If you are thinking about having some work done on your pipes, or if you’ve discovered a leak that needs servicing, you can’t get to first base without knowing some basic plumbing terminology. If you go into a store looking for equipment, for example, then you’ll need to be able to tell the sales clerk what items you need. If you call in a professional, then you’ll be a little lost as they explain what needs to be purchased and done if you don’t know their commonly-used acronyms, tools, and products.
Steven Nagel is the owner of the Tampa branch of one of the premiere companies in the leak detection and plumbing industry, American Leak Detection. Nagel says that, although there are plenty of plumbing terms used by professionals, homeowners should be fairly well-equipped if they can learn 15 basic terms, many of which are acronymns. The 15 terms Nagel considers most important are as follows:
- ABS: This stands for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. ABS is a tough, black, plastic pipe that’s used in drain lines.
- Adapter: This is a fitting that can bring two pipes of different sizes or types together.
- Cleanout: When you need to remove an obstruction in a drainpipe or trap, this is a handy section of pipe. It’s part of a normal plumbing system. A fitting that allows two similar pieces of pipe to fit together.
- CPVC: This stands for Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride. Where local plumbing codes permit it, this is a hard plastic pipe that can be used in water-supply systems. It often is used in place of copper pipes.
- Elbow: Also called an “ell” or “L,” an elbow is a pipe fitting that has two openings, always at divergent angles, up to 90 degrees.
- Fixture: A fixture is anything that allows a supply of water in or out. Good examples are sinks and toilets.
- IPB: This stands for Polybutylene, a plastic type of tubing permitted for use in some water systems around the country.
- Plumber’s Putty: Plumber’s putty is a substance that is soft, like putty, that is used to form seals around joints and the bases of fixtures.
- PVC: This stands for Polyvinyl Chloride. It is an white or off-white plastic pipe used in things such as residential sprinkler systems.
- Reducer: A fitting that connects one pipe to another that is smaller in size.
- Rough-in: Basic plumbing installation phase that includes vent and waste lines, water and drains.
- Run: The entire length of pipe from a fixture to a drain.
- Solder: (Pronounced “sodder.”) A metal alloy melted to mend or fasten one surface to another. It’s also used to describe the action of using solder, such as: “He will solder one part to another.”
- Tee: A pipe fitting in the shape of the letter T with three openings.
- Trap: Part of a fixture’s drain line that holds water and prevents sewer gasses from coming into a home.
Knowing these terms isn’t going to get you a shiny gold star from a salesman or plumber, but they’ll at least show that you have a basic understanding of the materials and equipment used during the repair or renovation process. In the long run, this will reduce the odds that you will get taken in by someone who wants to sell you something you don’t need, and it will ensure that you get what you want for your plumbing job.
The more complicated your plumbing repair or renovation is, the more familiar you’ll need to be with additional terms not on Nagel’s list. Thus, if you want to know more than these basic terms, specialists such as those at American Leak Detection are happy to educate you, or you can check your local library and websites for additional information.
