Plumbing Terms and Installation

General Terms

• Plumbing is the art and technique of installing pipes and fixtures for bringing in water and discharging wastes
• Roughing in refers to plumbing work done before installing fixtures and finishes
• An alley is defined as a passage that is less than 3.0 meters but not less than 2.0 meters

Installation Terms

• Alter/Alterations refer to any change, addition, or modification
• Existing work refers to portions of plumbing fixtures that are already installed or approved
• Repair refers to reconstruction or renewal for maintenance purposes

Accessibility Terms

• Accessible refers to the removal of an access panel
• Readily Accessible refers to direct access without removing any panel or door
• A manhole is an opening that is large enough for a person to gain access

Cross Connection

• A cross connection is a physical connection between two otherwise separate building water supply pipes

Administrative Authority

• Approved refers to something that is accepted or acceptable
• An Approved Testing Agency (ATA) approves standards for testing
• Administrative Authority refers to an office authorized by the President (RA 1378)
• A Certified Backflow Assembly Tester has the competence to test and maintain backflow assemblies
• Department having Jurisdiction refers to the Administrative Authority
• The jurisdiction includes DPWH, DOH, DILG City Mayors, and DENR Officers of Building officials

Building Components

• A building is a structure built, erected, and framed of component structural parts
• Floor Area refers to the area within surrounding walls of a building
• A lot is a single area of land that is legally recorded
• The height of a building is measured from the gradeline to the highest point of the caping
• A single-family dwelling is the only dwelling located in a parcel of land
• A storey refers to the upper surface of the floor next above
• A yard is an open or unoccupied space

Utility Spaces

• A chase is built for pipes
• A court is an unoccupied space
• A shaft is a vertical opening, such as an elevator
• Combustible construction will ignite at 756 degrees Celsius
• A confined space has a volume of less than 1.4 m3 and has 250 kilogram-calorie of aggregate
• An unconfined space has a volume of at least 1.4 m3
• Labelled equipment bears a label
• A listing agency is an agency accepted by the Administrative Authority
• Listed equipment is included in the list published by a listing agency
• Quality of Materials refers to materials that are free from defects
• A Master Plumber is a person with knowledge and experience in plumbing

Other Terms

• NAMPAP stands for National Master Plumber Association of the Philippines
• A plumbing firm is a sole proprietorship or corporation composed of RMP
• May is a permissive term
• A mobile home park sewer measures 0.60 meters from the last mobile home site
• A nuisance is something that is dangerous to human life
• A family refers to a person living alone or a group living together
• Occupancy refers to the purpose for which a building is intended to be used
• A person refers to a natural persona
• Private/Private use refers to use that is not for public use, but is for the use of a family or individual
• Public/Public use refers to use that is open to all
• A plumbing appliance is equipment with a special plumbing function
• A clarifier/interceptor separates or prevents the passage of oil, grease, or sand
• A grease interceptor is a fixture with a capacity of up to 3.0 m3
• A grease trap is a receptacle that retains grease for up to 1-4 fixtures
• A sand interceptor is an interceptor
• Plumbing appurtenances serve as adjuncts to the basic piping and plumbing fixtures