Haryana BSEH Secondary NSQF Plumbing cheat sheet

Personal protective equipment for plumbing work: safety helmet for overhead work, impact goggles when cutting or chiselling, gloves for handling cement and solvents, and safety footwear with steel toe caps on site.

Before entering any manhole or septic tank, test the atmosphere for oxygen, hydrogen sulphide and combustible gas; oxygen below 19.5 percent by volume means do not enter.

Confined-space entry requires a permit, a standby person outside, a harness with lifeline, and forced ventilation; never use a naked flame to test for gas.

Electrical safety rule: treat every circuit as live until isolated and tagged; use 110 V or residual current device protected tools in wet areas.

Excavation safety: trench sides deeper than 1.5 m require shoring, and excavated soil is stacked at least 0.6 m from the trench edge.

Lead and solvent hazards: lead solder fume and PVC solvent cement vapour require local exhaust ventilation and respiratory protection; keep solvents away from flame.

Fire classes and extinguishers: Class A solid combustibles use water, Class B flammable liquids use foam or dry powder, Class C gases use dry powder, and electrical fires use carbon dioxide.

Ladder rule: the 4-to-1 rule sets the base one unit out for every four units of height, and the ladder top must extend about 1 m above the landing point.

First aid for chemical eye splash: irrigate with clean running water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical help; for acid on skin, wash and remove contaminated clothing.

Pipe wrench: the jaw teeth face the direction of rotation so the pull is toward the handle; a Stillson wrench grips and turns threaded pipe, while a strap wrench is used on polished or plastic pipe.

Pipe cutter: a wheel cutter scores and severs metal pipe; tighten the knob a quarter turn per revolution and apply cutting oil to avoid flattening the pipe end.

Hacksaw blade selection: 18 teeth per inch for thick metal and pipe, 24 for general work, 32 for thin-walled tube and sheet; at least three teeth must contact the work.

Bench vice, pipe vice and chain vice: the pipe vice holds pipe for threading and cutting, the chain vice holds large diameter pipe, and the bench vice holds small work and fittings.

Threading equipment: hand die stock with dies for sizes 6 mm to 50 mm, power threading machine for larger work; dies are marked with the nominal pipe size and thread standard.

Flaring and swaging tools are used on copper tube for flare joints and socket swages; a deburring tool removes the internal burr after cutting.

Level and plumb tools: spirit level checks horizontal, plumb bob or plumb rule checks vertical, and a laser level transfers levels across rooms for drainage gradients.

Measuring and testing equipment: steel tape for lengths, vernier caliper for outside and inside diameters, pressure gauge and hydrostatic test pump for pipeline testing.

Galvanised iron pipe is mild steel pipe coated with zinc by hot-dip galvanising; it is used for cold water supply and is joined by threaded sockets and fittings.

Copper tube is classified by wall thickness: type K heavy, type L medium, type M light; it resists corrosion and is joined by soldering, brazing or compression fittings.

PVC is unplasticised polyvinyl chloride for cold water and drainage, CPVC is chlorinated PVC for hot water up to about 90 degrees Celsius, and UPVC is the common drainage material.

PPR pipes are joined by heat fusion welding with a socket fusion tool; the pipe and fitting are heated and pushed together to form a homogeneous joint.

Asbestos cement pipe is used for sewer and rainwater lines; cutting generates dust that is a health hazard and requires wet cutting and respiratory protection.

Cast iron soil pipe is joined with lead and oakum in traditional work, or with rubber gaskets in modern hubless couplings for soil and waste stacks.

Material selection rule: use GI or copper for hot water and exposed lines, PVC or UPVC for buried drainage, and PPR or CPVC where hot water and plastic economy are both required.

Valves and fittings: gate valve for on-off isolation, globe valve for throttling, ball valve for quick quarter-turn isolation, check valve for preventing backflow, and air release valve at high points.

Nominal bore is the approximate internal diameter used to designate pipe size; a 25 mm nominal bore GI pipe has an outside diameter of about 33.4 mm.

Pipe schedule numbers, such as schedule 40 and schedule 80, indicate wall thickness for a given nominal size; a higher schedule number means a thicker wall and higher pressure rating.

Elbow fittings are named by the angle of deflection: 90 degree elbow, 45 degree elbow, and 22.5 degree elbow; a street elbow has one male and one female end.

A tee has three openings: equal tee has all outlets the same size, reducing tee has one branch smaller; a cross has four openings.

A reducer connects two different pipe sizes: concentric reducer is centred for vertical runs, eccentric reducer is offset for horizontal runs to avoid air pockets.

A union is a three-part fitting that allows a pipe to be disconnected without cutting; a coupling is a simple sleeve joining two pipes of the same size.

A cap closes a pipe end permanently, a plug closes a threaded opening, a nipple is a short length of pipe threaded at both ends, and a bushing reduces a threaded opening.

Bend radius rule: a long radius elbow has a centre-to-face dimension of 1.5 times the nominal diameter, a short radius elbow is 1.0 times the nominal diameter.

Pipe wrench sizing: an 18 inch wrench suits pipe up to 50 mm nominal bore, a 24 inch wrench up to 65 mm, and a 36 inch wrench up to 100 mm; never use a pipe on the handle as a cheater bar.

Adjust the pipe wrench jaw to the pipe before applying force, and pull rather than push so that the load is taken toward the handle.

Files are graded by cut: single cut for sharpening and finishing, double cut for rapid metal removal; a bastard file is coarser than a second cut file.

Chisels and hammers: a cold chisel cuts metal and is held at about 45 degrees; a ball pein hammer is the standard for metalwork and centre punching.

Screwdriver rule: the blade tip must match the slot width and thickness; a Phillips driver is chosen by point size, and a Pozidriv has extra cross marks.

Spanners: open-end for two-point access, ring or box for full grip, adjustable wrench for odd sizes; the correct size is the one that fits the nut flats fully.

Tin snips: straight cut snips for straight lines, aviation snips with colour coding, left cutting and right cutting, for curves in sheet metal.

Tool care rule: wipe tools after use, oil the adjusting screw of a pipe wrench, keep files clean with a file card, and never use a file without a handle.

Steel tape and folding rule measure lengths; record pipe lengths as centre-to-centre or end-to-end and state which, because fitting allowances differ.

Fitting allowance formula: cut length equals centre-to-centre distance minus the sum of the fitting take-outs at each end; take-out is the distance the pipe inserts into the fitting.

For a 90 degree elbow, the take-out equals the centre-to-face dimension of the elbow, which is 1.5 times nominal diameter for a long radius elbow.

Marking rule: use a scriber or fine marker and a try square to mark a square cut line all round the pipe; wrap a paper strip or use a pipe wrap for a true circumference line.

Cutting with a hacksaw: clamp the pipe in a vice, cut on the waste side of the line, keep the blade square and use full strokes with light pressure.

Cutting with a pipe cutter: rotate the cutter around the pipe, tighten a quarter turn each revolution, and ream the inside burr after cutting.

Plastic pipe cutting: use a plastic pipe cutter or fine-tooth saw, cut square, remove burrs with a deburring tool, and mark the insertion depth equal to the socket depth.

Threading operation: chamfer the pipe end, clamp in a pipe vice, apply cutting oil, cut the thread with a die, and check with a thread gauge; the thread should have about 2 to 3 exposed threads when tight.

Threaded joint procedure: cut and ream the pipe, cut the thread, clean with a wire brush, apply jointing compound or PTFE tape to the male thread only, and tighten with a pipe wrench.

PTFE tape is wound clockwise around the male thread, in the direction of tightening, about three turns, leaving the first thread bare.

Solvent cement joint for PVC: clean the pipe and socket, apply primer, apply cement to both surfaces, insert with a quarter turn, hold for about 30 seconds, and allow full cure before pressure testing.

Soldered copper joint: clean the tube and fitting to bright metal, apply flux, heat the fitting evenly with a torch, and feed solder into the joint gap until a ring appears.

Compression joint: slide the nut and olive onto the tube, insert the tube fully into the fitting, and tighten the nut about one and a quarter turns by hand plus a spanner; do not overtighten the olive.

Push-fit joint: mark the insertion depth, cut square and deburr, push the pipe past the grab ring until it seats, and use the manufacturer's locking clip or release tool for demounting.

Flanged joint: use a gasket between flanges, align the bolt holes, insert bolts and tighten in a diagonal or star pattern in stages to avoid uneven gasket loading.

Welded and brazed joints: brazing uses a filler melting above 450 degrees Celsius with capillary action, while fusion welding of PPR uses a heated socket and spigot to melt and fuse the surfaces.

Direct supply system delivers mains water straight to fixtures; indirect supply system stores water in an underground tank and an overhead tank and then distributes by gravity.

Overhead tank height rule: the tank must give a minimum head of about 2 to 3 m above the highest fixture for adequate pressure at the top floor.

Distribution layouts: the tree or branch system runs a main with branches, the loop or ring system feeds each fixture from two directions, and the upfeed and downfeed systems differ in whether supply rises or falls to fixtures.

Pipe sizing rule: cold water branch to a wash basin about 15 mm, to a water closet about 15 mm, to a kitchen sink about 15 mm, and the main riser sized from the total fixture loading units.

Fixture unit method: each fixture is assigned loading units, for example a water closet about 3 units and a wash basin about 1 unit, and the total selects the pipe size from a sizing table.

Air lock prevention: slope horizontal supply pipes slightly upward toward the air release point, avoid sharp dips, and fit air release valves at high points of the line.

Backflow prevention: provide an air gap between a tap and the fixture rim, fit a check valve or vacuum breaker where a hose connection may be submerged.

Testing rule: a new water supply line is hydrostatically tested at about 1.5 times the working pressure, or a minimum of 10 bar for a period of at least one hour, with no drop in pressure.

Water closet types: the wash-down WC has a shallow trap and a visible water surface, the siphon wash-down uses a jet to flush, and the one-piece WC has the tank integral with the bowl.

Flush tank mechanism: a ball float or float valve controls the inlet, a flush valve or siphon controls the outlet, and the overflow pipe discharges above the floor level.

Wash basin: fitted with a 32 mm or 40 mm waste outlet, a basin trap, and an overflow; the rim must be at about 780 to 800 mm above finished floor level.

Kitchen sink: standard size about 600 x 450 x 200 mm, supplied with a 40 mm waste coupling, a sink trap, and a tap with a minimum 15 mm supply.

Floor trap or nahani trap: a gully trap with a water seal of about 50 mm prevents sewer gas entry; it is placed at the lowest point of a wet area floor.

Water seal depth rule: traps must retain a water seal of at least 50 mm; a P-trap or S-trap under a fixture must be accessible for cleaning.

Bidet and urinal: a urinal is fitted with a flush valve or cistern and a 40 mm waste; a bidet requires a 15 mm supply and a 40 mm waste with a trap.

Fixing heights: WC pan top about 400 mm, wash basin rim about 780 mm, and shower head about 2000 mm above finished floor level.

Drainage gradient rule: a 100 mm soil pipe is laid at about 1 in 60 to 1 in 80 fall, while a 150 mm sewer uses about 1 in 100 to 1 in 150, so that flow velocity reaches about 0.6 to 0.9 m per second.

Self-cleansing velocity is the minimum flow velocity that keeps solids moving, about 0.6 m per second; the maximum permissible velocity is about 3 m per second to avoid pipe erosion.

Separate system carries sewage and rainwater in separate pipes; combined system carries both in one sewer; the partially separate system takes rainwater from roofs separately and surface water with sewage.

House drain components: soil pipe carries human waste from WCs, waste pipe carries sullage from sinks and basins, vent pipe equalises pressure, and rainwater pipe carries roof water.

Two-pipe system provides separate soil and waste stacks with separate vents; the one-pipe system collects soil and waste in one stack with a vent pipe, and the single-stack system uses one pipe with a vent.

Manhole spacing rule: manholes are provided at every change of direction, gradient or diameter, at junctions, and at intervals of about 45 m for 300 mm sewers.

Inspection chamber and gully trap: an inspection chamber gives access for rodding, and a gully trap receives waste water from floors and sinks before it enters the sewer.

Ventilation rule: the drain must be ventilated by a vent pipe carried above roof level, and anti-siphon or vent pipes prevent trap seal loss from pressure changes.

Leaking tap diagnosis: water drips from the spout means a worn washer or ceramic cartridge; water leaks from the spindle means a worn gland packing or O-ring.

Ball valve fault: water overflows into the WC pan means the float valve is not shutting off, caused by a worn washer, a punctured float, or a misadjusted float arm.

No water at a tap: check the isolation valve and stop cock first, then check for an air lock, a blocked aerator, or a frozen or damaged line.

Gurgling or slow drainage in a fixture usually indicates a partially blocked trap or waste pipe, or a blocked vent causing trap seal siphonage.

Sewer odour indoors points to a dry trap, a broken or disconnected vent, a leaking soil pipe joint, or a faulty floor trap seal; pour water into unused traps first.

Low water pressure causes include a choked aerator, scale in galvanised pipes, a partially closed valve, undersized pipe, or insufficient overhead tank head.

Hydrostatic test method: isolate the section, fill with water, expel air, pressurise with a test pump, and observe the gauge; a falling gauge indicates a leak in the tested section.

Smoke or water test for drains: a smoke test locates leaks in the soil system, and a water or air test is used to check drain joints before backfilling.

Communication sequence for a job: listen to the customer, restate the requirement, confirm the measurement and material, and record the agreed price and time before starting work.

Resume essentials for a plumber: name and contact, trade qualification such as NSQF level, list of skills including pipe fitting and fixture installation, and work experience with dates.

Interview preparation: know your trade terms, be ready to describe a recent job step by step, and carry certificates and a small portfolio of work photographs.

Workplace documents: a job card records the work done, a material requisition requests stores, an invoice bills the customer, and a measurement sheet records quantities for payment.

Digital skills: use a smartphone for measurement photographs, customer contact, digital payment, and reading manufacturer installation instructions or QR codes on fittings.

Teamwork on site: coordinate with masons before pipe chasing, with electricians before concealed conduit work, and with painters after fixture installation.

Time and cost control: estimate material quantity from drawings, add a wastage allowance of about 5 to 10 percent, and record daily progress against the schedule.

Safety and rights at work: a worker is entitled to a safe workplace, protective equipment, minimum wages, and timely payment; report unsafe conditions to the supervisor.

Professional ethics in plumbing: quote honestly, use the specified material grade, do not conceal defects, complete the agreed scope, and give a written warranty period for the work.

Customer relations rule: keep the work area clean, protect the customer's property, explain the fault in plain language, and provide a written bill with itemised materials and labour.

Pricing method: total cost equals material cost plus labour cost plus overheads plus profit margin; a typical small contractor adds 10 to 20 percent overhead and 10 to 15 percent profit.

Business registration: a small plumbing enterprise may register as a proprietorship, partnership or company, obtain a GST registration where turnover crosses the threshold, and hold a shop and establishment licence.

Quotation contents: scope of work, material brand and grade, quantity, rate, total amount, time schedule, payment terms, and validity period of the quotation.

Record keeping: maintain a cash book, purchase bills, a wage register, and a job register; these support tax filing, bank loans and warranty claims.

Marketing for a plumbing business: register on local service platforms, keep a photograph portfolio, collect customer references, and display licence and qualification.

Warranty and complaint handling: respond to a complaint within the agreed time, rectify defects at no charge within the warranty period, and record the complaint and action taken.

Risk and contract: take an advance for material, use a written work order for large jobs, and insure against third-party damage and worker injury where required.

A pipe wrench is sized by handle length in inches; the jaw teeth must point in the direction of rotation so that the pull is toward the handle.

A hacksaw uses 18 teeth per inch for pipe and thick metal, 24 for general work, and 32 for thin tube and sheet; at least three teeth should be in contact with the work.

A pipe cutter has a cutting wheel, two guide rollers and an adjusting knob; tighten the knob about a quarter turn per revolution and use cutting oil.

A file card cleans file teeth; a file must have a handle fitted and must be used with forward pressure on the forward stroke only.

A cold chisel is held at about 45 degrees to the work and struck with a ball pein hammer; wear goggles because chips fly.

A try square checks squareness of cut ends and marked lines; a spirit level checks horizontal and a plumb rule checks vertical alignment.

A spanner must fit the nut flats fully; an adjustable wrench is set to the nut size and pulled toward the fixed jaw.

A screwdriver blade must match the slot width and thickness; a Phillips driver is selected by point size and a Pozidriv has extra cross marks.

Cut length equals centre-to-centre length minus the sum of fitting take-outs at both ends; take-out is the depth the pipe enters the fitting.

A 90 degree long radius elbow take-out equals 1.5 times the nominal pipe diameter; a short radius elbow take-out equals 1.0 times the nominal diameter.

Mark a square cut line with a try square or a pipe wrap; a paper strip wrapped around the pipe gives a true circumference line.

Cut on the waste side of the marked line; after cutting, ream the internal burr with a deburring tool or half-round file.

For plastic pipe, mark the socket depth on the pipe before jointing and cut square with a plastic pipe cutter or fine-tooth saw.

Thread length rule: after tightening, about 2 to 3 threads should remain exposed; a thread gauge checks the thread form and pitch.

Steel tape and folding rule measure lengths; a vernier caliper measures outside and inside diameter, and a micrometer measures wall thickness.

Drainage gradient is measured with a spirit level and a straight edge; a fall of 1 in 60 means 1 unit drop for every 60 units of run.

Threaded joint: clean the male thread, apply PTFE tape clockwise in the tightening direction or jointing compound, and tighten with a pipe wrench until about 2 to 3 threads remain exposed.

Solvent cement joint: clean and prime both surfaces, apply cement to pipe and socket, insert with a quarter turn, hold about 30 seconds, and cure before testing.

Soldered copper joint: clean to bright metal, apply flux, heat the fitting evenly, and feed solder into the gap until a ring shows at the mouth of the fitting.

Compression joint: slide the nut and olive onto the tube, insert the tube fully, and tighten the nut hand tight plus about one and a quarter turns with a spanner.

Push-fit joint: cut square, deburr, mark insertion depth, push past the grab ring until seated, and fit the locking clip; use a release tool to demount.

Flanged joint: align the bolt holes, insert the gasket, and tighten bolts in a diagonal star pattern in stages to load the gasket evenly.

PPR fusion joint: heat the pipe and fitting on the fusion tool at the set temperature and time, then push together without twisting and hold until set.

Brazing uses a filler that melts above 450 degrees Celsius and flows by capillary action; soldering uses a filler melting below that temperature.

Direct supply feeds fixtures from the mains; indirect supply stores water in an underground tank and an overhead tank and distributes by gravity.

The overhead tank must give a minimum head of about 2 to 3 m above the highest fixture to produce adequate pressure at the top floor.

Distribution layouts: tree or branch system, loop or ring system, upfeed system and downfeed system; the loop system gives more uniform pressure at fixtures.

Fixture unit method assigns loading units to fixtures, such as about 3 units for a water closet and about 1 unit for a wash basin, and the total selects the pipe size.

Common branch sizes: 15 mm for a wash basin, water closet or kitchen sink supply; the main riser is sized from the total fixture units.

Air lock prevention: avoid dips in horizontal supply pipes, slope slightly toward an air release point, and fit air release valves at high points.

Backflow prevention: keep an air gap between the tap and the fixture rim and fit a check valve or vacuum breaker on hose connections.

Hydrostatic test: test new supply lines at about 1.5 times working pressure with a minimum of 10 bar for at least one hour with no pressure drop.

Water closet types include wash-down, siphon wash-down and one-piece; the wash-down has a shallow trap and a visible water surface.

Flush tank parts: float valve controls inlet, siphon or flush valve controls outlet, and the overflow discharges above floor level.

Wash basin: 32 mm or 40 mm waste outlet, basin trap and overflow; rim height about 780 to 800 mm above finished floor.

Kitchen sink: about 600 x 450 x 200 mm, with a 40 mm waste coupling, sink trap and a 15 mm supply tap.

Floor trap or gully trap: retains a water seal of at least 50 mm to prevent sewer gas entry and is placed at the lowest point of a wet floor.

Fixing heights: WC pan top about 400 mm, wash basin rim about 780 mm, and shower head about 2000 mm above finished floor level.

Urinal: fitted with a flush valve or cistern and a 40 mm waste; a bidet needs a 15 mm supply and a 40 mm trapped waste.

Trap rule: every fixture must have a trap with a water seal of at least 50 mm, and the trap must be accessible for cleaning.

Drainage gradient: a 100 mm soil pipe is laid at about 1 in 60 to 1 in 80, and a 150 mm sewer at about 1 in 100 to 1 in 150.

Self-cleansing velocity is about 0.6 m per second minimum, and the maximum permissible velocity is about 3 m per second.

Separate system carries sewage and rainwater in separate pipes; combined system carries both in one sewer; partially separate takes roof water separately.

Soil pipe carries human waste from WCs, waste pipe carries sullage from sinks and basins, vent pipe equalises pressure, and rainwater pipe carries roof water.

One-pipe system collects soil and waste in one stack with a vent; two-pipe system uses separate soil and waste stacks; single-stack uses one pipe with a vent.

Manholes are provided at every change of direction, gradient or diameter, at junctions, and at intervals of about 45 m for a 300 mm sewer.

Inspection chamber gives access for rodding; a gully trap receives floor and sink waste before it enters the sewer.

Vent pipe must be carried above roof level to ventilate the drain, and anti-siphon pipes prevent trap seal loss from pressure changes.

Dripping tap from the spout indicates a worn washer or ceramic cartridge; leakage at the spindle indicates worn gland packing or an O-ring.

Water overflowing into the WC pan indicates the float valve is not shutting off, caused by a worn washer, punctured float or misadjusted float arm.

No water at a tap: check the stop cock and isolation valve first, then an air lock, a blocked aerator, or a frozen or damaged line.

Gurgling or slow drainage indicates a partially blocked trap or waste pipe, or a blocked vent causing trap seal siphonage.

Sewer odour indoors points to a dry trap, a broken vent, a leaking soil joint or a faulty floor trap seal; pour water into unused traps first.

Low pressure causes include a choked aerator, scale in galvanised pipes, a partly closed valve, undersized pipe, or insufficient tank head.

Hydrostatic test: isolate the section, fill and expel air, pressurise with a test pump, and observe the gauge; a falling gauge indicates a leak.

Smoke test locates leaks in the soil system, and a water or air test checks drain joints before backfilling.

Job communication sequence: listen, restate the requirement, confirm measurement and material, and record the agreed price and time before starting.

Resume essentials: contact details, NSQF trade qualification, skill list including pipe fitting and fixture installation, and dated work experience.

Interview preparation: know trade terms, describe a recent job step by step, and carry certificates and work photographs.

Workplace documents: job card records work done, material requisition requests stores, invoice bills the customer, and measurement sheet records quantities for payment.

Digital skills: use a smartphone for measurement photographs, customer contact, digital payment, and reading manufacturer instructions or QR codes on fittings.

Site coordination: work with masons before pipe chasing, with electricians before concealed conduit work, and with painters after fixture installation.

Time and cost control: estimate material from drawings, add about 5 to 10 percent wastage, and record daily progress against the schedule.

Worker rights: entitlement to a safe workplace, protective equipment, minimum wages and timely payment; report unsafe conditions to the supervisor.

Professional ethics: quote honestly, use the specified material grade, do not conceal defects, complete the agreed scope, and give a written warranty period.

Customer relations: keep the work area clean, protect the customer's property, explain the fault plainly, and give a written itemised bill.

Pricing method: total cost equals material plus labour plus overheads plus profit; a small contractor adds about 10 to 20 percent overhead and 10 to 15 percent profit.

Business registration: proprietorship, partnership or company, GST registration where turnover crosses the threshold, and a shop and establishment licence.

Quotation contents: scope, material brand and grade, quantity, rate, total, time schedule, payment terms, and validity period.

Record keeping: cash book, purchase bills, wage register and job register support tax filing, bank loans and warranty claims.

Marketing: register on local service platforms, keep a photograph portfolio, collect customer references, and display licence and qualification.

Warranty handling: respond to a complaint within the agreed time, rectify defects free within warranty, and record the complaint and action taken.

Risk and contract: take an advance for material, use a written work order for large jobs, and insure against third-party damage and worker injury.