Reference
Plumbing Glossary
120 plumbing terms grouped by what they actually do — tools you'll see in your house, anatomy of the system behind the walls, the failure modes that cause emergency calls, and the trenchless procedures that fix them. Definitions written by the AlertPlumber editorial team and cited to IAPMO, EPA, NOAA, and state license boards where applicable.
Phase 1 ships 5 fully-written entries. Remaining terms list their SEO targets and ship as Stage 2 batched generation expands the tier.
Tools & Materials (28)
- Plumber's Putty Coming soon
- Plumber's Tape (PTFE) Coming soon
- SharkBite Fitting Coming soon
- PEX (Cross-Linked Polyethylene) Flexible plastic plumbing pipe that has largely replaced copper and galvanized steel in residential supply lines since 2000. Le…
- Copper Pipe (Type L / Type M / Type K) Coming soon
- PVC Pipe (Schedule 40) Coming soon
- CPVC Pipe Coming soon
- ABS Pipe Coming soon
- Cast Iron Drain Pipe Coming soon
- Galvanized Steel Pipe Coming soon
- Polybutylene Plumbing Coming soon
- Brass Fitting Coming soon
- Compression Fitting Coming soon
- Soldered Joint (Sweat Fitting) Coming soon
- Plumb Bob Coming soon
- Pipe Wrench Coming soon
- Basin Wrench Coming soon
- Plumbing Snake (Drain Cable) Coming soon
- Drain Auger Coming soon
- Plunger (Cup vs Flange) Coming soon
- Closet Auger Coming soon
- Pipe Cutter Coming soon
- ProPress (Press Fitting) Coming soon
- Dielectric Union Coming soon
- Shutoff Valve Coming soon
- Ball Valve Coming soon
- Gate Valve Coming soon
- Check Valve (Backflow Preventer) Coming soon
Anatomy & Concepts (26)
- P-Trap Coming soon
- Rough-In Plumbing Coming soon
- Plumbing Vent (Vent Stack) Coming soon
- Plumbing Stack Coming soon
- Drain-Waste-Vent (DWV) System Coming soon
- Trap Arm Coming soon
- Trap Seal Coming soon
- Soil Stack Coming soon
- Sanitary Tee Fitting Coming soon
- Wye Fitting Coming soon
- Long-Sweep Elbow Coming soon
- Sewer Cleanout Coming soon
- Sewer Lateral Coming soon
- Water Service Line Coming soon
- Main Water Shutoff Coming soon
- Water Meter Coming soon
- Supply Line (Riser) Coming soon
- Branch Line Coming soon
- Drain Line Coming soon
- Fixture Trap Coming soon
- Air Admittance Valve (AAV) Coming soon
- GPF (Gallons Per Flush) Coming soon
- GPM (Gallons Per Minute) Coming soon
- PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) Coming soon
- Frost Line The maximum depth at which the ground freezes in a given climate. Water service lines, sewer laterals, and outdoor plumbing mus…
- Cross-Connection Coming soon
Diagnostics & Failure Modes (24)
- Water Hammer Coming soon
- Slab Leak A water leak in copper supply lines running through or beneath a home's concrete slab foundation. Common in Sun Belt homes buil…
- Sewer Belly (Bellied Pipe) Coming soon
- Sewer Collapse Coming soon
- Frozen Pipe Coming soon
- Pinhole Leak Coming soon
- Pipe Corrosion Coming soon
- Pipe Scaling (Lime Scale) Coming soon
- Hard Water Coming soon
- Soft Water Coming soon
- Lead Service Line Coming soon
- Lead Solder (Pre-1986 Plumbing) Coming soon
- Galvanized Pipe Corrosion Coming soon
- Dezincification Coming soon
- Electrolytic (Galvanic) Corrosion Coming soon
- Freeze-Burst Pipe Coming soon
- Bellied Pipe Coming soon
- Root Intrusion (Tree Roots in Sewer) Coming soon
- Scale Buildup Coming soon
- Sediment Buildup (Water Heater) Coming soon
- Biofilm in Plumbing Coming soon
- Hydrogen Sulfide (Sulfur Smell) Coming soon
- Water Discoloration (Brown / Rusty Water) Coming soon
- Main Water Line Break Coming soon
Procedures & Trenchless (16)
- Hydro Jetter Coming soon
- CIPP (Cured-In-Place Pipe) Trenchless sewer-lining technology that installs an epoxy-saturated felt liner inside an existing damaged pipe and cures it in …
- Pipe Bursting Trenchless pipe-replacement method that pulls a new pipe through the existing one while a bursting head fragments the old pipe …
- Trenchless Sewer Repair Coming soon
- Sewer Relining Coming soon
- Pipe Descaling Coming soon
- Hydrojetting Coming soon
- Drain Snaking (Cabling) Coming soon
- Augering a Drain Coming soon
- Whole-House Repipe Coming soon
- Spot Repair Coming soon
- Pipe Reroute (Slab Bypass) Coming soon
- Pipe Sleeving Coming soon
- Point Repair (Localized Lining) Coming soon
- Lateral Relining Coming soon
- Manhole Rehabilitation Coming soon
Codes & Industry (15)
- International Plumbing Code (IPC) Coming soon
- Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) Coming soon
- International Residential Code (IRC) Coming soon
- ASSE (Plumbing Standards) Coming soon
- IAPMO Coming soon
- NASSCO Coming soon
- CSLB (California Contractors State License Board) Coming soon
- Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) Coming soon
- DBPR (Florida Plumbing License Board) Coming soon
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) Coming soon
- Master Plumber Coming soon
- Journeyman Plumber Coming soon
- Tradesman Plumber Coming soon
- Plumbing License Coming soon
- Plumbing Permit Coming soon
Water Heating (11)
- Anode Rod (Sacrificial Anode) Coming soon
- Tankless Water Heater Coming soon
- Tank Water Heater (Storage) Coming soon
- Electric Water Heater Coming soon
- Gas Water Heater (Natural Gas / Propane) Coming soon
- Hybrid Water Heater Coming soon
- Heat Pump Water Heater Coming soon
- Recirculation Pump Coming soon
- Expansion Tank (Water Heater) Coming soon
- T&P Valve (Temperature & Pressure Relief) Coming soon
- Sacrificial Anode Coming soon
Need help right now?
Glossary entries answer "what is this?" — if you have an actual leak, burst pipe, or backed-up sewer, skip the reading and reach a verified plumber.