More 1st Fix Plumbing and Electrics

A few more photos showing the electrical installation and plumbing

The weather has been great for the last few days, although most of the work has been happening inside rather than out.

The electricians have been focusing their efforts on get the back boxes installed onto the kitchen walls, for the switches and sockets, as well as PVC channelling to cover the wiring. It's really exciting seeing the all cabling in the kitchen because you can virtually see where everything will go (all the appliances). Of all the rooms in the house, this is busiest area as there are so many sockets and switches to cater for.

On top of that, the plumber will need to connet up the mains water supply to the boiler, the kitchen sink and washing machine and also waste water pipes too. While the electricians have been in the kitchen area, the plumbers have been taking care of the bathrooms to minimise everyone tripping over each other.

The carpenter has also been involved quite regularly too as there are often little bits and pieces that need doing. For example, you can see in the en-suite photo that he has created some boxing-in around the waste water piping and Durgo valve (air admittance valve). He has also created some little timber inserts between the stud wall battens for some electrical back boxes to be mounted, for the towel rad switch and the extractor fan isolator.

What is a Durgo valve?

This is a new one me too and had to ask what the guys were talking about. Also known as an "air admittance valve", it's basically a capping that sits on top of a section of waste water piping (the large grey pipe in the photo) which allows air to be sucked in, but prevents air (and smells) coming out, when the loo is flushed or the sink/bath is emptied.

In the house foundations, there is a single waste water pipe that runs from the main bathroom, through the en-suite bathroom and then outside. The end of the pipe in the main bathroom, extends up through the ceiling and out of the roof and has an open top. This allows air to flow freely into the drains when the loo is flushed etc. so that water flows nicely from one end of the system to the other. If air isn't allowed to flow, then it's likely everything will come grinding to a holt, so things like the roof vent and Durgo valve are used to keep everything.

You can see the same effect with a drinking straw in your milkshake. Put your finger over the end of the straw and lift it out of the drink. Lots of milkshake remains in the straw and doesn't fall out. If you remove your finger, it all comes flowing out again, all over your lap.

Science is fun!