When conducting water supply and sewage in an apartment or a country house, you must first take into account that you will have to supplement these engineering networks with auxiliary parts. For example, to make a branching system, special products must be used for this. In this article, the reader will describe the main types of tee fittings.
Key Views
When installing a water supply or sewage system, it is necessary to first decide which pipes will be used for the construction of these networks. They can be steel, metal-plastic or polymer. Therefore, fittings (connecting parts) must be selected for certain types of pipes. In turn, tees are classified into such varieties:
- Metal are made of brass, cast iron or steel. The main advantage of these parts is high strength and reliability.
- Plastic tees fittings made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and PVC. The main advantage of polymer models is durability and environmental friendliness.
- Composite - parts due to which pipes from plastic and metal can be connected together. Such tees are made from polyethylene equipped with brass or steel bushings.
Polypropylene tees: advantages
These universal fittings are increasingly used for the installation of plumbing and sewer systems in private homes. This is due to the fact that such products have a low price when compared with analogues made of brass or steel. In addition, thanks to a special polypropylene adapter fitting-tee, different plumbing can be connected to the water supply system at the same time (for example, a washing machine and shower).
The distinctive advantages of these products include the following parameters:
- durability;
- hygiene and safety;
- do not deform under the influence of an elevated temperature of not more than 95 ° C;
- protected against rust;
- have a low coefficient of friction;
- do not deteriorate due to the influence of an aggressive environment;
- able to withstand a lot of pressure.
Polypropylene tees are sold in a hardware store, the diameter of which is from 20 to 110 mm.
Installation and types of polypropylene tees
Fittings from this material are manufactured using injection molding technology, which results in high-quality products. Such tees are of the following types:
- Transitional - models that are used to connect plastic pipes with different diameters.
- With union nut.
- Combined polypropylene tees fittings are varieties designed to connect plastic and metal pipes to each other. Such models are produced in two variations: with internal thread and external.
- Equal bore tees are used to connect pipes with the same diameter.
It is necessary to mount the considered polymer products by means of a special soldering iron, which is sold complete with a set of interchangeable nozzles for a certain diameter. The process itself includes the following simple work:
- Prepare the pipes in this way: remove the foil layer with a cross-cutter and chamfer the calibrator.
- Warm the tee evenly with a soldering iron, the working temperature of which should be 260 ° C. Then repeat the same steps with the pipe, but using a nozzle of a different size.
- Carefully connect the heated parts and wait until the plastic hardens completely.
However, there are other ways with which it will be possible to fix the pipes into a tee. This includes options such as crimping (you will need a special key), cold welding and the use of push fittings.
Brass Tee: Benefits
Such a part is connected to the pipe by means of a thread. Using the brass tee, the auxiliary direction of the pipeline can be connected to the system. The hardware store sells various modifications of this metal fitting, which has these distinctive advantages:
- high strength;
- aesthetic appearance;
- simple installation (gas key and fum tape required);
- durability;
- tight connection.
Universal fitting - brass adapter tee. Masters advise using this part to connect pipes of different diameters. In addition, if the product is coated with a layer of nickel, then this will not only increase its resistance to corrosion, but also improve the technical quality.
Tee for sewer pipe
There is enough space in the combined bathroom with toilet to install a shower, toilet, washing machine and water tank. Therefore, homeowners have a question, how to connect all the plumbing to the sewer system at the same time. The tee is the part with which you can solve the current difficulty. Masters recommend using products made of polymeric materials for these purposes. You can apply cast iron parts, but this option is considered obsolete.
For sewer plastic pipes, the following types of connecting tees are used:
- To make vertical branches, models with angles of 87 ° or 90 ° are used.
- When installing horizontal risers, it is necessary to use parts with an angle of 45 °.
- It is recommended to install a revision fitting tee with a sleeve and a cap. Thanks to this part, it will be possible to carry out quick repairs in the event of a clogged system.
The result is a reliable sewer network. In addition, changing the damaged parts yourself is a simple matter, since all connections can be unscrewed by hand.
Additional recommendations
When installing a fitting tee, some rules must be considered. If you ignore them, there is a high probability of a pipeline leak. Wizards give these recommendations:
- If the installation method for glue was chosen during installation of the tee, it means that the position of the pipeline relative to the fitting must be selected within a few seconds after they are combined. In addition, you cannot rotate the assembly after completing this process.
- When installing a metal pipeline, materials for threaded ends and elbows should be prepared initially.
- Parts must be installed in accessible places.
- When connecting a tee made of polymeric materials, it is recommended to make marks on the pipe by which it is easy to determine the optimal insertion depth of the fitting.
Conclusion
Summing up, we can safely say: for the installation of a functional sewer system and water supply, you will have to use tees. Manufacturers make these fittings from metal or polymeric materials. Masters prefer plastic varieties, but sometimes it will be necessary to use combined parts (for example, when connecting a steel pipe with polypropylene). In any case, using the information provided in the article, you can decide which tees are best used.