Glossary of Plumbing Terms - T - 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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TBE	Threaded both ends
T & C	Threaded and Coupled. Some cast iron pipe is sold threaded with a coupling attached.
TDS	Total dissolved solids
TO	Threads Only
T & P Valve	Temperature & pressure relief valve. A safety device used to expel excess pressure or heat from inside a tank.
TPI	Threads per inch
T & S	Tub and Shower
Tailpiece	Section of pipe that runs between a fixture outlet and the trap
Tail Pipe	The pipe added below the jet assembly, in a weak well application.
Tank	Fixture reservoir for flush water. On a conventional toilet, the ballcock, flush valve, and trip lever are installed in the tank. A tank lid closes the top tank opening
Tank Cross	A double-tee-shaped fitting installed between a shallow well pump and the bladder tank with integrated valve and guage fittings, and an outlet for a pressure-relief valve.
Tankless Water Heater	Instantaneous water heater
Tannin (Tannic acid)	A substance occurring naturally in well water. It is produced by decaying vegetation, and causes the water to have a yellow of light brown color and can provide a bitter taste. There is currently no EPA regulatory level for tannin in water.
Tap Adapter	Fitting with one plain end and one threaded female end
Tap Tee	Cast iron tee with a threaded female side inlet
Tap Water	Water provided by a water company by way of the home's plumbing system.
Tapered Pipe	Standard type of threads used on iron pipe and pipe fittings.
Tee	T-shaped fitting with three openings that allow another pipe to be joined at a 90 degree angle, used to create branch lines.
Teflon Tape	A fluorocarbon polymer with non-sticking properties used to wrap pipe threads to seal a joint
Temperature Rise	The number of degrees Fahrenheit that incoming water must be raised to reach the desired water temperature.
Tempered glass	glass that has been annealed or strengthened bt a process of grandually healing and cooling. Once a piece of glass has been tempered, it cannot be cut. If it breaks, it breakes into many small pieces. By code, all shower doors must be made of tempered glass.
Tempering Valve	A in-line hot/cold mixing valve
Test Plug	A rubber plug that is used to seal off sections of pipe to allow testing for leakage.
Test Tee	A tee with a removable plug for permitting access to a drainage line
Therm	Measurement of 100,000 BTU's.
Thermal Efficiency	Ability to transfer and absorb heat from fuel sources into the water.
Thermal Expansion	The effect of water expanding when heated.
Thermal Stratification	see stacking
Thermocouple	Small electric generator. Electron flow between the hot junction of 1200 degrees F and cold junction of 600 degrees F creates millivoltage.
Thermopile	Apparatus that consists of a number of thermocouples combined so as to multiply the effect and is used for generating electrical current.
Thermostat (Lower)	Device which automatically maintains a predetermined temperature in an appliance.
Thermostat (Upper)	Device which automatically maintains a predetermined temperature in an appliance, usually equipped with a safety shutoff.
Thermostatic Valve	Pressure-balancing shower mixing valve with automatic temperature control. When temperature or pressure fluctuations occur at the water inlets, a thermal actuator adjusts the hot and cold ratio to maintain the original temperature setting.
Throatplate	The underside portion of some faucet spouts which also use a top shroud to cover an assembled faucet waterway. The throatplate is only visible when viewed from a very low angle.
Threaded	A helical or spiral ridge on a screw, nut, or bolt.
Tile Rise (Buttress)	The raised portion of a shower curb that is on more than one level.
Total Dissolved Solids	A measure of the total amount of dissolved matter in water
Total Head	The difference between the head at the discharge and suction flange of the pump ( syn Total Dynamic Head, pump head, system head).
Touchless Faucet	Commercially installed faucet or urinal valve that function using infrared sensor system
Total Discharge Head	The total pressure or head the pump must develop. It is the sum of the depth to pumping level, elevation, service pressure, and friction loss.
Toxicity Test	Test to determine the toxicity of a chemical or an effluent using living organisms. It measures the degree of response of an exposed test organism to a specified chemical or effluent
Transite Pipe	Pipe manufactured from asbestos and concrete, commonly found in water mains.
Transom Panel	a panel usually located above the door of an enclosure. It can be used to keep steam inside of a steam-shower unit. Some open to vent steam.
Trap	Curved section of drain line that prevents sewer odors from escaping into the atmosphere. All fixtures that have drains must have a "P" trap installed. A toilet is the only plumbing fixture with an "S" trap.
Trap Arm	The waste arm portion of a drainage trap.
Trap Dip	The U-bend portion of a drainage trap.
Trap Drain	A flex adapter to connect 1 ¼" to 1 ½" drain pipe
Trap Primer	A small feeder line connecting the cold water line directly to the drainage trap, which releases a small amount of water to the trap should it run dry to maintain the water seal.
Trap Seal	Height of water in a toilet bowl "at rest.". It provides the water seal which prevents sewer gases from entering the home. It is measured from the top of the dam down to the inlet of the trapway. Also referred to as deep seal.
Trap Weir	See Crown Weir. An interior projection in the outlet side of a trap to aid in maintaining a water seal.
Trapway	Channel in a toilet that connects the bowl to the waste outlet. It is where the siphonic action takes place. The trapway is measured in terms of the largest diameter ball which can pass through it. Also called the passageway.
Trim	Any non-vitreous china toilet components, except the seat. Includes such items as ballcock, bolt caps, trip lever.
Trip Lever	Flush handle and actuating arm on a toilet tank. Also the lever that opens and closes the drain on the bathtub waste and overflow.
Tube Talon	Plastic hanger for mounting copper pipe
Tube Valve	A valve which is opened or closed by mechanically moving a tube upstream or downstream by an actuating screw
Tube Washer	Replacement washer for one end of a closet tube
Tuberculation	The process in which blister-like growths of metal oxides develop in pipes as a result of the corrosion of the pipe metal. Iron oxide tubercles often develop over pits in iron or steel pipe, and can seriously restrict the flow of water.
Turbulent Flow	Fluid flow in which the velocity at a given point varies erratically in magnitude and direction.
Turbidity	Water cloudiness caused by suspended particles
Two-Piece Toilet	Toilet with a separate tank and bowl. Also referred to as a close-coupled toilet.
Type "L" Tube	An industry standard for copper tubing defined by the tube wall thickness and identified by a "blue" strip. Type "L" copper tube wall is approximately 50% greater thickness than Type "M."
Type "M" Tube	An industry standard for copper tubing defined by the tube wall thickness and identified by a "red" stripe
Tyseal Gasket	Gasket for joining SV cast iron pipe into a hub

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Not finding the term you seek? Let us know what we should add to the Glossary