Glossary of Plumbing Terms and Definitions P-Z

Not an expert on plumbing? That's OK. Plumbers may throw around a lot of jargon and slang when talking with you about your job. Here is a glossary of common terms that can help you bridge the gap.

• PB: Bendable plastic tubing most often used to supply water to bathroom fixtures. Stands for polybutylene.
• PE: Flexible plastic supply line. Use is restricted in many locations. Stands for polyethylene.
• PEX: Flexible plastic supply line that is stronger than PE. In bathrooms it is used for water supply lines. Stands for cross-linked polyethylene.
• PVC: A rigid white plastic pipe used for bathroom drain, waste and vent pipes. Stands for polyvinyl-chloride.
• Plumber's Putty: Dough-like putty that seals joints between fixture surfaces and metal pieces, such as the drain.
• Pop-up Drain: Drain assembly for lavatory and bath with a lever that opens or closes the drain.
• Pressure Balance Valve: Shower valve that monitors fluctuations in pressure to maintain balance between hot and cold water so that temperature remains constant.
• Reducer: Fitting that connects a larger pipe to a smaller pipe.
• Shutoff Valve: Valves installed under sinks and toilets used to shut off water supply in the event of a malfunction or repair. Also called a Straight Stop or Supply Stop.
• Sleevev: Pipe inserted through a wall with another pipe run through it.
• Soil Pipe: Pipe that carries waste from toilets.
• Sweating: Slang for soldering. Also refers to condensation on the outside of pipes or toilet tanks.
• Sweep: Pipe bend fitting used in drains to permit smooth passage of waste.
• Teflon Tape: White tape made of fluorocarbon polymer. It has non-stick properties and is wrapped around pipe threads in a joint to create a tight seal.
• Trap: Curved section of drain that traps a small portion of water to prevent sewer gases from escaping into the bathroom. "P" traps and "S" traps are the types of traps most commonly found in bathrooms.
• Trap Seal: Water in a trap or toilet that prevents sewer gases from escaping back through the drain.
• Vanity: Storage cabinet beneath a bathroom sink.
• Vent: Vertical or sloping portion of drain pipe that allows sewer gasses to escape from the house into the outdoor air and lets air into the drain system to keep air pressure balanced and prevent water in traps from being siphoned off.
• Wet Vent: Pipe that both drains wastewater and vents air into the drains. Connects two or more fixtures.