Terminologies Flashcards by Kristine Ann Jocson

Generally, in the plumbing industry (it is used a lot in the auto industry because it is so durable) this is black colored plastic pipe and fittings used in drainage, sewer, waste and vents. It has replaced much of thecast iron, lead and steel pipes formerly used for DWV. Important note is that no solvent cement (and primer) can totally “glue” (solvent weld) ABS to PVC plastic. Under normal conditions, quality ABS (when virgin resins are used) will not crack, chip or peel.

ABS

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An opening in the wall or ceiling near the fixture that allows access for servicing the plumbing system.

Access Panel

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A thermoplastic used on the surface of bathtubs and whirlpools. Generally comes in sheets and is formed to the shape of the mold (tubs/showers) in the factory. Generally fiberglass is added to the back for strength.

Acrylic

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Governmental guidelines. These guidelines do tend to change over time. When related to public plumbing, kitchen and bath the intent of the act/rules is to make restrooms, and other public sanitary facilities more easily accessible to those who have some disability such as being blind

ADA (American Disability Act)

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A fitting that joins two different types of pipes together. Or/Also a fitting that joins threaded with none threaded pipe (as in: female adaptor or male adaptor, PVC to cast iron pipe).

ADOPTOR

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A part at the end of a faucet spout which mixes air into the dropping water, thereby aerating the water.

AERATOR

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A mechanical one way valve used in place of traditional non mechanical (very reliable) vents. It is to allow air to enter waste piping and equalizing pressures. Vents are used to preserve the seal of trap in plumbing fixtures. Also known as auto trap vents.

Air Admittance Valve

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Air-filled space allowing contaminated water to discharge freely, preventing the contaminated water from ever siphoning back into the potable water supply.

AIR GAP

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An “emergency” stop (valve) that is usually installed before the water supply line (below) to toilets and faucets. Angle stops are to be shut off in case of an emergency or repair and are generally not designed for daily on and off usage. The difference between a “straight stop” and an “angle stops” is that the “angle” stop changes direction by 90 degrees while a straight stop is like most valves and does not change direction.

Angle Stop

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Sacrificial rod used mainly in water heaters. It helps protect the lining of and generally lengthens the life of a water heater.

ANODE ROD

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To temporarily reverse the normal liquid flow through a plumbing system.

BACK FLUSH

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Also known as a float valve, it controls the flow of water into a gravity-operated toilet tank. When the toilet is flushed the float ball drops with the water level causing the ballcock to open, this allows water to reenter the tank. As the water level rises it lifts the float ball causing the ballcock to close once the tank is completely filled.

BALL COCK

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It indicates the size of a ball that can pass through a toilet’s trapway. It also refers to the size of the trapway of a toilet; the trap size is to be 1/8” larger than the ball that can pass through it.

BALL PASSAGE

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Generally circular, vessel with slopping or curving sides for holding water for washing. Usually used to refer to a sink of some sort.

BASIN

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Used to catch large food particles to prevent them from entering the drainage system.

BASKET STRAINER

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akabibcock or hose bibb- typically a faucet with nozzle bent downward. Also called: outside/outdoor faucet/spigot or garden faucet.

BIBB

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Is a plumbing fixture similar to a toilet bowl (but no solids are to be deposited in a bidet) used for washing genitals and posterior areas of the body. It is floor mounted, usually next to a toilet, and incorporates a washing basin, faucet and sprayer.

BIDET

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Refers to the finish on the unglazed areas of vitreous china fixtures.

BISQUE

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Waste water from toilets

BLACK WATER

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A measurement of heat equal to the amount of heat necessary to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit at sea level.

BRITISH THERMAL UNIT

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Obsolete way of venting a waste water drain. An in-line trap with a vent on the inlet side. Also known as a Bristol interceptor.

BUCHAN TRAP

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Formerly used for drainage, sewers, waste, and vent pipe and fittings. Very durable and heavy metal. Today, manytop quality bath tubsare still made with cast iron. Pipes and fittings today are generally only used for commercial applications where fire ratings are involved.

CAST IRON

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Where one common vent serves up to a maximum of eight fixtures connected to a horizontal branch drain. The vent must be installed between the two most upstream fixture drains and the vent cannot receive the discharge of any waste or soil.

CIRCUIT VENT

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A plug in a drain pipe, vent or trap that provides access for the purpose of clearing an obstruction.

CLEAN OUT

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A two-piece toilet. The toilet tank is separate from the toilet bowl. This is the most common type of toilet.

CLOSE-COUPLED TOILET

(aka: toilet). A closet auger is a toilet auger which is used to clear toilet stoppages.

CLOSET

A flexible rod with a curved end used to access the toilet's built-in trap and remove clogs.

CLOSET AUGER

A curved fitting that connects the closet flange to the toilet drain.

CLOSET BEND

An anchoring ring secured to the floor.The base of the toilet is secured to this ring with bolts.

CLOSET FLANGE

A table-like fixture with an integral lavatory. The back is fixed to a wall and the front is supported by consoles (brackets) or legs.

CONSOLE LAV

Reddish-brown, non-ferrous metal widely used for household plumbing pipes.

COPPER

A fitting that joins two pieces of pipe (or other fittings) together.

COUPLING

Is a plastic product designed for drinking water at temperatures up to 180 degrees (where code permits). Comes in straight or rolls, generally off white colored (orange for fire sprinklers).

Chlorinated PolyVinyl Chloride

Refers to the amount of time it takes a toilet to complete it's flush cycle, from the instant it is flushed until the water supply shuts off.

CYCLE TIME

Valves which direct water to various outlets. They are used in showers, tub & shower combinations, bidets, Roman tub fillers and kitchen faucet sprayers.

DIVERTER

Drainage inside the building, note that "sewer" is outside the building.

DRAIN

The pressure when the water IS flowing.

DYNAMIC PRESSURE

Liquid waste, potentially hazardous, generally refers to liquid waste from septic tanks.

EFFLUENT

A fitting with two openings that changes the direction of the line. Also called an ell. It comes in a variety of angles, from 22 1/2° to 90°, though by far the most common is the 90°.

ELBOW; ELL

The shape of the front of a toilet bowl. Generally about 2" longer than the standard "round front" bowl.

ELONGATED

An opaque vitreous composition applied by fusion to the surface of metal fixtures such as cast iron and pressed steel tubs, lavatories and sinks. Please do not confuse enameled steel with enameled cast iron. Cast iron with enameling is much more durable.

ENAMEL

An ornamental or protective flange or shield beneath a faucet handle, This part covers the faucet stem and the hole in the fixture or wall. They are also found around shower arms, stop valves, and other piping that comes through the wall.

ESCUTCHEON

The proper slope or pitch of a pipe for adequate drainage.

FALL

A part used to join two sections of pipe or other fittings together. An example of a fitting is an elbow, bushing, or coupling.

FITTING

Broad term in plumbing/kitchen/bath that could be an entire toilet, sink, tub, etc OR it could be the devices that provide a supply of water.

FIXTURE

Part of the flush valve that seals water inside the toilet tank or allows passage of water into the toilet bowl during the flush cycle. Also known as a flush ball.

FLAPPER

Connected to the ballcock inside the toilet tank. The float ball rises and falls with the water levels causing the ballcock to open and close.

FLOAT BALL

A toilet valve that delivers water and then shuts off after it meters a certain amount of water.

FLUSHOMETER

The paste that is used in soldering metal joints. It aids the process by preventing oxidation of the joint.

FLUX

Pressure lost in a pipe due to turbulence created by water traveling through pipe.

FRICTION LOSS

Waste water from all fixtures except toilets.

GRAY WATER

A garden or outdoor faucet. Also, a faucet that delivers water with a hose connection at the end of the spout (such as to a washing machine).

HOSE BIBB

Size used for identification only; not literal dimensions. Used to identify pipe and fitting sizes in plumbing. Refers to the inside diameter of the pipe which can vary by thickness of the pipe. The outside is a constant size. For copper pipe the outside diameter is always 1/8" larger than the nominal size.

NOMINAL

Abbreviation for "outside diameter." The measurement of the diameter of the pipe as taken from the outside edge.

The toilet tank and bowl are not separate, but make one single fixture. Less common and usually more expensive, but generally a more stylish toilet.

ONE-PIECE TOILET

If the ballcock malfunctions this vertical tube inside the toilet tank will direct water into the toilet bowl. This is the part that can sometimes make your toilet sound like it is constantly running, which is an indication that there is a problem with your ballcock.

OVERFLOW TUBE

A shower mixing valve that automatically maintains balance between hot and cold water supplies by immediately regulating fluctuations in pressure. As a result the outlet temperature remains constant.

PRESSURE BALANCE VALVE

Refers to mechanical venting in water heating. Generally (not always) water heaters that use power venting are more efficient than regular draft venting.

POWER VENT

In reference to water is that "potable" means it is drinkable water. Water that is suitable for human consumption.

POTABLE

Refers to mechanical venting in water heating. Generally (not always) water heaters that use power venting are more efficient than regular draft venting.

POWER VENT

The opening in the toilet bowl that allows the flow of water from the tank, designed to push waste through the trapway.

PRIMING JET

Extra vent added to a vent line or drain line to keep the air pressure within the system in balance with the outside atmosphere. This will help keep the traps from air-locking or losing their trap seal.

RELIEF VENT

Small holes along the underside of the toilet bowl rim in which water flows out of, resulting in a rinsing of the toilet bowl's inner surface.

RIM HOLES

A vertical assembly of pipe and fittings that generally distributes water upward.

RISER

The portion of a plumbing installation that includes running the water supply lines and drain, waste & vent lines to the proposed location of each fixture.

ROUGH-IN

Give you the necessary information to install basic plumbing, electrical venting or other similar systems before installing the fixture. Many times a dimensional drawing is available that provides this information.

ROUGH-IN DIMENSIONS

The standard shape of the front of a toilet bowl. Generally bout 2" shorter than the optional "elongated" bowl.

ROUND FRONT

A complete or secondary section(s) of pipe that extend from supply to fixture or drain to stack.

RUN

Fitting that joins the assorted pipes in a drain, waste and vent system; designed to allow solid material to pass through without clogging.

SANITARY FITTING

Suction that takes place when water pressure drops which causes water or waste to be pulled through a descending outlet channel.

SIPHONING

Recognized by the gurgling sound that takes place at the end of a toilet flush, the siphon break is when air is re-introduced into the trapway, causing the siphoning action to cease.

SIPHON BREAK

Drainage outside the building. Note that "drain" is inside the building.

SEWER

Largest vertical drain line to which all branch waste lines connect; carries waste to the sewer line

SOIL STACK

A metal alloy that is melted to join or mend metal surfaces; also, the act of melting solder into the joint.

SOLDER

Term used with PVC, CPVC and cast-iron fittings and pipe. For PVC or CPVC fittings and pipe; A male end of a fitting the same size as the pipe that is inserted and glued into the slip (hub) end of a fitting. For cast-iron pipe; The plain end of a cast-iron pipe. The spigot is inserted into the bell or hub (female) end of the next pipe to make a water tight joint.

SPIGOT

The pressure when NO water is flowing.

STATIC PRESSURE

A valve that controls the flow of water to an individual fixture, allowing water supply to be stopped to one fixture without affecting the water supply to other fixtures.

STOP VALVE

An "emergency" stop (valve) that is usually installed before the water supply line (below) to toilets and faucets. Angle stops are to be shut off in case of an emergency or repair and are generally not designed for daily on and off usage. The difference between a "straight stop" and an "angle stops" is that the "angle" stop changes direction by 90 degrees while a straight stop is like most valves and does not change direction.

STRAIGHT STOP

An elbow (90 degree bend) fitting that has a male end (same size as pipe) on one side and a female end (pipe fits inside this size) on the other side.

STREET ELBOW

Also known as toilet or closet bolts, T-bolts are 2 anchor bolts that attach a toilet to the floor.

T-BOLT

The section of drain fitting that protrudes into the trap

TAILPIECE

Holds flush water for your fixture. On typical toilets the tank includes the ballcock, trip valve and flush lever.

TANK

The moving part of the flush valve that seals water in or allows water out of the tank during the flush cycle. Also known as the flapper, flush ball, stopper and seal disk.

TANK BALL

Device to prevent damage to and removal of the toilet tank cover and contents of the tank

TANK COVER LOCK

synonymous with faucet. Also refers to the divergence of water from one fitting to another

TAP

Any T-shaped plumbing fitting. It has three openings used to create branch lines.

TEE

Thread sealing tape with stain resistant, water repellant Teflon finish. Is also a trademark of DuPont.

TEFLON

A heat treatment technique to strengthen and harden glass for more safety. Also applies to water that has been mixed in order to avoid a temperature extreme.

TEMPERED

A pressure balancing shower mixing valve with automatic temperature control. When temperature or pressure fluctuations occur at the water inlets, a thermal actuator adjusts the hot and cold ratio to maintain the original temperature setting.

THERMOSTATIC VALVE

Provides a water seal in threaded connections

THREAD SEALANT (LIQUID)

Dry ribbons of sealant sold on spools. Unlike liquid sealant there is no chance of it getting into the supply lines and blocking water flow.

THREAD SEALANT (TAPE)

Installation where the bath drain tee outlet points down rather than horizontal.

THROUGH-THE-FLOOR

To ease installation and to prevent over-tightening this nut was designed to be tightened without tools.

THUMB NUT

To ease installation and to prevent over-tightening this screw was designed to be tightened without tools.

THUMB SCREW

Installation where the sink is fit flush with the countertop

TILE-IN

Provides a non-hardening watertight seal for the base of the toilet and the floor.

TOILET SETTING COMPOUND

Tool for measuring the amount of force applied to a threaded connection

TORQUE WRENCH

Valve the changes the flow of water from one outlet to another

TRANSFER VALVE

A curved section of drain line designed to hold water thus preventing sewer odors from escaping into a building. All "fixtures" that have drains must have a "P" trap installed. A toilet is the only plumbing fixture that has an "S" trap instead of a "P" trap.

TRAP

The seal caused by water in a trap preventing septic gasses from leaking back into the home. The trap seal is measured from the inlet of the trap to the top of the dam.

TRAP SEAL

Trap built into a toilet connecting the bowl to the waste outlet where siphoning occurs.

TRAPWAY

The trip lever on the outside of the toilet tank connects to this

TRIP ARM

Chain that connects the toilet trip arm and the flapper on the flush valve

TRIP CHAIN

Handle attached to the outside of the toilet tank used to initiate the flush

TRIP LEVER

The toilet tank is separate from the toilet bowl. This is the most common type of toilet and is also called a close-coupled toilet.

TWO-PIECE TOILET

Abbreviation for ultra low flush, which describes a toilet that deliver 1.6gpf or less.

ULF

Fitting that joins two sections of pipe, that allows them to be disconnected without cutting the pipe. Used primarily with steel pipes, but never in a DWV system.

UNION

A bathroom storage cabinet beneath the counter. Some plumbers also call a lavatory sink a vanity. Often a mirror is on the wall above.

VANITY

Are used to allow air into the drainage systems to prevent P traps to from being siphoned dry.

VENT

The upper portion of the soil stack above the topmost fixture through which gases and odors escape.

VENT STACK

A surface material on some plumbing fixtures derived from or consisting of glass. It is low in porosity and is translucent. Generally porcelain china is vitreous china.

VITREOUS

The drain assembly for a bathtub. The outlet at the top removes the "overflow" water during tub filling and the drain at the bottom removes "waste" water when the tub is drained.

WASTE & OVERFLOW

Generally refers to a bathtub drain assembly.

WASTE SHOE

Shock waves in plumbing generally due to high velocity water being shut off quickly. This is mainly caused by under sizing of pipes and faucets or valves that are shut off fast.

WATER HAMMER

When the drain discharge of one fixture is put into the vent stack of another fixture. Vertical wet venting is the most common and allows 4 fixtures of one or two fixture units each to discharge (drain) into a vent pipe serving another fixture. This can only be done if all of the fixtures involved are located on the same story as the wet vented fixture.

WET VENT

Normal, maximum operating pressure design of a faucet, valve or plumbing product.

WORKING PRESSURE

A Y-shaped fitting with three openings used to create branch lines.

WYE

Terminologies Flashcards

(117 cards)