Almost all kinds of lead pipes can be fixed by face-tacks, such as cold-water waste pipes, main and ordinary service, and warning pipes. Some architects who find time to give a little thought to the plumbing work of a building, will have a chase or recess built in the structure in which to fix pipes, but they are very rarely made large enough, and more frequently so small that the pipes have to be fixed one in front of the other, with the result that those in front have no fixing at all. Perhaps the chase is crowded with lead pipes in this manner, and then the gas-fitter tries to find room for his mains, there is no other way for the gas pipes to go, and the fitter thinks that no harm, is done if he bruises the soil pipe a bit to make room for them or there may be just room for the pipe, but to get his tongs in to screw it up he has to make room by bruising some other pipe. Sometimes the iron hot-water circulation pipes have to be squeezed in as well, and, in addition to the evils enumerated above, these pipes so expand and contract that the sockets, rubbing and chafing against their neighbours, the lead pipes, soon wear a hole in one or other of them. If these hot pipes are fixed at the ends so that they cannot expand, they bulge sideways, and so indent the other pipes.

In spite of the chase being so crowded with pipes, it is not at all uncommon for the tenant of the house to find that a few speaking-tubes would be a convenience, and as there is no other way of taking them without destroying the decorations of the staircase, they have to go into the chase with the other pipes-Very probably it is found that more bells are required, either electric, pneumatic, or ordinary wire-hung bells, and each tradesman has to exercise his ingenuity to the utmost to find room for his-fittings, all of them in this already crowded recess. After a period of time, perhaps, a leakage of water is found to be taking place somewhere in this chase, and its position cannot be seen, but it is so serious that it must be found and put to rights. The pipes that can be seen appear to be all right, therefore it must be one of those at the back. The plumber begins by cutting all the bell wires or tubes, and partly taking down the speaking tube and gas main, and then perhaps he can see enough to know that the leakage is taking place at a higher level, and so he goes up to the next floor and possibly succeeds in finding the actual position, but cannot get at it on account of the hot-water pipes. Of course he cannot disturb these until he has put out the kitchen fire and emptied the boiler or water-back. He then takes down the circulation pipes, and perhaps has to cut one or two lead service pipes before he can gain access to repair the one that is defective. The mistress of the house complains, the cook grumbles, and the master, in a towering rage, sends the poor plumber home in disgrace because he made so much fuss about repairing a broken pipe, which the master of the house, in his ignorance, says took only about an hour to do.

My readers may think this a rather highly-coloured illustration, but it is a fact. Some architects, who perhaps may have noticed this state of things, will have a good wide recess made to receive the work required, and also leave a margin for any pipes that may be found necessary at a future time, and so that the hot-water pipes may not have any effect on the lead pipes by being too close to them, which not only injures the lead, but perhaps warms the water in the pipes so that it is unpleasant for drinking purposes. In addition to the necessity of a wide chase, so that all pipes may be fixed side by side where they can be readily accessible for repairs, it is a good plan to line the back of the chase, either by covering the brickwork with cement and making the face even so as not to bruise the back sides of the pipes, and with wooden blocks at intervals for fastening them to, or else to fix boards over the whole of the surface (except where the soil pipe is to be fixed). Now, if the soil pipe had face-tacks soldered on and fixed with nails as described, the other pipes, which are generally smaller in size, could have face-tacks too, but they should be fixed to the wood back or blocks, according as the chase was prepared, with strong inch screws, so that the pipe could not slip downward or move in any way. By taking out the screws the pipe could be pulled forward for making any necessary repairs, or, if found necessary, a branch pipe made good to it, without the trouble of moving any of the other pipes. The hot-water pipes are useful in cold countries to prevent frost affecting the cold-water pipes, but they should on no account be allowed to be in actual contact with any lead or other pipe if used for conveying drinking-water. When pipes are fixed separately, it is much easier to protect them with felt, slag-wool, or any other substitute, from the effects of frost, as, if the back wall was boarded, they need only to be covered on the front side, and long strips of wood, with longish screws used to fasten the material as close to the pipe as possible.