by Kelly O'Shaugnessy on June 20, 2011
19 plumbing Terms you Might Hear your San Antonio Plumber say
The more a homeowner knows the better able he or she is to handle any household hiccup, especially when it comes to leaky faucets, clogged drains, and dirty pipes. The home’s plumbing system may seem like a complicated maze of pipes, and sometimes its sounds as if the plumber is speaking an entirely different language! What did he say about my clogged toilet? And what’s the name of the part I need from the home appliance store? Here are some common plumbing terms that can help even the least handy homeowner understand what the heck the plumber is talking about.
- ABS: Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene:
- This stuff is rigid and rough black plastic pipe used for plumbing system drains, waste, and vent (plumbers often abbreviate drain, waste, and vent as DWV) lines.
- Access Panel:
- That handy opening in your wall, floor or ceiling that allows access for servicing plumbing or electrical systems.
- Adapter:
- This is good to know when buying plumbing parts. The adapter is the fitting that joins two pipes together.
- Air Gap:
- Any water path flow, for example this could be the distance from a faucet to a drain.
- “A”-Valve:
- an automatic gas shut off valve
- Back pressure:
- pressure that resists the flow of liquid in the plumbing system
- Back siphonage:
- the negative pressure that causes back flow in a plumbing system
- Back wash:
- a process of cleaning a filter by reversing the flow of water through it, this sends the dirty water through the plumbing system into the waste
- Backwater valve:
- a sewer line valve that prevents sewage water from flowing back into the house, (should always be in working condition!)
- Branch drain:
- a drain that leads to the main drainage line of the plumbing system
- Cleanout:
- a special (and very handy) plug that is used to access a plumbing pipe in order to clean out an obstruction, blockage or clog
- Commode:
- toilet, (the actual piece of equipment, not the room)
- CPCV:
- This stands for chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, which is rough piping used in water supply systems
- Plumber’s putty:
- A soft substance used to seal joints and fixture bases
- PVC:
- This stands for polyvinyl chloride, and is one of the more common plumbing terms referring to white piping used in many home plumbing capacities
- Run:
- From drain to fixture, this refers to the entire length of the pipe
- Solder:
- Metal which is melted in order to fuse one surface to another (pronouced “sodder”)
- Scupper:
- A drain, usually located on the roof or deck that allows for rain water to drain off
- Trap:
- This segment of the drain line keeps harmful gases out and holds in water (also a part of your plumbing system that should always be in working condition)
Sources:
http://www.keidel.com/glossary/a.htm
http://www.superpages.com
http://www.plumbingproducts.com/plumbing-terms-s.html
Your San Antonio Plumbing company, 1-800-Plumbing, is here for all you plumbing needs. Call 1-800-Plumbing today or use our online San Antonio Plumbing request form to request an estimate!
by Kelly O'Shaugnessy on June 13, 2011
San Antonio Plumbing Emergency Tips
Being Prepared can Save you Headaches
In San Antonio, plumbing emergencies are inevitable when owning a home, but they don’t have to be a homeowner’s nightmare. Just knowing a few key tips for when a San Antonio plumbing emergency occurs can minimize damage and eliminate your frustration.
So without further ado we give you…
The Top 5 San Antonio Plumbing Emergency Tips
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Plumbing Emergency Tip #1:
- Where is the main water valve?
- One of the first things to do after moving into a home is to locate the main water supply valve. For most homes on city water supply, the shut off valve is located outside near the water meter or an exterior entrance to the home’s crawl space. Some main valves can be located inside the home underneath a floor access panel or in the basement. In the event of a San Antonio plumbing emergency, the main water supply will normally need to be turned off. For this reason, knowing its location is very important homeowners to know the location of the main water valve.
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Plumbing Emergency Tip #2
- What to do when the hot water heater is leaking?
- If hot water is leaking from a faucet or supply pipe this means the hot water heater may be leaking. The first step in dealing with a leaking water heater is to shut off the main water supply (good thing you know where it is). Next, turn off all the power to the water heater to prevent any damage to the heating element. If the tank is electric, turn off the power from the nearby breaker. If the tank is gas, use the gas shut off valve on the gas line going to the tank. Shutting off the water and the power before the plumber gets there can save homeowners from expensive damage or even replacement.
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Plumbing Emergency Tip #3
- How to prevent a complete overflow from a toilet?
- This is probably the most common San Antonio plumbing emergency we have to deal with. If the overflow is caught right away, before it reaches the rim of the toilet, just turn on the cold water in the nearby sink or bathtub! This simple trick will help slow down the water flow while your San Antonio plumber arrives. If the water is already close to flooding out of the toilet bowl, turn off the water supply to the toilet with the valve under the tank. If you don’t have a shutoff under the tank, lift up the tank lid and pull the float ball or cup inside.
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Plunbing Emergency Tip #4
- How to manage a leaking washing machine?
- If the washing machine continues to fill with water even after the machine’s basket is filled, immediately turn off the water. Simply turning the water supply valve located on the hoses behind the washing machine can do this. Next, in order to keep your San Antonio plumbing emergency from turning into a hostpital visit, turn off the washer and the circuit breaker to the washer to prevent any electricity from reaching the water filled washer! Both these steps will prevent extensive damage and eliminate any danger.
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Plumbing Emergency Tip #5
- The best San Antonio Plumbing Emergency tip of all: know your plumber’s number!
- Add 1-800 Plumbing in San Antonio (1-800-758-6246) to your list of emergency contacts and keep it next to the phone or on the fridge. Contact 1-800 Plumbing to solve any San
Antonio Plumbing Emergency you encounter.
