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branches are shown by a single line with the dimensions of each noted adjacent to the lines. Both meth-
ods are used on HVAC drawings throughout the building-construction industry, either singly or in com-
bination (Figure 8.13A and B). A number of custom HVAC CADD programs are currently available to
help improve drafting productivity and efficiency.
8.7 MISCELLANEOUS SYMBOLS.
Component Symbols.
Component symbols represent such items as furniture, fixtures, and appliances. Many component sym-
bols are similar to the actual item represented in plan/elevation view.
Specialist Symbols.
There are many specialist trades, such as welding, that have their own specific symbols. Figure 8.14
shows examples of basic and supplementary weld symbols and the standard location of elements of a
welding symbol. Figure 8.15 and Figure 8.16 are further examples of specialist type symbols.
Indexing Symbols.
To summarize, when reading symbols on a blueprint, the following should be remembered:
- Placement of symbols on floor plans and elevations may be approximate unless they are dimen-
sioned. - Do not scale a symbol to determine its size. Specific information should be obtained from rele-
vant details, schedules, or specifications. - A symbol’s size may vary according to the scale of the drawing.
- Symbols drawn to represent surface materials may cover only a representative portion of an
area. - Abbreviations are often used in place of a graphic symbol in order to reduce drawing time and
space. A list of architectural/construction abbreviations is given in the Appendix. - Symbols for the same items are usually different in plan, elevation, and section drawings.
- Some symbols may use the same or similar graphic treatments in elevation. Check notations,
detail drawings, and specifications for identification.