CPD Exam Information and Outline
Certified in Plumbing Design
CPD Exam Syllabus & Study Guide
Before you start practicing with our exam simulator, it is essential to understand the official CPD exam objectives. This course outline serves as your roadmap, breaking down exactly which technical domains and skills will be tested. By reviewing the syllabus, you can identify your strengths and focus your study time on the areas where you need the most improvement.
The information below reflects the latest 2026 course contents as defined by ASPE. We provide this detailed breakdown to help you align your preparation with the actual exam format, ensuring there are no surprises on test day. Use this outline as a checklist to track your progress as you move through our practice question banks.
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
- Water Supply Systems (Domestic Water Design)
- Cold water distribution systems
- Hot water generation and recirculation
- Pipe sizing and pressure calculations
- Fixture demand and diversity
- Water hammer and surge control
- Fixture Unit (FU / WSFU) – demand factor used for sizing
- Hunter’s Curve – converts fixture units to probable demand
- Static Pressure vs Residual Pressure
- Velocity (fps) – typically limited to prevent noise/erosion
- Pressure Loss (friction loss)
- Booster Pump System
- Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)
- Backflow Preventer (RPZ, DCVA, PVB)
- Thermostatic Mixing Valve (TMV)
- Recirculation Loop / Return Line
- Sanitary Drainage Systems
- Gravity drainage design
- Drainage pipe sizing
- Venting systems
- Cleanouts and layout
- Building drain vs building sewer
- Drainage Fixture Units (DFU)
- Slope (e.g., 1/4 inch per foot)
- Trap Seal
- P-Trap / S-Trap
- Vent Stack / Stack Vent / Relief Vent
- Wet Venting / Circuit Venting
- Branch Interval
- Building Drain vs Building Sewer
- Invert Elevation
- Hydraulic Jump
- Storm Drainage Systems
- Roof drainage design
- Rainfall intensity calculations
- Primary and secondary drainage
- Overflow systems
- Rainfall Rate (in/hr)
- Storm Drainage Area
- Roof Drain / Scupper
- Leader / Downspout
- Secondary (Emergency) Drainage
- Siphonic Drainage System
- Time of Concentration
- Hot Water Systems & Energy
- Water heater sizing
- Storage vs instantaneous systems
- Recirculation design
- Energy efficiency
- Recovery Rate
- Storage Capacity (gallons)
- Temperature Rise
- Demand Load
- Legionella Control
- Balancing Valve
- Return Temperature
- Specialty Plumbing Systems
- Medical gas systems
- Laboratory systems
- Industrial piping
- Fuel gas systems
- Medical Gas (O₂, N₂O, Vacuum)
- Zone Valve Box
- Gas Load (BTU/hr)
- Regulator
- Compressed Air System
- Corrosion Resistance
- Plumbing Fixtures & Equipment
- Fixture selection and spacing
- ADA compliance
- Flow rates and efficiency
- GPM (gallons per minute)
- Flush Valve vs Flush Tank
- Water Closet / Urinal / Lavatory
- Sensor-operated Fixtures
- Fixture Carrier
- Low-flow Fixtures
- Codes, Standards, and Regulations
- Code compliance
- Cross-connection control
- Health and safety
- International Code Council Codes (IPC)
- National Fire Protection Association Standards
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers Standards
- Cross-Connection
- Air Gap vs Air Break
- Backflow Protection Types
- Calculations & Engineering Concepts
- Pipe sizing formulas
- Flow and pressure relationships
- Pump calculations
- Flow Rate (Q)
- Velocity (V)
- Head Loss
- Total Dynamic Head (TDH)
- Bernoulli Equation
- Friction Factor
- Equivalent Length Method
- Reading plumbing drawings
- Coordination with HVAC/structural
- Isometric Drawing
- Riser Diagram
- Plan View vs Section View
- Pipe Routing
- Coordination Clash
- Installation, Materials, and Practices
- Pipe materials and selection
- Installation methods
- Corrosion and durability
- PVC / CPVC / PEX / Copper / Cast Iron
- Dielectric Union
- Thermal Expansion
- Pipe Insulation
- Hangers and Supports
- Testing, Inspection & Maintenance
- System testing methods
- Commissioning
- Maintenance requirements
- Hydrostatic Test
- Air Test
- Smoke Test
- Commissioning
- Preventive Maintenance
- Code application (IPC tables, sizing charts)
- Fixture unit calculations (WSFU & DFU)
- System design scenarios
- Interpreting diagrams and layouts
- Real-world problem solving (not theory only)