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.
| NEMA |
National Electrical Manufacturers Association
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| NH |
No Hub
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| NKBA |
National Kitchen and Bath Association
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| NOM |
Nominal. Usually refers to the Inside diameter of trade sizes of copper pipe and some CPVC pipes. Not for Iron Pipe connections. For example, a ½" NOM Comp. Fitting is actually 5/8" because ½" pipe has an OD of 5/8".
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| NPS |
National Pipe Straight threads standard, Same as IPS
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| NPS (Discharge) |
Nonpoint Source pollution: nutrients,. sediments, toxic substances, and pathogens that degrade waterways. NPS occurs mainly through stormwater runoff.
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| N P S H A |
Net positive suction head available to prevent cavitation of the pump. It is defined as:
Atmospheric pressure + gage pressure + static pressure - vapor pressure - friction loss in the suction piping.
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| N P S H R |
Net positive suction head required to stop a pump from cavitating. This number is provided by the pump manufacturer.
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| NPT |
National Pipe Tapered thread standard. The same as IPS
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| NSF |
National Sanitation Foundation
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| Natural Gas |
A colorless, odorless fuel derived from the earth, consisting primarily of Methane (CH4). Odors are added to aid in leak detection.
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| Neo Angle Base |
A shower base designed to allow the shower to fit into a corner using minimal floor space while maintaining an elegant look
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| Negative pressure |
Less than atmospheric pressure.
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| Net Usable BTU |
That portion of a fuel's heat energy actually transferred into the water by a heater.
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| Nipple |
A short length of pipe installed between couplings or other fittings
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| Nipple Extractor |
A tool used to unscrew sections of pipe
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| No-hub Connector |
A connector for no-hub iron pipe consisting of a rubber sleeve and a stainless steel band secured by hose clamps. A variation, a neoprene sleeve with two adjustable steel bands, is used for connecting dissimilar materials, as when connecting new plastic pipe to an existing cast-iron drainpipe
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| Non-CFC |
Foam insulation that minimizes the use of Chlorofluorocarbons
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| Non-ferrous |
Not containing iron
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| Nonpotable |
Not suitable for drinking
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