Plumbing

Question 1

Aerator

Answer 1

Small mesh screens placed on the end of faucets and used to regulate the flow of water into multiple small streams so that the volume of water that flows from the faucet would be significantly reduced

Question 2

Branch Line

Answer 2

Branch Lines are offshoots of vertical stacks, like branches of a tree. These branch lines connect toilets, showers, sinks, washing machines, dish washers, etc. to the corresponding vertical stack, which carries waste to the building’s drain underground or in the basement

Question 3

Chain

Answer 3

Connected to your toilet’s handle and allows it to open and close the flapper

Question 4

Clean-out

Answer 4

Pipe fittings that can be accessed to clear clogs and debris. The sewer clean out is a pipe with a cap that provides access to the sewer line so that blockages can be removed. The lateral sewer line is the sewer line that connects your home to the public sewer system. The sewer clean out is usually located somewhere along the lateral sewer line.

Question 5

Clean-out

Answer 5

Pipe fittings that can be accessed to clear clogs and debris. The sewer clean out is a pipe with a cap that provides access to the sewer line so that blockages can be removed. The lateral sewer line is the sewer line that connects your home to the public sewer system. The sewer clean out is usually located somewhere along the lateral sewer line.

Question 6

Compression Coupling

Answer 6

Connects two pipes to a fixture or valve

Question 7

Drain Pipe

Answer 7

A long tube made of metal or plastic that transports sewage and dirty water from the building and regulates air pressure in the pipes to avoid clogging

Question 8

Ejector Pump

Answer 8

An ejector pump, which is also known as a pump up ejector system, moves wastewater from a sump basin located below ground up to the sewer or septic tank for disposal. In simple terms, it’s an upflush system, safely moving the water up from the lower level and draining into the main line.

Question 9

Escutcheon

Answer 9

A flat piece of metal used to protect and hide away the hole for the pipe or valve

Question 10

Expansion Tank

Answer 10

A water heater expansion tank is another small tank that is attached to the water supply pipe of the water heater. The expansion tank is designed to handle the thermal expansion of water as it heats up in the water heater, preventing excessive water pressure.

Question 11

Faucet Lever

Answer 11

Lever used to control the water’s flow from the spout

Question 12

Flapper

Answer 12

A seal that keeps water in your toilet’s tank until you’re ready to flush

Question 13

Float

Answer 13

A valve that rises with the in-tank water level and turns off the fill vale once it has reached the fill line (Toilet)

Question 14

Floor Flange

Answer 14

Secures your toilet and wax seal to the sewer opening

Question 15

Friction Gasket

Answer 15

A protective barrier creating high amount of friction between two moving surfaces

Question 16

Garbage Disposal

Answer 16

A device installed under the sink between the drain and the trap and used to grind up and wash away food scraps and other kitchen refuse

Question 17

Infiltration

Answer 17

This refers to groundwater that enters sewer pipes through cracks, pipe joints and other system leaks. Sewers in coastal areas are typically buried deep, they are often located below the water table

Question 18

Inflow

Answer 18

Rainwater that enters the sewer system from sources such as yard and patio drains, roof gutter downspouts, uncapped clean-outs, pond or pool overflow drains, footing drains, cross connections with storm drains, etc. Inflow is greatest during heavy rainfall and infiltration, can cause excessive flows and sewage spills

Question 19

Jetting

Answer 19

Hydro jetting is a method used by professional plumbing contractors to clean clogged or slow sewage lines. A blast of water at high pressure is sent into the lines that will usually remove blockages and build up. Hydro jetting systems normally use about 35,000 psi, which works very effectively.

Question 20

Lift Station

Answer 20

Wastewater lift stations (or sewage pump stations) are designed for pumping wastewater or sewage from a lower to higher elevation when a gravity system is not possible or is too costly. Lift stations are used to reduce the costs of sewer system construction. When gravity sewers are installed in trenches deeper than three meters, the cost of installing a sewer line increases significantly. Wastewater lift stations are a practical and economical choice.

Question 21

Locknut

Answer 21

Placement of a locked or turned off position on an energy-isolating device

Question 22

Main Line

Answer 22

Simply put, your mainline is your sewer line. It’s the line that goes from your house to the city connection or your septic tank. Before leaving your home, all of your drains dump into your mainline. When your mainline backs up, it is important to know where your cleanout is located.

Question 23

Manholes

Answer 23

Sewer manholes are underground structures used to provide access to underground sewer lines. Manholes are usually found on the street, parking area or sidewalk. Access is required to periodically inspect and clean the lines. Sewer manholes typically have heavy round covers with the words “sanitary sewer” on the cover.

Question 24

Pathogens

Answer 24

Harmful germs in raw sewage that cause diseases such as cholera, dysentery, hepatitis and gastroenteritis.

Question 25

Plumbing

Answer 25

What ServiceTitan was originally built for! The plumbing industry covers everything from fixing clogged drains, toilets, and more, to larger jobs such as replacing sewer lines and water heaters. Plumbing jobs vary between demand (emergency) and service (repairs) calls.

Typically, this industry pays a mixture of commission and hourly to the technicians, depending on the company. (see Flat Rate / Time and Materials)

Memberships/Service Agreements (see definition) are common in this industry, mostly providing a discount on future services.

Largest Jobs: Main Line

Large customer examples: Mr. Rooter, Dutton, George Brazil

Common Associations: Nexstar, Service Roundtable, SGI (Success Group International)

Question 26

PRV

Answer 26

Pressure reducing valve - Pressure reducing valves are devices that work directly to slow down the pressure of water flowing into your home. They are installed on the main water line next to the shut-off valve. Water from the water main goes into the valve on one side. As the water moves through the valve, it must pass through a spring and diaphragm which cause resistance and lowers the pressure to the desired level as the water leaves the valve through the other side.

The genius of pressure reducing valves is that they’re set to regulate your water flow to a specific pressure. That means if there’s a sudden spike in your area’s municipal water pressure, the spring and diaphragm in the valve will tighten and you’ll still have a consistent amount of pressure in your home.

Question 27

PVC

Answer 27

Type of pipe used commonly in plumbing. This is the hard white plastic pipe you see at hardware stores.

Question 28

Refill Tube

Answer 28

Brings fresh water into the tank after a flush

Question 29

Sanitary Sewer Overflow

Answer 29

Sewage spills are technically called “sanitary” sewer overflows since it involves the overflow of sewage from the sanitary sewer system. The word “sanitary” is used only because the overflow is from the sanitary sewer system, and not because the raw sewage is sanitary (Sewage overflows often occur from sewer manholes in the streets. Sewage can also backup into homes through toilets, showers and floor drains. Sewage spills are caused by sewage filling the sewer pipes behind the clog to the point where it spills out an opening in the system (generally the lowest manhole, shower drain or other plumbing fixture)

Question 30

Sanitary Sewer System/Wastewater Collection System

Answer 30

The pipes through which sewage is carried from homes and businesses to a treatment plant. The sanitary sewer system includes the main sewer lines in the streets and the branch lines to individual sewer customers called “sewer laterals”. They are designed to flow by gravity through sloped pipes until it reaches either the treatment plant or sewage pumping station.

Question 31

Sewage/Wastewater

Answer 31

This is the “used” water that contains human wastes from toilets and water from other sources such as sinks, showers, washing machines, etc.

Question 32

Sewer Clean-out

Answer 32

A pipe rising from the sewer lateral to the ground’s surface with a removable cap or plug. It is used to access the sewer lateral to free blockages. A sewer clean-out is usually located just inside the property line but there may be additional sewer clean-outs at various other locations on your property

Question 33

Sewer Lateral

Answer 33

The sewer pipe that connects a building’s plumbing system to the main sewer line in the street. Maintenance of sewer lateral pipes located within private property is generally the responsibility of the property owner. They are also referred to as “service laterals”, “house laterals” or “laterals”

Question 34

Shut-Off Valve

Answer 34

Allows you to control the flow of water to your toilet

Question 35

Sink

Answer 35

A plumbing fixture used for dishwashing, washing hands, and other purposes

Question 36

Spray Hose

Answer 36

Connects the water supply to the faucet

Question 37

Strainer Body

Answer 37

Used to filter out debris in the water system

Question 38

Strainer Flange

Answer 38

The sink drain flange is a flat metal disk which fits into the drain hole at the bottom of the sink. It usually has patterned grid over the hole, like a strainer

Question 39

Supply Line (Cold and Hot Water)

Answer 39

The system that allows the cold and hot water to be supplied from the main water source to where it is intended to be used

Question 40

T&P

Answer 40

T & P valve relieves excess temperature and pressure in a water heater if either reaches a critical point.

Question 41

Tank O-Ring Seal

Answer 41

Creates a watertight seal between your toilet tank and the bowl

Question 42

Trap

Answer 42

A P-shaped device that traps debris and prevents bad smelling sewer gases from leaking into their home.

Question 43

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Answer 43

Facilities where organic matter, bacteria, viruses and solids are removed from sewage through physical, biological and chemical processes. The treated wastewater, known as effluent, may be disposed of by discharging it to water bodies , injecting it into the ground, or reusing it for irrigation or other beneficial non-potable (non-drinking) uses

Question 44

Wax Seal

Answer 44

Creates an airtight barrier between your toilet and the sewer line