Glossary of Plumbing Terms - H - 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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HBA	Home Builders Association
HC	Handicapped
HD	Head
HP	Horsepower
HT	Hose threads. Note: Garden hose threads are different from standard pipe threads.
HVAC	Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
Handles	Faucet handles typically come in 3 styles: knob, lever, and cross. Some manufacturers allow a customer to mix and match components to create a custom handle consisting of handle bases and handle inserts.
Handshower	A showerhead designed with a handle that's connected to a water supply and a flexible hose.
Hanger	A device used to support pipes.
Hard Water	Natural water containing impurities in various proportions. Traditional hardness is a measure of calcium or dissolved solids in a solution, measured in parts per million. Hard water generally ranges from 100 to 250 ppm.
Hardness	The amount of dissolved minerals in water measured in grains per gallon (GPG). The most common minerals are calcium and magnesium
Hardness Leakage	The presence of a consistent concentration of hardness in the effluent from an ion exchange water softener, often due to high concentrations of hardness or sodium in the water being treated (see Leakage).
Head	(1) The pressure of water (or steam) in a closed system (see Pressure Head). It represents the differential in the gravitational force exerted by a liquid at two different depths. (2) Nautical slang term for toilet
Head Loss	The pressure of water as measured at a stated point, either in feet or in pounds per square inch (PSI).
Heat Exchanger	A heat transfer system.
Heat Sensors	Heat-triggered devices on sprinkler systems that release the flow of water.
Heat Trap	Restriction of heat loss through water connections to a tank.
Hermetic	Completely sealed, especially against the escape or entry of air.
Hertz	A measure of frequency; one Hertz equals one cycle per second.
Hex Key	Allen Wrench
Hold Down	A type of pipe anchor consisting of a U-strap bolted at either end onto a horizontal plate.
Hole Saw	A small, cylindrical attachment for a power drill consisting of a circular saw blade for cutting holes.
Hollow-jet Valve	A valve having a closing member that moves upstream to shut off the flow. The hollow-jet valve discharges a hollow or annular jet dispersed over a wide area.
Horizontal Branch	Lateral drain pipes that run from plumbing fixtures to the waste stack in a building or in the soil.
Horizontal Run	The horizontal distance between the point where fluid enters a pipe and the point at which it leaves.
Hose Bibb	An outdoor faucet, also used to supply washing machines.
House Trap	U-shaped fitting with two adjacent cleanout plugs visible at floor level if main drain runs under floor.
Hub & Spigot Piping	Gravity rated DWV or pressure pipe that has a bell-shaped section at one end and a straight section at the other. As lengths are assembled, the straight end of one fits into the bell of the next.
Hubless	Same as no-hub. Cast iron drainage pipe with neoprene gaskets and clamps
Hydration	The chemical combination of water into a substance.
Hydraulic Pressure	Pressure that exists in a system containing non-compressible liquid.
Hydrolysis	The reaction of a salt with water to form an acid and a base.
Hydronic	System of forced hot water.
Hydrojet	Cold inlet tube designed to reduce sediment build-up and increase efficiency in a water heater.
Hydrostatic Pressure	Pressure exerted by or existing within a liquid at rest with respect to adjacent bodies
Hydrostatic Test	Test using noncompressible liquid under pressure at a level equal to or greater than the maximum pressure that will be utilized when in use, such as in steam boilers.
Hydrous	Containing water, water of crystallization or hydration, as certain minerals or chemical compounds.
Hydroxyl	The chemical group or ion (OH) which is neutral or positively charged.
Hygroscopic	Attracting or absorbing moisture from the air; changed or altered by this absorption.
Hypochlorite	The OCL anion; calcium and sodium hypochlorite are commonly used as bleaches and disinfecting agents.

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