CT Plumber key terms

State board within the Department of Consumer Protection that examines plumbing and piping applicants, issues licenses, and hears complaints against licensed contractors and journeypersons.

Credential issued after passing the state examination that authorizes a plumber to perform plumbing and piping work under the supervision of a licensed contractor, or independently when properly registered.

Registration required to bid, contract, and be responsible for plumbing work; the registrant must hold or employ a licensed plumber and carry the required insurance and surety bond.

Documented on-the-job training hours worked under a licensed plumber that must be verified before an applicant is admitted to the journeyperson examination.

Written authorization from the local building official that must be obtained before starting installation, alteration, or repair of plumbing, and that triggers required inspections.

Inspection performed after piping, vents, and fittings are installed but before they are concealed by walls, floors, or ceilings, so the inspector can verify code compliance.

Last inspection of a completed installation in which the inspector verifies fixtures, fittings, water heating, and testing are complete and code compliant before approval or occupancy.

Document issued by the building official confirming that a structure and its plumbing systems comply with approved plans and codes and may lawfully be occupied.

The model plumbing code, as amended by state law and regulation, that governs design, installation, and inspection of plumbing systems within the jurisdiction.

Jurisdiction-specific changes to the adopted model code that supersede or supplement its requirements; plumbers must apply the stricter or more specific local rule.

Device or assembly that prevents reversal of water flow and contamination of the potable supply, such as an air gap, reduced-pressure zone assembly, or vacuum breaker.

Any actual or potential link between the potable water supply and a source of contamination or pollution that could allow backflow into the drinking water system.

Unobstructed vertical separation between a water supply outlet and the flood-level rim of a fixture or receptor, providing the highest degree of backflow protection.

Backflow device that admits air into piping to break a siphon; the atmospheric type must be installed on the discharge side of the last control valve and cannot be under continuous pressure.

Arrangement that delivers a small, regular flow of water to a floor drain trap to keep the trap seal from evaporating and allowing sewer gas to enter.

Device containing a trapped air chamber or piston that absorbs the pressure surge created when water flow stops suddenly, protecting piping and fixtures from shock.

Regulating valve installed on the service line that reduces high street pressure to a safe, usable level and protects fixtures and appliances from excess pressure.

Upper edge of a fixture or receptor over which water would overflow onto the floor; it establishes the critical level used for air gaps and fixture setting.

Drain connection point at the bottom of a fixture where the waste exits, measured by its minimum diameter and used to size the trap and drainage load.

Unit of measure expressing the probable rate of wastewater discharge from a fixture; used with fixture-unit tables to size drainage and vent piping.

Toilet fixture that receives human waste, consisting of a bowl and flush mechanism; the water closet is classified by its flush volume and trapway design.

Flush valve that operates by line pressure rather than gravity tank, requiring a minimum supply pressure and a fixture with a suitable flushometer-rated bowl.

Pipe and fittings that deliver potable water to a fixture, sized from the fixture's demand in supply fixture units and terminating at the fixture outlet.

Pipe carrying potable water from the water main or private source to the building, including the meter, valves, and fittings up to the building's distribution system.

Primary supply pipe within a building that carries water from the service line and branches to risers, fixture groups, and equipment throughout the structure.

Pressure increase caused when heated water expands in a closed system; a thermal expansion tank or relief device must be provided to prevent damage.

Safety device on a water heater that discharges water if temperature or pressure exceeds set limits, preventing tank rupture; its discharge pipe must terminate safely.

Pan installed beneath a water heater in a location where leakage could cause damage, with a drain routed to an approved receptor and an overflow rim.

Air supplied to a fuel-burning appliance for complete combustion and draft; inadequate supply causes carbon monoxide production and must be verified by code methods.

Pipe or fitting that conveys flue gases from a gas appliance to the outdoors; its size, height, and termination are governed by venting tables and clearances.

Device on a gas appliance that draws dilution air and stabilizes draft, preventing downdraft and spillage of flue gases into the space.

Drip leg installed on the gas supply near an appliance to collect dirt, scale, and condensate so they do not reach the burner or controls.

System of pipe, tubing, fittings, and valves that delivers fuel gas from the meter or source to appliances at the required pressure and volume.

Pressure test of gas piping using air or inert gas and a gauge, held for a specified period at a specified pressure before the system is placed in service.

Depth of water retained in a trap after flow stops that blocks sewer gas; the seal depth must fall within the code range and be protected from siphonage.

Vertical vent pipe that extends from the drainage stack or fixtures to the outdoors, providing air to protect trap seals and relieve pressure in the drainage system.

Drain pipe that receives discharge from two or more fixtures and conveys it to a soil or waste stack, sized by total drainage fixture units.

Vertical drainage pipe that carries the discharge of water closets and other fixtures downward to the building drain or building sewer.

Lowest piping of a drainage system that receives waste from stacks and branch drains and conveys it to the building sewer, usually below or at the lowest floor.

Pipe extending from the building drain to the public sewer, private disposal system, or other point of disposal, outside the building footprint.

Piping that collects and conveys rainwater, groundwater, and other clear water from roofs, yards, and foundations to an approved point of disposal.

Receptor installed on a roof to admit rainwater into the storm drainage system, sized by roof area and rainfall rate and protected against debris.

Vertical pipe that conducts rainwater from a roof drain or gutter to the building storm drain, often called a downspout, and sized by roof area.

Receptor at grade level that collects surface water from paved areas, courtyards, or window wells and connects to the storm drainage system.

Tank that separates fats, oils, and grease from kitchen wastewater by flotation, retaining them while clarified flow passes to the sanitary drainage system.

Receptacle that traps sand, grit, and heavy solids from wastewater before it enters the drainage system, commonly used in garages and car washes.

Three-dimensional piping sketch drawn on angled axes showing pipe runs, fittings, sizes, and fixtures; used to plan and inspect plumbing installations.

Schematic drawing showing vertical stacks, their sizes, fixture connections, and venting as a single-line representation without regard to horizontal distances.

Top-down drawing of a floor showing fixture locations, pipe routes, dimensions, and room layout; the basis for takeoffs and layout work.

Piping installed within walls, ceilings, floors, or chases so it is not visible in the finished space; it must be inspected before being covered.