drainage and green is sanitary drainage.

With regards to the vent system, we typically show it on the same drawings as the domestic water. I've seen people present it on the same drawings as the sanitary system using a dashed line pattern. However, because of the way we prepare the drawings in Revit, it seems easier to show it on the domestic water drawings.

Thanks in advance for your help!!.

Also, If you have any reference material that you would like to suggest me, feel free to mention it. (I am currently using the International Plumbing Code and the ASPE Plumbing Engineer Design Handbook).

 

[PEDARRIN2]

There is no consensus to how to present plumbing drawings. Your company and the norm of the area you are in will tend to dictate that. But I tend more toward option 2.

My rule of thumb is to show the plumbing that appears above between the floor levels on the plan that indicates that floor level, i.e. do not show drainage piping below the floor level slab. However, I will amend this rule of thumb for the lowest level, usually by showing below slab plumbing as dashed if the plan is simple. If not, I will have a foundation plan.

If the building is fairly complex, I will separate the drainage (sanitary, vent and storm) from the supply (water, compressed air, natural gas, etc.). I will show water service and trap primer piping on the foundation plan. I personally have never seen the vent not shown with the sanitary and I use Revit.

I typically show diagrams (sanitary, water, etc.) separate from the floor plans unless the project is simple.

Some will say the extra sheets are costly since several sets are required. But my response is that even if 100 extra sheets have to be printed at a cost of $1.00 per sheet. That is #100. If I have to answer contractor questions because the information is unclear to the them and it takes me 5 hours to answer all the questions and my time is worth $100 an hour, that is $500. I would rather have extra sheets.

 

[LittleInch]

I would also go for option 2 - the key is to think about how they are actually going to build it and in what sequence.

If the floor are as you show and the solid floor is below the level and hence the pipes from the floor above actually run in the ceiling void of the floor below, then show them in the floor below. The reality is that they will probably build it that way ( one floor at a time)so need all the "floor 2 drawings" to be able to be looked at by the same set of people.

Either way the key is to be clear and consistent. Drawings are simply there to convey the design from one person to another in the simplest possible way.

Avoid clutter and notes (they often don't get read) and always think how is it going to be installed.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[daaguirre]

Thanks for the replies!.

Your answers have cleared my doubts about this. I will take into account how the building is going to be built when preparing future drawings, but it looks like Option 2 is going to be appropriate in most situations.

 

[SW Missouri Plumbing]

That is a great question. I'm studying to be a plumber Springfield MO. I'm learning more about the engineering side of it right now, so this is very interesting!