FYI (Plumbing and Heating)

DEFINITION: Plumber\Plumb"er\, n. [F. plombier.] One who works in lead; esp., one who furnishes, fits, and repairs lead, iron, or glass pipes, and other apparatus for the conveyance of water, gas, or drainage in buildings. (Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.) 

DID YOU KNOW (PLUMBING)..?

 

Heat (heet): A form of energy associated with the motion of atoms or molecules and capable of being transmitted through solid and fluid media by conduction, through fluid media by convection, and through empty space by radiation (or, you can just say the stuff that keeps us nice and cozy). Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

DID YOU KNOW (HEATING)..?

SOME PLUMBING TERMINOLOGY

ACRYLIC: A thermoplastic (polyethylene) 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; often, fiberglass is added to the back for strength.

ADAPTOR: A fitting that joins two different types of pipes together. Or, a fitting that joins threaded with non-threaded pipes, as in: female adaptors or male adaptors. What's a male and/or female adapter, you say? You'll have to come visit our site again and find out! ;)

AERATOR: A part at the end of a faucet spout -- that mixes air into the dropping water -- thereby aerating (to supply with air) the water.

ANGLE STOP: An "emergency" stop-valve that is usually installed before the water supply line 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.

BASIN: A circular vessel with sloping or curving sides for holding water for washing.

BIDET: Pronounced B'Day: is a plumbing fixture similar to a toilet bowl 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. Bidets are very popular in some countries such as France and, have finally been "discovered" in the U.S. recently. A bidet is commonly equipped with a hot and cold mixing valve to provide warm water for washing.

CENTERSET: A style of bathroom lavatory faucet having combined spout and handles. Handles are 4" from center of handle-to-handle. Also a single handle faucet installed on 4" center-to-center faucet holes.

CONSOLE LAV: 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.

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

CPVC: Chlorinated PolyVinyl Chloride 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). .

CWT: Abbreviation for Copper Water Tube (refers to nominal pipe size).

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

DWV: Abbreviation for Drainage, Waste & Vent systems. Not for drinking water.

DYNAMIC PRESSURE: The pressure when the water IS flowing.

ELBOW (aka ELL): A fitting with two openings that change directions 90 degrees.

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

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

ESCUTCHEON: A flange or shield beneath a faucet handle. This part covers the faucet stem and the hole in the fixture or wall.

FHT: Abbreviation for female hose threads.

FIBERGLASS: Glass in a fibrous form used in making products such as boats and bathtubs.

FINISHES: The following finish abbreviations are generally used by many (not all) faucet manufacturers :

BC-Brushed Chrome

BN- Brushed Nickel

CP- Polished Chrome

PB- Polished Brass

SN- Satin Nickel

WH- White

FIP(s): Abbreviation for female pipe threads.

FIXTURE: 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.

GPF: Gallons Per Flush. Today's toilets, per federal law, are only allowed to deliver 1.6gpf or less. In many years past, toilets flushed as much as 7-8gpf.

GPH: Gallons Per Hour.

GPM: Gallons Per Minute.

HANDSHOWER: A showerhead designed with a handle that is connected to a water supply via a flexible hose.

HP: Abbreviation for "horse power."

HT: Abbreviation for "hose threads." Garden hose threads are different than standard pipe threads. They are much more coarse and are 0.75 - 11.5 NH (normal hose). The 0.75 is the nominal diameter (3/4 inch) and the 11.5 is the number of threads per inch.

ID: Abbreviation for "inside diameter. In plumbing most pipes are sized by "nominal" (approx.) I.D. which means that when plumbers say 3/4" pipe for example it generally means that the outside diameter is wider than 3/4".

IPS: Generally an abbreviation for "iron pipe size." Sometimes it means male pipe threads.

LAVATORY (aka "LAV"): A fixed bowl or basin with running water and drainage for washing. Many use the word "Lavatory" as meaning a bathroom.

MHT: Abbreviation for male hose threads.

MINI-WIDESPREAD: A special style of bathroom lavatory faucet having separate spout and handles. But designed small enough that it will fit 4" center-to-center faucet holes.

MIP: Abbreviation for male pipe threads.

OD: Abbreviation for "outside diameter."

PR: Abbreviation for "Pressure Regulator." Generally means water pressure regulator. Most codes require one if water pressures ever exceeds 80 pounds at any time on domestic potable water systems inside a structure.

PVD: Physical Vapor Deposition (used mostly with polished brass or gold finishes). This is a modern plating process used in faucet manufacturing. Vaporized zirconium reacts with nitrogen and other gases to form a VERY durable plated surface. Unlike former days when polished brass would easily tarnish over time, polished brass finishes with PVD are extreme durable and won't generally tarnish or discolor.

POP-UP ASSEMBLY: The drain mechanism of a faucet installed on a lavatory. The drain stopper "pops" up and down.

PORCELAIN: A white ceramic ware that consists of quartz, kalin, and feldspar. It is fired at high temperature on steel or cast iron to make the surface of some bathtubs, kitchen sinks and bathroom lavatories. Many times the word "porcelain" also refers to porcelain china which is a ceramic product with porcelain glaze.

PORCELAIN ENAMEL: Vitreous enamel. Many times the words "porcelain enamel" refers to pressed steel (not recommended by us) products with a porcelain glaze. When purchasing "fixtures" we like to recommend either a porcelain glaze on top of ceramic, or porcelain glaze on top of cast iron.

PRESSURE BALANCE VALVE: 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.

REDUCER: A fitting that connects pipes of different sizes together.

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

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

STATIC PRESSURE: The pressure when NO water is flowing.

STRAIGHT STOP: 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 useage. 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.

STREET ELBOW: 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.

THERMOSTATIC VALVE: 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.

TRAP: A 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 that has an "S" trap instead of a "P" trap.

VANITY: A bathroom storage cabinet beneath the counter. Some plumbers also call a lavatory sink a vanity.

VITREOUS: A surface material on some plumbing fixtures derived from or consisting of glass. It is low in porosity and is translucent.

WASTE & OVERFLOW: 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.

WATER CLOSET: Toilet.

WHITE - EURO: Not all whites are alike. Euro-white generally is a somewhat yellowish white. Similar to Corian and Avonite's = Cameo white; Surell/Formica and Wilsonart's = Frosty white

WHITE - POLAR: Polar-white generally is a blueish white. Similar to Kohler, Elkay, Moenstone, and Swanstone's = White; Corian's = Glacier white; Avonite's = Porcelain white; Surrell/Formica's = Artic white.

WIDESPREAD: A style of bathroom lavatory faucet having separate spout and handles. Usually 8" from center of handle-to-handle. Some widespread faucets can be set with handles up to 12" apart.