ME Plumber flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Uniform Plumbing Code adoption

Maine adopts the Uniform Plumbing Code as its statewide plumbing standard, and local jurisdictions may amend it only in ways that are at least as stringent as the state code.

Journeyman plumber license

The credential that allows a plumber to perform plumbing work under the supervision of a master plumber, earned through documented field experience and passage of a written examination.

Permit-required work

Installation, alteration, or replacement of plumbing systems requires a permit and inspection, while minor repairs such as replacing a faucet washer or flush valve generally do not.

Readily accessible definition

A code term meaning a component can be reached for inspection, repair, or replacement without removing permanent construction or using tools other than ordinary keys or hand tools.

Fixture unit definition

A unit of measure that expresses the approximate load a fixture places on the drainage system, used to size drainage piping and vents based on the number and type of fixtures.

Rough-in inspection

The inspection performed after drainage, waste, vent, and water piping are installed but before walls or floors are closed, verifying code compliance of concealed work.

Building drain vs building sewer

The building drain is the lowest piping inside the building that receives waste; the building sewer is the pipe carrying that waste from the building to the public sewer or private system.

Drainage pipe minimum slope

Drainage piping must slope at least one-quarter inch per foot for pipes two and one-half inches and smaller, and one-eighth inch per foot for pipes three inches and larger.

Trap arm length limit

The maximum distance between a trap and its vent: five feet for one and one-quarter inch, six feet for one and one-half inch, eight feet for two inch, and twelve feet for three inch pipe.

Vent above flood-level rim

A vertical vent must extend at least six inches above the flood-level rim of the highest fixture it serves before any horizontal offset is permitted in the vent.

Wet vent restrictions

A wet vent is a drain serving as a vent for other fixtures; it may serve only fixtures on the same floor and is limited in the number and type of fixtures it can vent.

Cleanout placement rules

Cleanouts are required at the base of each soil stack, at horizontal direction changes greater than forty-five degrees, and at intervals not exceeding one hundred feet in horizontal drains.

Stack vent vs vent stack

A stack vent continues the soil stack above the roof to open air, while a vent stack is a separate vertical vent serving fixtures on lower floors of the drainage system.

Fixture unit values table

Common fixture unit loads: water closet three units, lavatory one unit, bathtub or shower two units, kitchen sink two units, and floor drain one to two units depending on size.

Horizontal drain direction change

A horizontal drainage line that changes direction more than forty-five degrees must have a cleanout installed at or near the change to allow access for clearing blockages.

Pressure-reducing valve threshold

A pressure-reducing valve is required on the water service when static street pressure exceeds eighty psi, protecting fixtures and piping from excessive pressure and water hammer.

Thermal expansion control

On a closed water system with a backflow preventer or check valve, an expansion tank must be installed on the cold side to absorb water expansion and prevent relief valve discharge.

Backflow protection hierarchy

An air gap provides the highest protection against cross-connection, followed by a reduced pressure zone assembly, then a double check valve assembly, chosen by hazard level.

T&P relief valve piping

The temperature and pressure relief valve on a water heater must be piped full size and discharge within six inches of the floor or to a safe, visible discharge point.

Hot water delivery temperature

Hot water must reach fixtures at a minimum of one hundred ten degrees Fahrenheit, and scald protection is required where stored or delivered water can exceed one hundred twenty degrees Fahrenheit.

Minimum fixture supply pressure

The code sets a minimum residual pressure at the most remote fixture, typically eight psi at a flushometer valve, used with developed length and fixture units to size piping.

Water hammer arrestor purpose

A device installed near quick-closing valves or at the end of long pipe runs that absorbs the pressure surge created when water flow stops suddenly, preventing pipe noise and damage.

Copper pipe support spacing

Copper water distribution piping must be supported at intervals not exceeding six feet horizontally and ten feet vertically, with supports placed near fittings and changes of direction.

Water service sizing method

Water service and distribution pipe sizing uses total fixture units, developed length of the longest run, and available pressure loss tables to select a pipe diameter.

Water closet clearance

A water closet must have at least fifteen inches from its centerline to any side wall and twenty-one inches of clear space in front of the bowl for code compliance.

Lavatory clearance

A lavatory must have at least four inches from its centerline to a side wall and fifteen inches of clear space in front of it for use and cleaning access.

Dishwasher drain protection

A dishwasher drain must connect to the sink drain or disposal upstream of the trap and be protected by an air gap or high loop to prevent backflow of waste water.

Clothes washer standpipe height

A clothes washer standpipe must be at least eighteen inches and not more than forty-two inches above the trap weir, with a two inch trap and two inch trap arm.

Fixture trap requirement

Every fixture must be individually trapped unless it is a listed fixture with an integral trap, and each trap must be vented and accessible for cleaning and repair.

Gas appliance sediment trap

A gas-fired appliance supply line must include a sediment trap and a shutoff valve, and the listed appliance connector must not be concealed within walls or floors.

Floor drain trap primer

A floor drain must be trapped and vented, and a trap primer is required where the trap seal could evaporate, preventing sewer gas from entering the building.

Water heater drip pan

A drip pan is required under a water heater where leakage could cause damage, piped to a safe discharge, and seismic strapping is required in seismic zones.