Building Terminology Quiz

Definitions and Concepts

• Yard: An open, unoccupied space from the ground to the sky, excluding courts.
• Building: A structure made of framed components and structural parts.
• Occupancy: The intended use of a building.

Areas and Spaces

• Single Family Dwelling: A building designed as a home for its owner.
• Bathroom: A room equipped with a shower stall or bathtub.
• Chase: A space for installing various pipe stacks.
• Shaft: A vertical opening for elevators, dumbwaiters, lights, or ventilation.
• Confined Space: Volume less than 1.4 cubic meters with certain fuel-burning appliance input ratings.
• Unconfined Space: Volume of at least 1.4 cubic meters.

Backflow Prevention

• Airbreak: A physical separation allowing waste receptacles to receive discharge indirectly.
• Air Gap (Drainage): Unobstructed vertical distance between any pipe opening and waste receptor's flood level rim.
• Air Gap (Water Distribution): Similar to drainage, but for potable water systems.
• Backflow: The unwanted flow of water or liquid back into the potable water supply.
• Backflow Connection: Arrangement allowing for reverse flow in a system.
• Backpressure Backflow: Occurs with increased reverse pressure exceeding supply pressure.
• Back-Siphonage: Contaminated water flowing back into a potable supply due to negative pressure.

Drainage Systems

• Cross-Connection: Arrangement enabling polluted water to enter the potable system.
• Primary Branch: Main drain from a stack merging with the building drain.
• Secondary Branch: Any drain other than the primary branch.
• Building Subdrain: Underground drainage portion that does not use gravity to connect to sewers.
• Sanitary Sewer: Carries sanitary sewage without stormwater admixture.
• Building Sewer: Begins at the building drain, conveying waste to disposal systems.
• House Sewer: Extends from the house drain beyond the foundation wall.
• Private Sewer: Serves multiple building drains.
• Public Sewer: Common sewer managed by public authorities.

Stormwater Management

• Leader: A pipe from building gutters to downspouts.
• Conductors/Downspouts: Vertical pipes for rainwater conveyance.
• Catch Basin: Retains liquids, allowing sediment to settle.
• House Storm Sewer: Connects from the building to public storm drainage.

Traps and Vents

• Trap: Fitting that prevents foul air backflow with a liquid seal.
• Trap Arm: Portion of a fixture drain between the trap and the vent.
• Trap Seal: The maximum liquid depth that a trap retains.
• Seal: Distance between the dip and crown weir of a trap.

Plumbing Fixtures

• Private Use Fixtures: For restricted use.
• Public Use Fixtures: Accommodate general public use.
• Receptor: Collects discharge from indirect waste pipes and is easily cleaned.
• Battery of Fixtures: Two or more similar fixtures discharging into one soil or waste branch.
• Bibb: Another term for a faucet.
• Bidet: Designed for washing intimate body parts.

Fixture Types

• Faucet: Valve allowing water extraction from a pipe.
• Flood Level Rim: Top edge of a receptacle where water overflows.
• Flush Tank: Tank associated with toilets for water flushing.
• Flushometer: Discharges predetermined water quantities using pressure.

Pipe Materials

• ABS: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
• PB: Polybutylene; used for water service connections.
• PE: Polyethylene; used for various water applications.
• PVC: Polyvinyl chloride; denotes various drainage pipes based on color.

Pipe Measurements

• Pipe: Cylindrical conduit defined by inside diameter (I.D.) or outside diameter (O.D.).
• Grade: Slope or fall of a pipe line.
• Main: Principal line connecting branches in a plumbing system.
• Dead-End: Closed end of a pipe.

Venting Systems

• Vent Pipe: Ensures air circulation in plumbing.
• Combination Waste and Vent System: Wet venting of multiple sinks or drains via a common pipe.
• Branch Vent: Connects multiple vertical back vents.
• Relief Vent: Improves air circulation in drainage and vent systems.
• Individual Vent: Connects a fixture trap to the open air.

Additional Concepts

• Yoke Vent: Connects a soil/waste stack to an adjacent vent stack.
• Loop Vent: Connects to a stack vent, providing air for drain flow.
• Circuit Vent: Group vent pipe connecting to a vent stack.