Types of Plumbing and Pipe Fittings

Types of Pipe Fittings

Adaptor

Barb

Coupling

Cross

Double Tapped Bushing

Elbow

Mechanical Sleeve

Nipple

Plug and Cap

Reducer

Tee

Union

Valve

Wye

Adaptor

Adaptors connect pipes that are not the same type. Because an adaptor can be male or female on one end, it can turn a pipe male or female.

If ends are non-threaded, they are left to be welded, soldered or glued to the pipe. Adaptors are used for PVC and copper piping.

Barb

A barb connects hoses to pipes. It is usually male at one end. The other has a barbed tube, which is a ridged and tapered cone.

It may also have a type of clamp to keep it secure. Barbs are made of plastic if they carry cold water and brass if they carry hot water.

Coupling

A coupling makes it easy to connect two pipes that have the same diameter and are the same type. It’s also used to repair a broken or leaking pipe. Along with a normal coupling, two other types are the compression coupling and slip coupling.

The compression fitting is connected between two pipes via rubber seals or gaskets on both sides which prevents leaking. A slip coupling includes two pipes, one of which slides out of the other pipe to a various length, to repair a specific length of damaged pipe.

Cross

A cross fitting has openings on all four of its ends and can connect four pipes. Cross fittings come with three inlets and an outlet or three outlets and an inlet.

Because they are the connecting point for four pipes, they are under more stress than other types of fittings and typically built tougher than other fittings.

Double Tapped Bushing

This is a type of nipple, but it has threading on both the inside and the outside. Because this center hole is threaded (tapped) from both top and bottom, it’s referred to as double-tapped.

A double tapped bushing is also a type of reducer, but does not have a reducer’s flexibility. A double tapped bushing is usually female.

Elbow

Not surprisingly, this sort of fitting has a bend that reminds you of the arm joint. They help the flow of water change direction. Elbows come in several degrees, including 22.5, 45, and 90 degrees.

Reducer elbow variations also exist for when the piping diameters being connected are different. Elbow fittings can be made of different materials, and most are female.

Mechanical Sleeve

This connects two pipes through the use of a screw or other device. This makes the fitting easy to install. The mechanical sleeve or coupling is usually made of rubber that is inserted inside a metal jacket (stainless steel clamp).

When the clamp is tightened, it compresses the rubber inside to make a tight seal. Because this fitting can be slightly flexed, it can accommodate small misalignments in hard to install locations.

Nipple

This is a short fitting that can be made of metals such as copper, brass or steel or chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC). Instead of connecting two pipes, a nipple connects two fittings.

If it has a continuous threading, it is a closed nipple. They are usually male and come in varying lengths.

Plug and Cap

Plugs and caps are both used to close up pipe openings during inspections and repairs. The main difference is that a plug is male while a cap is female. Most often, caps and plugs are threaded.

Plugs and caps are made of several materials, including metal, plastic or rubber and can be welded, soldered, glued, or threaded into the pipe.

Reducer

This fitting makes a flow smaller and thus reduces it. Reducers come in two types. The concentric reducer joins two pipes on the same axis, and the eccentric reducer is used to join pipes of different diameters.

The concentric reducer looks like a cone, while eccentric reducers look somewhat like bells with offset center lines. They prevent air bubbles in the pipes.

Tee

A tee has an inlet and an outlet and is shaped like the letter “T.” These fittings come in different sizes and are considered sturdier than the cross fitting.

A diverter tee is used in heating systems that use water. They come with directional markings and need to be installed correctly for the system to operate.

Union

Unions can have either male or female threads. They are similar to couplings, but the difference is unions are easy to remove making them convenient for maintenance or a planned future replacement.

A coupling, on the other hand, is more permanent and needs to be cut out. A union contains three parts: nut, male end, and female end. The nut is used to join the male and female ends.

Valve

Valves allow the flow of fluids to be adjusted. There are different types, including throttling, non-return and isolation. Non-return valves only allow the liquid to flow in one direction and are often found in drains. They’re also called check valves.

Isolation valves sequester a part of the plumbing system so that the system can be serviced or maintained. These valves are either left open or left closed all the time. However, because they may need to be used in a emergency, they should be checked now and then to see if they’re operational.

Throttling valves control the pressure and amount of a fluid. Because this stresses the mechanism, they tend to wear out faster than other valves. They are usually installed near isolation valves.

Wye

Built in the shape of the letter “Y,” this fitting is made to connect three pipes. Y fittings allow the pipes to change their elevations and to branch out into fresh water lines or drains.

Wyes are similar to tee fittings but the smoother angling reduces friction and turbulence in the water. This fitting is most commonly used to connect a vertical drainpipe to a horizontal one.

https://www.waterheaterhub.com/types-plumbing-pipe-fittings/

Different Types of Plumbers

There are 3 types of plumbers; Commercial plumbers, Residential plumbers, Service and Repair. Let’s shed some light on why they are different, because not every plumber is right for every job.

What us a Plumber?

When your water isn’t working in your home, or the toilets won’t flush in your office building, you might consider calling a plumber. Rightfully so. But what exactly is a plumber? A plumber is a professional who installs and repairs pipes and fittings of your plumbing systems which include the water supply, heating system, and sanitation. They are the people that make sure that your facilities work when you need them to. They ensure that the right pipes are in place and connected to the proper outlet.

Types of Plumbers

COMMERCIAL PLUMBERS

Commercial plumbers are trained and gain experience in large public plumbing systems such as schools, large shopping centers, and hospitals connected to large industrial equipment. They are responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining pipes in commercial or industrial buildings. Usually a plumber working only commercial jobs will not have sufficient training and job experience in residential service and repair. A notable difference between a commercial plumber and a residential plumber is the number of pipes and outlets one has to account for.

With a residential plumbing job, there are significantly less pipes and outlets to deal with. Additionally, there is in most cases only two floors that have to be dealt with in a residential job. In commercial plumbing, there are more sinks and toilets and floors to handle. This could make the job more time consuming and cumbersome than if you called a plumber to come unclog your kitchen sink.

Something else to consider is the number of problems that a commercial plumber faces that a residential plumber doesn’t. Commercial plumbing is quite a bit more involved than fixing a leaky faucet or a simple pipe repair. Commercial plumbers put in extensive waste removal and water systems for large businesses. This could involve excavating trenches and laying pipelines that link the building to the local water main and sewage system.

Commercial plumbers are also instrumental in the maintenance of the systems that they have put into place. Maintenance is an essential part of a commercial plumber’s job. Making sure that the plumbing works in a large office building is important because it could affect many more people than a plumbing failure in a small home.

RESIDENTIAL PLUMBERS

Residential plumbers are the plumbers you think of when someone tells you to call a plumber. They train and gain experience by working on residential jobs such as new constructions and new additions to homes. Residential plumbers are usually tasked and become experts at installing pipe systems in residential homes. They can often lack the experience and training to pull off commercial jobs, but this makes them no less competent at fixing the plumbing at your home. In a way, plumbing is plumbing, but commercial plumbers require a level of knowledge that residential plumbers don’t need.

These plumbers are essential in making sure that the water and toilets work in your home. They troubleshoot and install plumbing mechanisms in your home to keep your home running smoothly. It is recommended that you call a residential plumber yearly to come out and check your plumbing system. The last thing you want is the toilet to stop working in the dead of winter; regular maintenance can help avoid catastrophes like this.

SERVICE AND REPAIR PLUMBERS

A service and repair plumber is the type of plumber you typically think about when your home or commercial business plumbing needs a repair. These plumbers receive technical training and have experience problem solving to solve the problem with the plumbing in your home or business. They must be more personable as they normally work directly with the client which is not normally a requirement for commercial or residential plumbers.

https://www.plumcore.com/different-types-plumbers/