When conducting water supply and sewerage to an apartment or a country house, it must first be taken into account that these engineering networks will have to be supplemented with auxiliary details. For example, to make a branching of the system, special products must be used for this. The article provided to the reader will describe the main types of tee fittings.
Key Species
When constructing a water supply or sewerage system, it is necessary to first decide which pipes will be used to build 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 the following varieties:
- Metal is made from brass, cast iron or steel. The main advantage of these parts is high strength and reliability.
- Plastic tee fittings made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and PVC. The main advantage of polymer models is durability and environmental friendliness.
- Composite -parts, thanks to which it is possible to connect pipes made of plastic and metal. These tees are made from polyethylene, equipped with brass or steel bushings.
Polypropylene Tees Benefits
These universal fittings are increasingly used for 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 transition fitting-tee, different plumbing equipment (for example, a washing machine and a shower cabin) can be connected to the water supply system at the same time.
The distinctive advantages of the mentioned products include the following parameters:
- durability;
- hygienic and safe;
- will not deform under the influence of high temperature, which is not more than 95 °C;
- protected against rust formation;
- have a low coefficient of friction;
- do not deteriorate due to the influence of an aggressive environment;
- capable of withstanding great pressure.
The hardware store sells polypropylene tees, the diameter of which is from 20 to 110 mm.
Installation and types of polypropylene tees
Fittings made from this material are manufactured using injection molding technology, resulting in high quality products. Such triplets arethe following types:
- Transitional - models that are used to connect plastic pipes with different diameters.
- With union nut.
- Combined polypropylene tee fittings - varieties designed to connect plastic and metal pipes together. Such models are produced in two variations: with internal and external threads.
- Equal tees are used to connect pipes with the same diameter.
It is necessary to mount the considered polymer products using 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 trimmer and chamfer with a calibrator.
- Heat the tee evenly with a soldering iron, the operating temperature of which should be 260 ° C. Then repeat the same steps with the pipe, but with the help of a nozzle of a different size.
- Gently connect the heated parts and wait until the plastic hardens completely.
However, there are other ways to fix the pipes in the tee. These include options such as the crimp method (you will need a special wrench), cold welding, and the use of push fittings.
Brass Tee Advantages
This part is connected to the pipe by means of a thread. A brass tee can be used to connect an auxiliary piping route to the system. ATa hardware store sells various modifications of this metal fitting, which has the following distinctive advantages:
- high strength;
- aesthetic appearance;
- easy installation (gas wrench and fum tape required);
- durability;
- sealed connection.
Universal fitting - brass transitional tee. Masters advise using this part to connect pipes of different diameters. In addition, if the product is covered with a nickel layer, this will not only increase its resistance to corrosion, but also improve its technical qualities.
Tee for sewer pipe
There is enough space in the connected bathroom with a toilet to install a shower cabin, a toilet bowl, a washing machine and a water heater. Therefore, homeowners have a question about how to connect all the plumbing to the sewer system at the same time. A tee is a detail with which you can solve the current difficulty. Masters recommend using products made of polymeric materials for these purposes. You can also use 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, use models with 87° or 90° angles.
- When installing horizontal risers, it is necessary to use parts with an inclination angle of 45°.
- It is recommended to install an inspection tee fitting with a coupling and a cap. Thanks to this detailit will be possible to carry out quick repairs in case of clogging of the system.
The result is a reliable sewer network. In addition, changing damaged parts yourself is a simple matter, since all connections can be unscrewed by hand.
Additional recommendations
When installing a tee fitting, some rules must be taken into account. If they are ignored, the pipeline is likely to leak. Masters give such recommendations:
- If, when installing the tee, the method of fastening with glue was chosen, then the position of the pipeline relative to the fitting must be selected within a few seconds after they are combined. In addition, the knot must not be rotated after this process has been completed.
- When installing a metal pipeline, you should first prepare materials for threaded ends and spurs.
- 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 you can easily determine the optimal insertion depth of the fitting.
Conclusion
Summing up, we can safely say: for the device 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 you have to use combined parts (for example, whenconnection of a steel pipe with polypropylene). In any case, using the information provided in the article, you can decide which tees are best to use.
