Glossary of Plumbing Terms - F - Keidel Bath, Kitchen, Plumbing, Cabinetry, Appliances

Welcome to Keidel's Plumbing Glossary. Every industry and trade has its own standards and terminologies. This glossary is our attempt to help the general public understand some of the terms unique to our industry.

Our database contains over 1000 unique terms, compiled from a variety of public and private sources. To use the glossary efficiently you can click on the letter of the desired term that you would like to find. For example: click on "C" to find out about "Closet Augers" or "P" for "Petcock." Definitions listed here are provided without warranty.

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F Rating	A rating of effectiveness of firestop material, measuring its resistance to flames and water.
FHT	Female Hose Thread. (e.g. end of garden garden hose)
FIP	Female Iron Pipe connection. Standard internal threads on pipe fittings.
FMA	Abbreviation for free mineral acidity.
FMPX	Female pipe swivel connection
FNPT	This refers to the female pipe thread, in which the threads are on the inner side of the connection fitting
FVI	Flammable Vapor Ignition
Facultative Bacteria	Bacteria that can live under Aerobic or Anaerobic conditions
Fall/Flow	The proper slope or pitch of a pipe for adequate drainage.
Fascia	A decorative apron or front face. A wooden enclosure holding the main pump assembly for whirlpool and master baths.
Faucet Threads	Special thread size for fittings that connect to faucets. A cone seal or gasket is usually included because straight threads will not have a complete seal without a gasket.
Fecal Coliform	The portion of the coliform bacteria group which is present in the intestinal tracts and feces of warm-blooded animals. A common pollutant in water
Fecal Material	Solid waste produced by humans and other animals and discharged from the gastrointestinal tract.
Feed Pump	A pump that supplies water to a boiler.
Feedwater	Water introduced into a boiler during operation. It includes make-up and return condensate.
Female Fitting	A fitting that receives a pipe or fitting. A fitting into which another fitting is inserted.
Female Threads	Faucet threads that are in place on the inside of a fitting.
Ferrous	Material containing or derived from iron.
Ferrule	Metal cover piece for the lavatory overflow opening.
Fiberglass	Glass in a fibrous form used in the making of products such as shower stalls.
Filter Element	A device within a filter tank designed to trap suspended solids as water flows through it.
Filtrate	Liquid that has been passed through a filter
Filtration Rate	The rate at which the water is traveling through the filter, measured as GPM (gallons per minute) per sq. ft.
Finish Plumbing	Installation of plumbing fixtures to make the system usable.
Finished Water	Water that has completed a purification or treatment process
Finishes	See BC, BN, CP, PB, SN, WH
Fire Hose Closet	Usually a compartment built into an interior wall, covered by a glass door, holding a coiled fire hose connected to a water line, ready for immediate use in case of fire.
Fire Stand Pipe	A main water line that feels water sprinkling system or fire hose connections. This is separate from the lines feeding restrooms or other fixtures.
Firestop	Materials that fill the opening around penetrating items such as cables, cable trays, conduits, ducts, and pipes and their means of support through the wall or floor to prevent spread of fire.
First Draw	Water that has been sitting in pipes or plumbing fixtures overnight and is first drawn when taps are opened in the morning. For instance, where lead is present in plumbing, this water would have the highest levels of lead contamination.
First Hour Delivery	Rating based on the combination of the usable stored volume of hot water in a tank plus the recovery capacity for the first hour of operations.
Fitting	Any pipe part used to join together two sections of pipe, such as elbows, couplings, bushings, bends, wyes, etc.
Fixed Cone Valve	A cylinder gate mounted with the axis horizontal. Also known as Howell Bunger valve.
Fixture	A device that provides a supply of water or its disposal, e.g. sinks, tubs, toilets.
Fixture Unit	An arbitrary unit assigned to different types of plumbing fixtures, and used to estimate flow rate requirements and drain capacity requirements.
Flame Stability	Flames on a burner tend to stabilize at a point where flow velocity out and burning back are equal. It changes when primary air or gas rate is adjusted.
Flange	Extending rim or edge at one end of a pipe shaft that gives support or a finished appearance.
Flapper	Flush ball; the moving part of the flush valve that seals the water into the tank or allows water to exit the tank for the flush cycle. The most common replacement part used on conventional toilets.
Flapper Valve	The part on the bottom of the toilet tank that opens to allow water to flow from the tank into the bowl.
Flare Fitting	A fitting used to connect flex copper pipe, usually gas pipe
Flaring Tool	Tool used to create a cone-shaped enlargement at the end of a piece of tubing to accept a flare fitting.
Flex Coupling	Rubber coupling used to join DWV Pipe. Can be used to connect PVC to Clay or Cast Iron above or below ground. Also used for repairs, and attach by used of steel band clamps.
Flexible Connector	A braided hose that connects a faucet or toilet to the water supply stop valve. Serves as a riser but is much more flexible and easier to install. Usually stainless steel or PVC/Polyester reinforced hose.
Float Ball	The floating ball connected to the ballcock inside the tank that rises or falls with changing water levels in the tank, and actuates or shuts off the ballcock as needed.
Floating Flames	(Lifting Flames) - An undesirable burner operating condition, usually indicating incomplete combustion in which flames leave the burner port to "reach" for combustion air.
Flocculant	A chemical substance that promotes the aggregation or coagulation of suspended particles in the water
Flood Level Rim	The top edge of a receptacle from which water overflows.
Floor Drain	Drainage fitting that sits flush with the floor, used in basements and showers.
Floor Flange	A fitting that connects a toilet to a floor drain.
Floor Sink	Receptacle usually made of enameled cast iron located at floor level and connected to a trap to receive the discharge from indirect waste and floor drainage. Cleaner and more sanitary than regular floor drains. Usually used in hospitals & restaurants.
Flow Control Valve	Device designed to reduce water flow to a plumbing fixture. Often used to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs. Also a check valve that prevents flow reversal when heater is turned off.
Flow Rate	Rating in gallons per minute(GPM) or gallons per hour.(GPH)
Flue	A passageway for combustion by-products.
Flue Baffle	A device to deflect, check, or regulate flow through a pipe.
Flue Damper	A device to minimize heat loss through a venting system
Flue Exhauster	A fan installed in the vent pipe which will provide a positive induced draft. Sometimes called a draft inducer.
Flume Spout	An open spout design that is also referred to as a waterfall spout.
Flush Ball	Flapper
Flush Bushing	For whirlpools, a variable valve regulating the amount of water delivered to the jets. For faucets, a valve connector device controlling water flow rate.
Flush Joint	A Connection with both male and female threads cut into the pipe
Flush-mount Lavatory	Sink that sits flush and even with the countertop and is supported by a metal ring.
Flush Valve	Flapper Valve
Flushing Surface	The interior surface of the bowl and all other surfaces which may come into contact with water during flushing.
Flushometer	Toilet valve that automatically shuts off after it meters a certain amount of water flow.
Flushometer Tank System	Toilet flushing system that uses supply water pressure to compress water to provide a pressurized flush as opposed to a gravity flush.
Flushometer Valve	The valve located at the bottom of a gravity-operated toilet flush tank, which opens when the trip lever is actuated, and closes when the tank has drained to the desired level. Usually also contains an overflow tube.
Flux	Paste applied to copper pipes and fittings before soldering to help the fusion process and prevent oxidation.
Foam Insulation	Insulation surrounding the surface of a water heater tank.
Foot Valve	A special type of check valve located at the bottom end of the suction pipe on a pump; it opens when the pump operates to allow water to enter the suction pipe but closes when the pump shuts off to prevent water from flowing out.
Footprint	The area of floor space taken up by a water heater or other appliance.
Framed	A bath enclosure system that mounts all glass or plastic panels in a metal frame.
Frameless	A bath enclosure system that minimizes the amount of metal used to hold the system panels and door in place.
Free-standing	Term used to describe a bathtub that is free of walls on all sides.
Free Available Chlorine	The concentration of residual chlorine present as dissolved gas, hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite, not combined with ammonia or in other less readily available form.
Freeboard	The vertical distance between a bed of filter media or ion exchange material and the overflow or collector for backwash water; the height above the bed of granular media available for bed expansion during backwashing; may be expressed either as a linear distance or a percentage of bed depth.
French Drain	A covered ditch containing a layer of fitted or loose stone or other pervious material
Friction head difference	The difference in head required to move a mass of fluid from one position to another at a certain flow rate within a piping system. It is also the specific energy required to overcome friction in the system.
Friction Loss	The loss of pressure caused by the turbulence created in water while traveling through the pipe.
Frost Line	The depth to which frost penetrates the earth
Full Finished	Refers to tubular products in which the weld has been processed to produce uniform strength and dimensions, and subsequently annealed to obtain proper corrosion resistance
Full Hydraulic Capacity	The designed capacity of a pipe or conduit

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