- PLUMBING SYSTEM – The plumbing system of a building, institution, factory, or industrial establishment, includes the water supply, liquids, substances, and or ingredients distributing pipes; and those pipes removing them and such water, liquid, and other carried-wastes; the fixtures and fixture traps; the soil, waste, and vent pipes; the house drain, the foundation drain, and the house sewer; the stormwater drainage; drainage ejectors, all with their devices, appurtenances, and connections within or on a building, a factory, or an industry.
- PLUMBING OFFICIAL – The authority or the officer charged with the administration and enforcement of the National Plumbing Code, or his regularly authorized deputy.
- POTABLE WATER – Potable water is water that is satisfactory for drinking, culinary, and domestic purposes and meets the requirements of the health authority having jurisdiction.
- PRIMARY BRANCH – A primary branch of the building drain is the single sloping drain from the base of a stack to its junction with the main building drain or with another branch thereof.
- PRIVATE OR PRIVATE USE – Private applies to fixtures in a residence where the fixtures are intended for the use of a family or an individual.
- PRIVATE SEWER – a sewer privately owned and not directly controlled by public authority.
- PRIVY – An outhouse or structure used for the deposition of excrement.
- PRIVY VAULT – A pit beneath a privy in which excrement collects.
- PUBLIC OR PUBLIC USE – In the classification of plumbing fixtures, public applies to fixtures in general toilet rooms of schools, gymnasiums, hotels, railroad stations, public buildings, bars, public comforts stations, or places to which the public is invited or which are frequented by the public without special permission or
special invitation, and other installations (whether pay or free) where a number of fixtures are installed so that their use is similarly unrestricted. - PUBLIC SEWER – a common sewer directly controlled by a public authority to which all abutters have equal rights of connections.
- RELIEF VENT – a vent the primary function of which is to provide circulation of air between drainage and vent system.
- REPAIR – The reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance. The word “repair” or “repairs” shall not apply to any change of construction.
- RETURN BEND – An open return bend, usually with inside threads, but applied also to a one hundred eighty (180 degrees) bend in a pipe.
- REVENT PIPE – See back vent pipe.
- RISER – A water supply pipe that extends vertically one full story or more too conveys water to branches or fixtures.
- ROUGHING-IN – The installation of all pipes in the plumbing system that is in partitions and under floors. It includes the plumbing work done before the setting of the fixtures or finishing.
- SANITARY SEWAGE – The sewage containing human excrement and liquid household waste; also called domestic sewage.
- SANITARY SEWER – A sewer intended to receive sanitary sewage with or without industrial wastes and without the admixture of surface water, stormwater, or drainage.
- TRAP SEAL – The vertical distance between the dip and the crown weir of a trap. Also, the water in the trap between the dip and the crown weir.
- SECONDARY BRANCH – And branch in a building drain other than the primary branch.
- SEPTIC TANK – A septic tank is a watertight receptacle, which receives the discharge of a plumbing system or part thereof, and is designed and constructed so as to separate solids from the liquid digest the organic matter through a period of detention, and allow the effluent to discharge into a storm drain; or directly to
the ground outside the tank through a system of open joint or perforated piping. - SERVICE PIPE – The pipe from the water main or source of water supply to the building served.
- SEWAGE – The liquid wastes conducted away from residences, business buildings, institutions, and industrial establishments; and with such ground, surface, and stormwater as may be present.
- SEWER – A pipe or conduit for carrying sewage and waste liquids.
- SEWERAGE, OR SEWERAGE WORKS – A comprehensive term, including all construction for collection, transportation, pumping, treatment and final disposition of sewage.
- SHAFT – A vertical opening through a building for elevators, dumb-waiter, ventilation, or similar purpose.
- SHALL – As used in this Code, is mandatory.
- SIAMESE CONNECTION – A wye connection is used on fire lines so that two lines of hose may be connected to a hydrant or to the same nozzle.
- SIPHONAGE – A suction by the flow of liquids in pipes. A pressure less than atmospheric.
- SOIL PIPE – A soil pipe is any pipe that conveys the discharge of water closets, urinals, or fixtures having similar functions. Also, a cast-iron pipe, with bell and spigot ends, used in plumbing to convey fecal matter or liquid wastes.
- SOIL STACK PIPE – A vertical soil pipe conveying fecal matter and liquid waste.
- SPIGOT – The end of a pipe, which fits into a bell. Also, a word used synonymously with faucet.
- STACK – A general term used for any vertical line of soil, waste, or vent piping.
- STACK VENT – A stack vent is the extension of a soil or waste stack above the highest horizontal drain connected to the stack.
- STANDPIPE – A vertical pipe usually used for the storage of water, frequently under pressure.
- STORM WATER – Stormwater is that portion of the rainfall or other precipitation, which runs off over the surface after the storm and for such a short period following a storm as the flow exceeds the normal runoff.
- STORY – Story is that portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the floor next above, except that the topmost story shall be that portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above. If the finished floor level directly above a basement or cellar is more than six (6) feet above grade such basement or cellar shall be considered a story.
- SUBSOIL DRAIN – Subsoil drains are underground drain pipes that receive only sub-surface or seepage water and convey it to a place of disposal.
- SUMP – A pit or receptacle at a low point to which the liquid wastes are drained.
- SUPPORTS – Supports, hangers, anchors, brackets, and cradles are devices for holding and securing pipes and fixtures to walls, ceilings, floors, or structural members.
- SURFACE WATER – portion of a rainfall or other precipitation which runs off over the surface of the ground.
- SWIMMING POOL – A water receptacle used for swimming designed to accommodate more than one bather at a time and properly connected to a disposal system.
- TAPED TEE – A cast-iron bell-end tee with the branch tapped to receive a threaded pipe of fitting
- TRAP – A fitting or device so constructed as to prevent the passage of air, gas, and some vermin through a pipe without materially affecting the flow of sewage or waste water through it.
- UNIT VENT – An arrangement of venting so installed that one vent pipe will serve two (2) traps.
- VACUUM – An air pressure less than that atmospheric. Also, siphonage.
- VENT – A pipe or opening used to ensure the circulation of air in a plumbing system and for reducing the pressure exerted on trap seals.
- WET VENT – portion of a vent pipe through which liquid waste flow.
- WASTE PIPE – a pipe that conveys only liquid waste and is free of fecal matter.
- YARD – A yard is an open, unoccupied space, other than a court, unobstructed from the ground to the sky, except where specifically provided by this Code, on the lot on which a building is situated.
Free Plumbing Review Guide 2022 Part 2
September 27, 2022