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F Rating – A rating of effectiveness of firestop material, measuring its resistance to flames and water.
FHT – Female Hose Thread. (e. g. end of garden hose)
FIP – Female Iron Pipe connection. Standard internal threads on pipe fittings.
FMPX – Female pipe swivel connection
FNPT – This refers to the female pipe thread, in which the threads are on the inner side of the connection fitting.
FVI – Flammable Vapor Ignition
Fall / Flow – The proper slope or pitch of a pipe for adequate drainage.
Fascia – A decorative apron or front face. A wooden enclosure holding the main pump assembly for whirlpool and master baths.
Faucet Threads – Special thread size for fittings that connect to faucets. A cone seal or gasket is usually included because straight threads will not have a complete seal without a gasket.
Feed Pump – A pump that supplies water to a boiler.
Feed Water – Water introduced into a boiler during operation. It includes make-up and return condensate.
Female Fitting – A fitting that receives a pipe or fitting. A fitting into which another fitting is inserted.
Female Threads – Faucet threads that are in place on the inside of a fitting.
Ferrous – The shape of a some toilet bowls, where the bowl is about 2 inches longer than the standard round front bowl, usually 14 inches wide by 18 � inches long.
Ferrule – Metal cover piece for the lavatory overflow opening.
Fiberglass – Glass in a fibrous form used in the making of products such as shower stalls.
Filter Element – A device within a filter tank designed to trap suspended solids as water flows through it.
Filtrate – Liquid that has been passed through a filter.
Filtration Rate – The rate at which the water is traveling through the filter, measured as GPM (gallons per minute) per sq. ft.
Finish Plumbing – Installation of plumbing fixtures to make the system usable.
Finished Water – Water that has completed a purification or treatment process.
Fire Hose Closet – Usually a compartment built into an interior wall, covered by a glass door, holding a coiled fire hose connected to a water line, ready for immediate use in case of fire.
Fire Stand Pipe – A main water line that feels water sprinkling system or fire hose connections. This is separate from the lines feeding restrooms or other fixtures.
Firestop – Materials that fill the opening around penetrating items such as cables, cable trays, conduits, ducts, and pipes and their means of support through the wall or floor to prevent spread of fire.
First Draw – Water that has been sitting in pipes or plumbing fixtures overnight and is first drawn when taps are opened in the morning. For instance, where lead is present in plumbing, this water would have the highest levels of lead contamination.
First Hour Delivery – Refers to the result of forcing molten metal or plastic through a die or mold to form a specific shape. Commonly refers to shower door components such as jambs and headers that were created by extrusion.
Fitting – Any pipe part used to join together two sections of pipe, such as elbows, couplings, bushings, bends, wyes, etc.
Fixed Cone Valve – A cylinder gate mounted with the axis horizontal. Also known as Howell Bunger valve.
Fixture – A device that provides a supply of water or its disposal, e. g. sinks, tubs, toilets.
Fixture Unit – An arbitrary unit assigned to different types of plumbing fixtures, and used to estimate flow rate requirements and drain capacity requirements.
Flame Stability – Flames on a burner tend to stabilize at a point where flow velocity out and burning back are equal. It changes when primary air or gas rate is adjusted.
Flange – Extending rim or edge at one end of a pipe shaft that gives support or a finished appearance.
Flapper Flush Ball – The moving part of the flush valve that seals the water into the tank or allows water to exit the tank for the flush cycle. The most common replacement part used on conventional toilets.
Flapper Valve – The part on the bottom of the toilet tank that opens to allow water to flow from the tank into the bowl.
Flare Fitting – A fitting used to connect flex copper pipe, usually gas pipe.
Flaring Tool – Tool used to create a cone-shaped enlargement at the end of a piece of tubing to accept a flare fitting.
Flex Coupling – Rubber coupling used to join DWV Pipe. Can be used to connect PVC to Clay or Cast Iron above or below ground. Also used for repairs, and attach by used of steel band clamps.
Flex Hose – A flexible pipe usually made of braided stainless steel.
Flexible Connector – A braided hose that connects a faucet or toilet to the water supply stop valve. Serves as a riser but is much more flexible and easier to install. Usually stainless steel or PVC/Polyester reinforced hose.
Flexible Water Connector – Usually a braided hose that connects your faucet or toilet the water supply stop valve. The same function as a riser, but much more flexible and easier to install. Most often Stainless Steel Braided hose or PVC/Polyester re-enforced hose.
Float Ball – The floating ball connected to the ballcock inside the tank that rises or falls with changing water levels in the tank, and actuates or shuts off the ballcock as needed.
Floating Flames (Lifting flames) – An undesirable burner operating condition, usually indicating incomplete combustion in which flames leave the burner port to “reach” for combustion air.
Flood Level Rim – The top edge of a receptacle from which water overflows.
Floor Drain – Drainage fitting that sits flush with the floor, used in basements and showers.
Floor Flange – A fitting that connects a toilet to a floor drain.
Floor Sink – Receptacle usually made of enameled cast iron located at floor level and connected to a trap to receive the discharge from indirect waste and floor drainage. Cleaner and more sanitary than regular floor drains. Usually used in hospitals & restaurants.
Flow control Valve – Device designed to reduce water flow to a plumbing fixture. Often used to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs. Also a check valve that prevents flow reversal when heater is turned off.
Flow Rate – Rated in gallons per minute (GPM) or in gallons per hour (GPH).
Flue – A passageway for combustion by-products.
Flue Baffle – A device to deflect, check, or regulate flow through a pipe.
Flue Damper – A device to minimize heat loss through a venting system.
Flue Exhauster – A fan installed in the vent pipe which will provide a positive induced draft. Sometimes called a draft inducer.
Flume Spout – An open spout design that is also referred to as a waterfall spout.
Flush Bushing – For whirlpools, a variable valve regulating the amount of water delivered to the jets. For faucets, a valve connector device controlling water flow rate.
Flush Joint – A Connection with both male and female threads cut into the pipe.
Flush-mount Lavatory – Sink that sits flush and even with the countertop and is supported by a metal ring.
Flushing Surface – The interior surface of the bowl and all other surfaces which may come into contact with water during flushing.
Flushometer – Toilet valve that automatically shuts off after it meters a certain amount of water flow.
Flushometer Tank System – Toilet flushing system that uses supply water pressure to compress water to provide a pressurized flush as opposed to a gravity flush.
Flushometer Valve – The valve located at the bottom of a gravity-operated toilet flush tank, which opens when the trip lever is actuated, and closes when the tank has drained to the desired level. Usually also contains an overflow tube.
Flux – Paste applied to copper pipes and fittings before soldering to help the fusion process and prevent oxidation.
Foam Insulation – Insulation surrounding the surface of a water heater tank.
Foot Valve – A special type of check valve located at the bottom end of the suction pipe on a pump; it opens when the pump operates to allow water to enter the suction pipe but closes when the pump shuts off to prevent water from flowing out.
Footprint – The area of floor space taken up by a water heater or other appliance. Framed A bath enclosure system that mounts all glass or plastic panels in a metal frame.
Framed – A bath enclosure system that mounts all glass or plastic panels in a metal frame.
Frameless – A bath enclosure system that minimizes the amount of metal used to hold the system panels and door in place.
Free-standing – Term used to describe a bathtub that is free of walls on all sides.
Freeboard – The vertical distance between a bed of filter media or ion exchange material and the overflow or collector for backwash water; the height above the bed of granular media available for bed expansion during backwashing; may be expressed either as a linear distance or a percentage of bed depth.
French Drain – A covered ditch containing a layer of fitted or loose stone or other pervious material.
Friction Loss – The loss of pressure caused by the turbulence created in water while traveling through the pipe.
Frost Line – The depth to which frost penetrates the earth.
Full-finished – Refers to tubular products in which the weld has been processed to produce uniform strength and dimensions, and subsequently annealed to obtain proper corrosion resistance.
Full Hydraulic Capacity – The designed capacity of a pipe or conduit.
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Source: “Plumbing Terms” Standard Plumbing Supply. 11 Sept. 2008