A plumber may throw around a lot of jargon and slang when talking about their work. In case you are not a plumbing expert, here is a glossary of some of the most common terminology plumbers may use.
- Escutcheon: Covers faucet handle stem to hide the supply line hole in the fixture or wall. Usually a decorative metal flange.
- Fitting: Refers to any part that joins together two sections of pipe. Comes in a variety of shapes, sizes & connection styles.
- Fixture: Sinks, tubs, toilets, etc.
- Flange: Rim or edge at end of a pipe shaft that aids in connecting it to another pipe or anchoring it to a surface.
- Flapper: Rubber flap with ball-like shape in the bottom of a toilet lifts to allow flushing and seals off the tank for refilling.
- Flex Coupling: Rubber fitting that uses steel band clamps to attach to the pipe ends. Mostly used to join sections of DWV pipe, but also connects PVC to clay or cast iron pipe.
- Float Ball: Floating device connected to the ballcock inside the toilet tank to activate or shut off the ballcock.
- Flux: Jelly-like substance used in soldering copper pipes and fittings. Applied before soldering to aid bonding and prevent oxidation.
- Gasket: Flat piece of fiber or rubber in a metal joint that creates a watertight seal.
- Gray Water: Waste water from fixtures other than toilets.
- ID: Stands for "inside diameter." Measures the inside width of a pipe. Pipe sizes are categorized according to their inside diameter.
- Lavatory: Bathroom sink with running water and drain.
- Nipple: Short piece of pipe between fittings.
- O-Ring: Rubber washer that is round instead of flat. Used in valve stems to create a watertight seal.
- OD: Stands for "outside diameter." Measures the outside width of a pipe. Useful in determining the width of a hole through which a pipe needs to pass.
- Overflow Tube: Vertical standing tube in a toilet tank that keeps tank from overflowing when the ballcock malfunctions by diverting excess water into the bowl.