The Beehive Plumbing team is here to help you better understand our industry’s professional language a little better!
There’s no doubt about it that the average homeowner in Northern Utah can have some difficulty in understanding all of the plumbing industry’s jargon, which is why we’ve developed this article that’s directly oriented plumbing terminology.
We understand how you may get confused when listening to some plumbers talk, which is why we’re more than happy to go over some of the basics when it comes to our industry’s lingo.
By going over the below terms, you can be more confident while letting us know the details of your next plumbing repairs!
Common Words Used Throughout The Plumbing Industry
The following words are what home and business owners will commonly hear from plumbing specialists:
- Blackwater: This plumbing term is another word for wastewater, and it particularly relates to sewage water that goes through our toilets. It can also mean wastewater that is stuck within your toilet during a clog or other types of toilet repairs.
- Greywater: This type of water refers to different types of wastewater that can be found throughout a property that isn’t connected to your toilets. This can include wastewater from your sinks, exterior hoses, water heater or other plumbing fixtures.
- Hard water: Northern Utah just so happens to have a really serious issue with hard water, because hard water flows through just about all of our homes. When a plumber refers to “hard water”, they’re describing an overabundance of mineral content within your property’s water supply. This type of mineral count can lead to serious issues like clogged fixtures and corrosion.
- Water softener: The Beehive Plumbing team specializes in water softeners, and these are plumbing devices that remove excess minerals from your water supply and provide better bathing experiences. Water softeners are also known to help people avoid damages to their bathroom and kitchen fixtures/appliances as well.
- Branch drain: This is the drain that’s connected to your shower floors, sinks, toilets, bathtubs, dishwashers, washing machines and a lot more. A branch pipe will flow directly towards your main drain pipe, which is connected to your municipal sewage line.
- Drain field: Your property’s drain field is a network of pipes that are underneath your yard and connected to your septic tank. The drain field is what helps clear contaminants out of the water within your septic tank.
- Fittings: A fitting is that small plumbing device that will effectively connect two different pipes together, and many plumbing issues will be rooted in loose or malfunctioning fittings.
- GPF: This stands for gallons per flush, and today’s modern toilets must have a 1.6 or lower GPF. Our team will help you better understand the GPF at your property and ensure that it’s up to current standards.
- Potable water: This is one of the oldest plumbing terms in the industry, and it refers to water that’s safe to drink and generally consume. We of course don’t keep our safe drinking water in pots anymore, but this term has remained popular in the plumbing, medical and legal fields.
- Trap seal: Every drain within your property that’s connected to your sewer line will entail a curved pipe that’s known as a trap seal, and this seal functions to prevent odors from emanating throughout your home or business. This device does wonders in terms of preventing any unwanted gases.
- Tee: This is a unique type of fitting that is T-shaped and connects three pipes together. Many plumbers will use a Tee fitting to develop drain line branches.
- Blow bag: Blow bags are common devices throughout the plumbing industry that will bust through clogged drains through the use of forced water. This is a part of the overall drain cleaning process called hydro jetting, and this is something that the Beehive team specializes within.
- Dope: This is a sealant that many plumbers will utilize to develop pressure-tight, leak-proof connections. Dope comes in a very thick, pasty consistency and it does a wonderful job as a more high-end type of plumber’s tape.
- Snake: Plumbing snakes are vital for countless drain cleaning jobs, and the actual tool is a metal cord that’s very flexible and wound into a tight spiral. Plumbers will utilize snakes to break up really tough clogs that are deep within a property’s pipes.
Reach Out To The Plumbing Experts At Beehive Plumbing To Schedule Your Next Appointment!
Beehive Plumbing has supported the Northern Utah community for over 20 years, and we’re proud to have created the very best team of plumbing experts in the entire region.
Our plumbing specialists will support you when it comes to any and all of your plumbing needs, so contact us online or call us at 801-661-8155 to speak with our team today and schedule your next appointment with us!
