Plumbing Glossary

Tankless water heater

A wall-mounted unit that heats water on demand instead of storing it — endless hot water, no standby losses, and a typical service life of 20+ years. Tankless water heaters

T&P relief valve

The temperature-and-pressure relief valve on a water heater — the safety device that vents excess pressure before the tank can fail. Required on every installation, with a proper discharge pipe.

Expansion tank

A small pressurized tank that absorbs the expansion of heated water in a closed plumbing system. Required by code on most modern water heater installations.

Anode rod

A sacrificial metal rod inside a tank water heater that corrodes so the tank doesn't. Replacing it on schedule is the single best way to extend a tank's life. Water heater lifespan

Hydro jetting

Drain cleaning with focused high-pressure water (up to 4,000 PSI) that scours buildup off pipe walls and restores the line's full diameter — beyond what a snake can do. Hydro jetting vs. snaking

Cleanout

A capped access fitting on a drain or sewer line that lets equipment enter the pipe without dismantling fixtures. Professional drain cleaning works from any accessible cleanout.

Sewer lateral

The buried pipe that carries wastewater from your house to the city main. Maintaining it — roots, bellies, breaks and all — is the homeowner's responsibility. Sewer camera inspections

CIPP (pipe lining)

Cured-in-place pipe: an epoxy-saturated liner inserted into a damaged sewer line and cured into a new seamless pipe inside the old one. Trenchless — usually one access point. Trenchless sewer repair

Pipe bursting

Trenchless full replacement: a new pipe is pulled through the old line, fracturing it outward. Two access pits instead of a trench, and the new pipe can be upsized.

Slab leak

A leak in a water line running beneath a home's concrete slab. Classic signs: a warm floor spot, running-water sounds, and a climbing bill. Located electronically before any concrete is opened. Hidden leak warning signs

Pressure regulator (PRV)

The valve that reduces street water pressure to a safe level for your home's plumbing. A failed regulator stresses every fixture, hose, and water heater in the house.

Repiping

Replacing a home's aging supply pipes (galvanized steel, deteriorating copper) with new lines. The honest answer when pinhole leaks become a pattern rather than a one-off. Leak detection & pipe repair

Gas sediment trap (drip leg)

A short capped pipe segment on a gas appliance line that catches debris and moisture before they reach the appliance valve. A small, code-required detail proper installers never skip.

GPM (gallons per minute)

The flow measurement used to size tankless water heaters — how much hot water the unit can deliver at once. Homes typically need 2–10 GPM depending on simultaneous demand.

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