RA1378: PLUMBING CODE: DEFINITION OF TERMS (A-C)

ALLEY

any public space, Public Park or thoroughfare less than

three (3) meters but not less than two (2) meters in width which

has been dedicated or deeded to the public for public use.

ALTERATION

any change, addition or modification in

construction or occupancy. (Change or repair)

APPROVED

accepted or acceptable under an applicable

specification stated or cited in this Code, or accepted as suitable

for the proposed use under procedures and powers at the

authority.

AUTHORITY

is mean to be the individual

official, board, department or agency established an authorized by

the office of the President (R.A. No.1378) to administer and

enforce the provisions of this National Plumbing Code as adapted

or amended. (Prof. Sanitary Engineering) - Plans and

specs, (Master Plumber)

BACKFLOW

The flow of water into a water supply system from

source other than its regular source. Back siphonage is one type

of backflow.

BACK PRESSURE

Air pressure in drainage pipes greater than

atmospheric pressure.

BACK VENT PIPE

the part of a vent line which connects directly

with an individual trap underneath or behind the fixture and

extends to the branch or main, soil, or waste pipe at any point

higher than the fixture or fixture

BALL COCK

faucet opened or closed by the fall or rise of a ball

floating on the surface of water.

BALL JOINT

A connection in which a ball is held in a cuplike shell

that allows movement in every direction.

BATTERY OF FIXTURES

is any of two or more

similar adjacent fixtures which discharge into a common

horizontal soil branch.

BELL

That portion of a pipe which for a short distance, is

sufficiently enlarged to receive the end of another pipe of the

same diameter for the purpose of making a joint.

BENDING PIN

A tool used for straightening or

expanding lead pipe.

BIBB

Synonymous with faucet is preferred. Faucet or Spigot

BIDET

A plumbing fixture used for washing the middle part of

the body, specially the

genitals. Also a sitz bath

BLANK FLANGE

A flange that is not drilled

BLIND FLANGE

A flange that closes the end of a pipe. There is no

opening for the passage of water.

AIR GAP, DRAINAGE

the unobstructed vertical distance through the

free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe, plumbing

fixture, appliance or appurtenance conveying waste to the flood level rim

of the receptor.

AIR GAP, WATER DISTRIBUTION

an unobstructed vertical distance

through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or

faucet conveying potable water to the flood-level rim of any tank, vat or

fixture.

BATHROOM

a room equipped with a shower stall or bathtub

BACKFLOW CONNECTION

condition or any arrangement whereby

reverse flow can occur.

BACK PRESSURE BACKFLOW

occurs due to an increased reverse

pressure above the supply pressure. This may be due to pumps, boilers,

gravity or other sources of pressure.

BACKFLOW PREVENTER

device or means to prevent flow of liquid

from retuming to the source of supply. Also called vacuum breaker .

BACK-SIPHONAGE

the flowing back of used, contaminated or ·

polluted water from a plumbing fixture or vessel into a water supply pipe

due to a negative pressure in such pipe. See backflow.

BACKWATER VALVE

a device installed in a drainage system to

prevent reverse flow .

BLOW OFF

a controlled outlet of a pipeline to discharge liquid or

detritus.

BOILER BLOW-OFF

a valved outlet of a boiler that permits discharge

of accumulated sediment.

BRANCH VENT

a horizontal vent connecting one or more individual

vertical back vents with the vent stack or stack vent

BRAZED JOINT

any joint obtained by joining of metal parts with

alloys which melt at temperatures higher than 449 degrees centigrade, but

lower than t.he melting temperature of the parts to be joined.

BUILDING SEWER

that part of the lowest horizontal piping of a

drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste and other

drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the

building sewer beginning 0.6 meter outside the building wall

BUILDING SEWER

that part of the horizontal piping of a drainage

system which starts from the end of the building drain and which receives

the discharge of the building drain and conveys it to a public sewer, private

sewer, individual sewage disposal system or other point of disposal.

BUILDING SUBDRAIN

that portion of an underground system, which

cannot drain by gravity into the building sewer

BUILDING SUPPLY

the pipe carrying potable water from the water

meter or other source of water supply to a building or other point of use or

distribution on the lot. Building supply shall also mean water service

connection.

CAULKING

CAP

CATCH BASIN

a receptacle in which liquids are retained for ~

sufficient period of time to allow settleable material to deposit.

CERTIFIED BACKFLOW ASSEMBLY TESTER

a person who has

shown competence to test and maintain backflow assemblies to the

satisfaction of the Administrative Authority having jurisdiction.g .

CESSPOOL

a non-watertight lined excavation in the ground which

receives the discharge of a sanitary drainage system or part thereof,

d~signed to retain the organic matter and solids discharging therefrom, but

permitting the liquid to seep through the bottom and sides of the cesspool.

CHASE

a vertical shaft for installation of different pipe stacks

CHECK VALVE

a valve that automatically closes to prevent the flow

of liquid or gas in a reverse direction

CIRCUIT VENT

a group vent pipe which starts in front of the extreme

fixture connection on a horizontal branch and connects to the vent stack.

COMBINATION WASTE AND VENT SYSTEM

a specially

designed system of waste piping embodying the horizontal wet venting of

one or more sinks or floor drains by means of a common horizontal waste

and vent pipe. adequately sized to provide free movement of air above the

flow line of the drain.

COMBUSTIBLE CONSTRUCTION

a structure which any part of its

structural framework will ignite and burn at a temperature of 756 degrees

centigrade or less

COMMON

that part of a plumbing system designed and installed to

serve more than one ( 1) appliance, fixture, building or system

CONFINED SPACE

a room or space having a volume less than 1.4 cu.m with 250 kilogram calorie of the aggregate input rating of all fuel burning

appliances installed in that space

CONTAMINATION

an impairment of the quality of the potable water

which creates an actual hazard to the public health through poisoning or

spread of disease by sewage, industrial fluids or waste. Also, defined as

High Hazard.

CONTINUOUS VENT

is vertical vent that is a

continuation of the drain to which the vent connects.

CONTINUOUS WASTE

drain connecting the compartments of a set

of fixtures to a trap or connecting other permitted fixtures to a common

trap.

CONDUCTOR OR DOWNSPOUT

a vertical pipe to convey rainwater .

CORPORATION COCK

a stop valve placed at the connection of the

water service pipe to the water main.

COURT

an open, unoccupied space, bounded on two (2) or more sides

by the walls of the building. An inner court is a court entirely within the

exterior walls of a building. All other courts are outer courts.

CRITICAL LEVEL

C-L or C/L marking on a backflow prevention

device or vacuum breaker is a point conforming to approved standards and

established by the testing laboratory (usually stamped on the device by the

manufacturer) which determines the minimum elevation above the flood

level rim of the fixture or receptacle served where the device may be

installed. When a backflow prevention device does not bear a critical level

marking, the bottom of the vacuum breaker, combination valve or the

bottom of any such approved device shall constitute the critical level.

CROSS-CONNECTION

any connection or arrangement, physical or

otherwise, between a potable water supply system and any plumbing

fixture or any tank. receptacle, equipment or device, through which

enables non-potable, used, unclean, polluted, contaminated water or other

substances to enter into any part of such potable water system under any

condition