Humber Real Estate : Course 2, Module 7, Understanding Residential Construction Mechanical Systems Questions and Answers with complete solution

______ ______ increases the rate of corrosion in galvanized steel pipes. - Hot water A copy of a ______ ______ _______ must be supplied by a contractor to the well owner, and a copy myst be filed with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. - Water well record A gas furnace and a gas hot water heater on the same level may share one __________. - Flue A heating system's input capacity + Output capacity = ? - Efficiency rating, expressed as a percentage. A well that is not properly decommissioned can have what negative effects? - - Post safety problems for adults, animals and children - Contaminate groundwater - Affect the water quality of neighbouring wells Note: Once a well is abandoned, a well record must be sent to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Any contractors who work on wells must be licensed by who? - The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Before a well is drilled, a ________ is required from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. - Permit Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations mandate that gas furnaces manufactured after December 31, 1999 must have a minimum efficiency rating of ____% - 90Describe a zero clearance fireplace. - - Pre-manufactured gas fireplaces that can be placed close to walls, wood or panelling - Can be used in tight spaces - Vented to the outside rather than chimneys so can be used to add a fireplace to houses without a chimney - Very energy-efficient - Cheaper to install than wood fireplaces Describe an air source heat pump. - A system that transfers heat from outside to inside a building, or vice versa. Similar to ground source heat pumps, except that they extract heat from the air rather than the ground and use it to heat the house. Describe the characteristics of a bored wells. - - Used in gravelly, sandy or silty areas - Created using a large-diameter bore or drill - Can be deeper than dug wells and can get water from less permeable materials, such as clay, fine sand or silt - Can have a large diameter and this be exposed to a larger area of the soil that contains the groundwater - They tend to be shallow, making them subject to running dry when water drops below the water table (the level below which the ground is saturated with water) - Do not have a continuous casing or grouting, which means they can be contaminated by surface water Describe the characteristics of a drilled well. - - Used in rock and hard soil areas - Made using a cable tool or rotary drilling machines- As drilling can disturb loose material, they need a casing and screen to ensure that they do not collapse or collect sediment - The depth of drilled wells will depend on the location of the underground water source - Typical well for residential use will be anywhere from 100-500 ft. deep but could be 1000+ ft. - Usually sealed with grouting material made of cement or clay, which prevents well water from getting contaminated by surface water draining downward Describe the characteristics of a dug well. - - Used in sandy and gravelly areas - Made by digging down to the water table with a hand shovel or a backhoe until the water enters faster than it can be bailed out - Usually no more than 10 meters deep and are normally lined with cement and capped in concrete to reduce potential contamination by surface water draining into the well - Found in older properties and are rarely constructed in new homes Describe the characteristics of a point (driven) well. - - Used in sandy and gravelly areas - The simplest type of well - A small sharpened pipe is driven into shallow water-bearing sand or gravel - Economical and easy to construct- Can only use shallow water sources and so are susceptible to contamination from surface sources, such as fertilizers used on nearby soil - If driven by hand, they can only be around 30 feet deep, but machine-driven wells can be up to 50 feet deep Describe the characteristics of a tankless water heater. - - Powerful gas or propane-powered heaters - Heats water as it is needed - Have a burner, heat exchanger and venting system, but no storage capacity - Cost less to run - Can me wall-mounted and need less room - Don't run out of hot water - Have a longer lifespan - Slight delay when turning on hot tap - Limited flow of hot water - Need a minimum flow to engage the burners - Can take 6-12 years of use to cover the extra costs - Gas-fired tankless burners need high pressure gas to function correctly and they can become clogged with limescale more easily in hard water areas Do water heaters need to be vented? - Yes, if they use oil or gas (electric does not). They are usually vented through the wall using specialized piping. Safety Note: They should be located away from where people sleep and at least 45 cm above floor level in a garage to avoid igniting gasoline. Heating systems are rated for capacity and efficiency. Capacity tells homeowners what? - How much heat a heating system can generate.How are new wells tested? - - With a bailer or a pump for one hour - measuring the rate at which water can be withdrawn from the well and how quickly water in the well can recover after it has been withdrawn (this is known as the recovery rate). - Test the quality of water in the well and whether it's potable (safe to drink) How can you access a well record? - Via the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks online through Service Ontario's website. How does a ground-source heat pump or geothermal system work? - Uses the earth, groundwater or both as the source of heat in the winter and as the sink for heat removed from the home in the summer. Liquid (usually antifreeze) circulates through a loop under the ground. The heat collected from the ground is distributed through the house with an air handling system. How does a radiant heating system work? - Warms the house by circulating water through pipes embedded in the floor (copper or PEX). How does an air conditioning system work? - A refrigerant is put under pressure by a compressor until it becomes liquid, which is cooled by a condenser and then evaporates again. The evaporation process cools the air around it, which provides the cooling effect. This cooled air is distributed throughout the structure via ductwork. How does electrical service enter a building? - From the street via the electrical service entrance cable into the electrical main disconnect, where it can be shut off. From there it goes to the Distribution panel and gets sent through circuits to various outlets, where appliances can be plugged in. The electrical main disconnect is often incorporated into the distribution panel.How does the venting of a water system help it work? - - Air is placed in front of the waste to be pushed out of the way so that the waste can move through the pipes - Air is re-introduced to the piping after the water has passed so that there are no vacuums in the piping - Sewer gases escape outside via a venting stack so they do not remain in the system