Hot water – how does that work?
Hot water is stored in the hot water cylinder, but only after it has been heated and circulated by the heat meter in the main boilerhouse. This is known as the 'primary ciricuit' of heated water.
Hot water is then distributed through the hot water cylinder into the heating circuit to the radiators in the flat. The heating system for the building is communal. The heat meter also measures how many units of energy are used by each flat and this is used to calculate the energy bill.
It takes a qualified engineer to install the unvented hot water system, so the trainees had to stand aside and watch Simon Copeland do the job.
Cold water
Cold water is drawn from the main water supply, sometimes just called the 'mains'. Before it enters the flat the mains water goes to an isolation valve called a stopcock. From the stopcock the water then enters the 'pressure reducing valve' (PRV) which distributes the supply to the toilet, sinks, bath and shower, all at an equal and reduced pressure.
Installing the shower, bath and toilet
The shower valve was positioned in the wall exactly as specified in the architect's plans. The hot- and cold-water pipes were then connected to the valve and the control knobs – which allow the water to be turned on and off – were fitted.
Next the trainees installed the bath, once more ensuring that it was positioned exactly according to the plans, and sat perfectly level.
The bath controls were then attached. There are no taps on the bath itself in the Bricking It flat. The water control knob is positioned in the wall next to the bath. The bath fills from the overflow connection.
Lauren then clamped the toilet to the wall with brackets, but lost an hour due to a mix up with the brackets. But will this affect her ambitions to become a plumber?
Kitchen Sink
As the kitchen sink was fitted into position and the hot- and cold-water pipes connected to the taps, the flat is at last beginning to look like an inhabitable place and the trainees can really begin to see the fruits of their labour.
