We believe that part of our duty to our customers is to educate them about the plumbing in their homes so that they can do a better job of maintaining that plumbing, thereby reducing their repair costs over the lifetime of the home.

Our plumbers will take the time to explain your plumbing to you while they are in your home; but, if you want to do a little research on your own, you can read more about your plumbing here. Just click on the camera icon to see a picture of the plumbing item we are describing.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

– A –

ABS

Aristocraft bristone styrine, a rigid black plastic pipe used for drain, waste, and vent lines.

Angle Stop

A shutoff valve between a water supply pipe and a fixture such as a faucet or toilet. Its inlet connects to the water supply pipe in a wall, and its outlet angles up 90 degrees toward the fixture. These valves are usually used to shut off water to a fixture when a repair needs to be made, so that you don’t have to turn the water supply off to the whole house.

Anode Rod

A rod installed in a water heater that protects the tank from corrosion, helping to extend the life of the tank. Manufacturers offer varying lengths of warranty on their products based on the quality of the anode rod installed.

– B –

Backwater Valve

Sewer line valve that prevents sewage from flowing back into the house.

Ball Check Valve

A type of backflow preventer that uses a ball to seal against a seat in a valve. It is installed on a water line so that water is allowed to flow in one direction only.

Ballcock

The fill valve that controls the flow of water from the supply line into a gravity-operated toilet tank. It’s controlled by a mechanism that floats in the tank water. When the toilet is flushed, the float drops and opens the ballcock. This releases water into the tank and/or bowl. As the water in the tank is restored, the float rises and shuts off the ballcock when the tank is full.

Branch

Any part of a drain system other than the main, riser, or stack, also known as a lateral line.

Branch Vent

A vent connecting one or more individual vents with a vent stack.

BTU

British Thermal Unit – A unit of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 lb. of water 1 degree Fahrenheit.

– C –

Check Valve

A type of backflow preventer installed on a pipe so that water is allowed to flow in one direction only.

City Sewer

Sewage disposal system owned and operated by your city or county. Your home’s main line ties in to this system at the Tap.

Cleanout Plug

A plug in a trap or drain pipe that, when removed, provides the plumber with access to the line for the purpose of clearing an obstruction.

Closet

Toilet.

Closet Auger

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

Closet Bend

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

Closet Flange

Anchoring ring that attaches to the closet bend and secures it to the floor. Closet bolts that secure the toilet in place are insert into slots in the closet flange.

– D –

Diaphragm

Flexible membrane in a valve body that regulates water flow from the supply lines and eliminates the possibility of debris build-up within the valve.

Dip Tube

Tube inside the water heater that sends cold water to the bottom of the tank.

Drip Leg

A stub-ended pipe installed at a low point on a gas line to allow condensation to be collected and removed.

– E –

Expansion Tank

A tank designed to contain excess pressure caused due to thermal expansion when the water in the main tank is heated.

– F –

Fall/Flow

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

Flapper Valve

The part on the bottom of the toilet tank that opens to allow water to flow from the tank into the bowl.

Float Ball

The floating ball connected to the ballcock inside the tank that rises or falls with changing water levels in the tank and actuates – or shuts off – the ballcock as needed.

Floor Flange

A fitting that connects a toilet to the sewer line.

Flushometer

Toilet valve that automatically shuts off after it meters a certain amount of water flow. Flushometers are usually found commercial grade toilets.

Footprint

The area of floor space taken up by a water heater or other appliance.

– G –

Gas Cock

Gas valve installed on main gas line and on a gas appliance to allow the gas to be shut off when necessary.

Gas Control

Device used to regulate gas pressure on a water heater.

Gate Valve

A device the controls the flow of liquid in a pipe.

Gravity Operated Toilet

A toilet that relies on the natural downward pressure of water in a toilet tank to flush the toilet effectively. Most toilets in American homes are gravity operated.

– H –

Horizontal Branch

Lateral drain pipes that run from plumbing fixtures to the waste stack in a building or in the soil.

Horizontal Run

The horizontal distance between the point where fluid enters a pipe and the point at which it leaves.

Hose Bibb

An outdoor faucet or spigot typically used for watering plants, washing cars, etc. This term is also sometimes used to describe the valve on a supply line to a washing machine, although a washing machine actually uses a boiler drain.

Hubless (No-Hub)

Cast iron drainage pipe with neoprene gaskets and clamps.

– I –

Instantaneous Water Heater

A type of water heater that heats water as it flows through the heat exchanger coil. Also known by the brand name “Insta-Hot”

– M –

Main Line

The primary line that supplies water from the water company’s meter at the street up to the point where it enters the home. All other supply lines in the home branch out from this main line.

– N –

No-Hub Connector

A connector for no-hub iron pipe consisting of a rubber sleeve and a stainless steel band secured by hose clamps. Or a a neoprene sleeve with two adjustable steel bands that is used for connecting dissimilar materials (for example, when connecting new plastic pipe to an existing cast-iron drainpipe.) Usually used in older homes.

– P –

Pitch

Downward slope of a drain pipe in the direction of the water flow, also known as the “fall” of the pipe.

Polybutylene

This is a soft, gray or blue plastic pipe that was widely-used from the mid- 70′s to the mid- 90′s across the nation. Since then it has become known that polybutylene deteriorates over time and leaks.

Power Flush System

Toilet flushing system that compresses water to provide a pressurized flush as opposed to a gravity flush. Power assisted toilets are more typically found in business or commercial settings.

Pressure Reducing Valve

A special valve installed on the main water line coming in to the home so that water entering the valve from municipal mains is constricted within the valve body. It reduces water pressure coming in to your home from the high level used by the water company down to a level that can be used in your home without damaging your fixtures.

PVC

Polyvinyl chloride. A rigid white or cream-colored plastic pipe used in non-pressurized systems, such as drainage, waste, and vent systems.

– R –

Rated Storage Volume

Quantity of water stored in a tank.

Rim Holes

A series of small holes in the underside of a toilet rim around the circumference of the bowl. Water flows down into the bowl through these holes and washes over the entire inner surface of the bowl.

Riser

A vertical metal or plastic supply line that connects a faucet or shower fixture to the water supply stop valve. It is usually made of copper though Metal Flex Risers are corrugated to facilitate bending. Also, the name of a supply line that rises from one story to the next.

– S –

Septic Tank

The holding tank for a small scaled sewage treatment system that serves a home that does not have a connection to the local city or county sewage pipes. The term “septic” refers to the anaerobic bacteria that live in the tank and decompose the waste discharged into the tank.

Sewage Ejector Pump

These pumps are required where wastewater cannot flow to its destination by means of gravity at a velocity of at least 2 feet per second. Nearly all residential plumbing systems rely on the force of gravity to move waste through the lines; but, occasionally, a fixture needs to be installed below the nearest available sewer or septic line (for example in a basement bathroom). The waste from the drain for this fixture must be lifted to the level of the main drain.

Straight Stop Valve

A shutoff valve, like the angle stop but without the 90 degree turn.

Sump Pump

This type of pump is used where basement flooding happens regularly. A pit is dug in the basement. The water accumulates in the pit. Then, the sump pump pushes the water outside the home and away to an area where it is no longer problematic.

Supply Line

A metal or plastic line that carries water from the Main Line to an individual fixture (e.g. faucet, toilet, etc.) in the home.

– T –

T & P Valve

Temperature & Pressure relief valve. A safety device used to expel excess pressure or heat from inside a tank. If the water in the tank gets too hot, some of it is released through the T&P valve.

Tailpiece

Section of pipe that runs between a fixture outlet and the trap.

Thermocouple

Small electric generator. Electron flow between the hot junction of 1200ºF and cold junction of 600ºF creates millivoltage.

Trap

Curved section of drain line that prevents sewer odors from escaping into the atmosphere. All fixtures that have drains must have a “P” trap installed. A toilet is the only plumbing fixture with an “S” trap. The “S” trap is built in to the base of the toilet.

Trap Seal

Height of water in a toilet bowl “at rest.” This water prevents sewer gases from entering the home.

Trapway

Channel in a toilet that connects the bowl to the waste outlet. This is where the siphonic action takes place. The trapway is measured in terms of the largest diameter ball which can pass through it. Also called the passageway. A toilet with a wide trapway can help reduce clogs.

Trip Lever

Flush handle and actuating arm on a toilet tank that is attached to the flapper to make the toilet flush. Also the lever that opens and closes the drain on the bathtub waste and overflow.

– V –

Vent

A pipe that allows air into a drain system to balance the air pressure, preventing water in the traps from being siphoned off.

Vent Stack

Upper portion of the vent line about the topmost fixture through which gases and odors escape.

– W –

Washing Machine Box

A fixture on the wall in the laundry area that holds the hot and cold supply lines for the washing machine. It also has a connection to the drain line so that water from the washing machine can be pumped out to the drain.

Water Hammer

A loud annoying noise or vibration made by your pipes when you turn the water on or off. It is caused by a pressure surge or wave when water in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly; for example, when a valve is suddenly closed. This pressure wave can cause major problems, from noise and vibration to pipe collapse. Water hammer can be stopped by adding a shock absorbers or Hammer Arrester on the water lines.

Winterization

The act of preparing a vacant home for winter by draining out the water heater and water lines and applying products to toilet bowls to prevent them from freezing.

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