Deck 15: Plumbing

Question 1

According to the EPA, the typical American household loses on average ____ gallons of water a year through water leaks, dripping faucets, and running toilets.

A) 10,000
B) 30,000
C) 60,000
D) 80,000

Answer 1

10,000

Question 2

____ harvesting is a centuries-old practice that is an alternative to well and municipal water supplies.

A) Rain water
B) Lake water
C) Irrigation
D) Ocean

Answer 2

Rain water

Question 3

There is no single best solution for water supply piping for a green home. ____ has a high-recycled content and is fully recyclable, but it has a much higher embodied energy than other pipes.

A) CPVC
B) PP-R
C) PEX
D) Copper

Answer 3

Copper

Question 4

Smaller homes can be designed with ____, a design that places all plumbing close together to reduce pipe lengths, with short pipe runs to the fixtures.

A) pinpoint plumbing
B) a single plumbing core
C) a minimized plumbing center
D) a reduced plumbing outlet

Question 5

An efficient solution for circulation systems is a ____ that moves hot water to the fixtures only when needed, eliminating standby losses from the constant reheating of water in pipes.

A) continuous pump
B) circulation pump
C) thermosiphon pump
D) demand pump

Question 6

Tank heaters are capable of providing a specific amount of hot water per hour, referred to as the ____ rating, based on the tank size, efficiency rating and the fuel type.

A) hourly
B) timed
C) measured
D) first hour

Question 7

Tankless heaters provide continuous hot water at a specific number of ____ based on the amount of temperature rise, the difference between the water entering the house and the hot water leaving the heater.

A) ounces per second
B) gallons per hour
C) gallons per minute
D) liters per minute

Question 8

Water heating can be provided by ground source heat pumps through a ____, a device that recovers excess heat from the cooling and heating process, diverting it to heat water in a storage tank very efficiently.

A) desuperheater
B) maxiheater
C) supermax heater
D) deep-heater

Question 9

Standard water heaters typically have integrated insulation with an R-value of between ____, while very efficient heaters may have R-values as high as 24.

A) 6 and 12
B) 8 and 16
C) 9 and 18
D) 12 and 20

Question 10

Most dishwashers have integrated heating elements that pre-heat water, allowing us to keep our water heaters set safely at ____ degrees.

A) 110
B) 120
C) 130
D) 140

Question 11

____ septic systems mechanically inject air into a waste collection tank, encouraging decomposition, which provides a higher quality effluent.

A) Mechanical
B) Injection
C) Anaerobic
D) Aerobic

Question 12

Gray water drain lines are typically required to be ____ in color to distinguish them from black water lines.

A) red
B) blue
C) purple
D) gray

Question 13

Whenever we use hot water, most of the heat in it is lost as it goes down the drain. Drain-water heat recovery systems can be used to recapture a significant portion of that heat through the use of a ____.

A) GHX
B) DRX
C) HXS
D) GXD

Question 14

The Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona estimates that the average household can save between 30,000 and 50,000 gallons of fresh water annually through the use of a ____ water system.

A) unified gray
B) green
C) whole house gray
D) whole house green

Question 15

The US Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 required that all lavatory faucets, the fittings used in bathroom sinks, deliver a maximum of ____ GPM.

A) 2.2
B) 9.0
C) 3.8
D) 6.1

Question 16

WaterSense certification is available for faucets that deliver a maximum of ____ GPM.

A) 1.5
B) 8.0
C) 21.5
D) 30.5

Question 17

Automatic or ____ controls for faucets can be effective in reducing water usage where manual controls may be difficult to operate.

A) elbow
B) voice-activated
C) electronic
D) foot

Question 18

Hose ____, or exterior faucets, are prone to freezing in cold climates, causing water damage if not immediately repaired.

A) cuffs
B) mitts
C) bibbs
D) wraps

Question 19

Federal standards require showerheads to deliver a maximum of 2.5 GPM; however, ____ showerheads allowed in a single stall.

A) there are two
B) there are three
C) there are four
D) there is no limit on the number of

Question 20

____ valves in showerheads allow for control of temperature and work with volume control valves that control water flow separately, providing a broader range of options than simpler pressure balance valves.

A) Thermodynamic
B) Hydrothermal
C) Thermostatic
D) Hydraulic

Question 21

Fiberglass, plastic, and ____ sinks are not easily recycled.

A) cast iron
B) metal
C) solid china
D) porcelain

Question 22

The 1992 Energy Policy Act required that by 1994 all residential toilets use no more than ____ GPF.

A) 1.28
B) 1.6
C) 1.78
D) 2.0

Question 23

Toilets are available with ____ flush mechanisms which use the weight of the water in the tank to evacuate the bowl.

A) pressure assist
B) gravity
C) power assisted
D) hydro-assisted

Question 24

____ valves are designed to deliver just the right amount of water each time the toilet is flushed without waste.

A) Water-level
B) Fill
C) Limiting
D) Boundary

Question 25

The most common water treatment filters use activated ____, a block of porous mineral that is effective at removing contaminants from water that passes through it.

A) carbon
B) silicon
C) sulfate
D) phosphate

Question 26

Match each item with a statement below.

-Waste from lavatories, showers, tubs, and laundries, which can be treated on or off site and reused for filling toilets and certain types of irrigation

A)Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride
B)Graywater
C)Black water
D)ABS
E)Polypropylene
F)PEX

Question 27

Match each item with a statement below.

-Chemically similar to PVC with added chlorine to increase rigidity at high temperatures, making it suitable for hot water piping

A)Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride
B)Graywater
C)Black water
D)ABS
E)Polypropylene
F)PEX

Question 28

Match each item with a statement below.

-Made by cross-linking, or knitting together long chains of ethylene in a process that allows the material to be both strong and flexible at high temperatures

A)Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride
B)Graywater
C)Black water
D)ABS
E)Polypropylene
F)PEX

Question 29

Match each item with a statement below.

-Made with a combination of both long and short molecules that provide a combination of strength and flexibility

A)Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride
B)Graywater
C)Black water
D)ABS
E)Polypropylene
F)PEX

Question 30

Match each item with a statement below.

-Waste that comes from toilets and kitchens containing food waste

A)Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride
B)Graywater
C)Black water
D)ABS
E)Polypropylene
F)PEX

Question 31

Match each item with a statement below.

-An alternative plastic pipe

A)Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride
B)Graywater
C)Black water
D)ABS
E)Polypropylene
F)PEX