National Plumbing Code of the Philippines - Chapter 2: Definitions (A-B)

Utilities 2 - Plumbing

ABS

Acrylonitrile-Butadiene·Styrene

Any public space, public park or thoroughfare less than three (3) meters but not less than two (2) meters in width dedicated or deeded for public use.

Alley

Any change, addition or modification in construction or occupancy.

Alter or Alteration

When applied to a fixture, connection, appliance or equipment, shall mean having access thereto, but which may require prior removal of an access panel, door or similar obstruction. "Readily accessible" shall mean direct access without the necessity of removing any panel, door or similar obstruction.

Accessible

A physical separation, which may be a low inlet into the indirect waste receptor from the fixture, appliance or device indirectly connected.

Airbreak

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, Drainage

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.

Air Gap, Water Distribution

Accepted or acceptable under an applicable specifications or standard stated or cited in this Code., or accepted as suitable for any proposed use under procedures and powers of the Administrative Authority.

Approved

An organization primarily established for purposes of testing to approve standards and approved by the Administrative Authority.

Approved Testing Agency

The Administrative Authority including the Building Official, the Commission, the Board and such other department or agency established and authorized to administer and enforce the provisions of Republic Act 1378 - The Plumbing Code of the Philippines, Presidential Decree No. 223; as amended by P.D. 657 creating the Professional Regulation Commission and prescribing its powers and functions, and Letter of Instruction No. 1000 - ordering and directing the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the former Ministry of Human Settlements, the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Education and Culture, Public Works and Highways, Tourism, Transportation and Communication all SOOT agencies concerned, to authorize and support PRC Accredited Bonafide Professional Organizations only, and their members to organize, host, sponsor or represent the Filipino Professionals in national, regional and international fora, further and conventions where the concerned professions are involved; and orders directs that all government agencies and instrumentalities shall give priority to bonafide members of the accredited professional organizations in the hiring of its employees and engagement of professional services.

Authority, Administrative

The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances into the distributing pipes of a potable supply of water from any source other than from its intended source.

Backflow

Condition or any arrangement whereby reverse flow can occur.

Backflow Connection

It occurs due to an increased reverse pressure above the supply pressure. This may be due to pumps, boilers, gravity or other sources of pressure.

Backpressure Backflow

A device or means to prevent flow of liquid from returning to the source of supply. Also called vacuum breaker.

Backflow Preventer

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.

Back-siphonage

A device installed in a drainage system to prevent reverse flow.

Backwater Valve

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 vent pipe at any point higher than the fixture or fixture traps it serves. This is sometimes called an individual vent. See Revent pipe.

Back Vent Pipe

A valve opened and closed by the fall and rise, respectively, of an attached ball floating on the surface of the liquid.

Ball Cock

A type of pipe connection in which a ball-shaped end is held in a cuplike shell and allows movements in every direction.

Ball Joint

A room equipped with a shower stall or bathtub.

Bathroom

Any of two or more similar adjacent fixtures which discharge into a common horizontal soil or waste branch.

Battery of Fixtures

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 caulked or push-on joint.

Bell or Hub

A tool for straightening or bending lead pipe.

Bending Pin (or Iron)

Synonymous with faucet, cock, tap, plug, etc. The word "faucet" is preferred.

Bibb

A plumbing fixture used for washing the middle private part of the body, especially the genitals. Also called a "sitz" bath.

Bidet

A pipe flange that is not drilled for bolt holes.

Blank Flange

A flange that closes the end of a pipe. There is no opening for the passage of liquid or gas.

Blind Flange

A controlled outlet of a pipeline to discharge liquid or detritus.

Blow-off

The licensure board for master plumbers.

Board

A valved outlet of a boiler that permits discharge of accumulated sediment.

Boiler Blow-off

Any part of the piping system other than a main, riser or stack .

Branch

A length of soil or waste stack corresponding in general to a story height, but in no case less than 2.43 meters within which the horizontal branches from one floor or story of a building are connected to the stack.

Branch Interval

A horizontal vent connecting one or more individual vertical back vents with the vent stack or stack vent.

Branch Vent

Any joint obtained by joining of metal parts with alloys which melt at temperatures higher than 449 degrees centigrade, but lower than the melting temperature of the parts to be joined.

Brazed Joint

Brown and Sharpe (Specification) or Bell and Spigot (Ends of Pipes)

B & S

A structure built, erected and framed of component structural pats designed for the housing, shelter, enclosure or support of persons, animals or property of any kind.

Building

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 Drain

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 Sewer

That portion of an underground system, which cannot drain by gravity into the building sewer.

Building Subdrain

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.

Building Supply