Can You Answer All of These Questions About Basic Plumbing?

The "trap" is so named because it catches many things that go down a pipe. This includes hair, grease, jewelry and more.

All these things fall under the general heading of "fixtures." You'll see this term a lot in the coming questions.

A septic tank is never found inside a building. It and its "leach field" are found in yards.

Water expands when it freezes, and this can crack or burst pipes. This, in turn, can create a flood (as the water in the system is unlikely to all have frozen solid at once).

This is a finely-jointed metal tube that bends and curves with pipes as it finds its way to the clog. It's named for its flexibility.

Plumbing systems are engineered so that gravity alone allows wastewater to drain away. Pretty convenient, given that we'll never run out of gravity!

Though it might feel wasteful, letting water drip from the faucets can save you from cracked pipes and a big repair bill. Moving water doesn't freeze as easily as water standing still.

Sewer gas smells terrible (unsurprisingly), and being a gas, rises. Traps hold some water at all times, and the water provides a barrier against the gas. Nifty, eh?

"Low-flow" and "low-consumption" mean the same thing. They are compliant with a conservation act passed in 1992. If your toilet is ADA-compliant, however, the seat is higher than average to accommodate those with mobility issues. It doesn't save any water.

This just makes sense. The most basic functions of a plumbing system are to supply clean water to a building and carry used/waste water away.

Virtually every plumbing fixture has a trap. It's an essential part of good plumbing design.

An adjustable wrench is the kind you probably picture when you hear the word "wrench" -- big and heavy. It also has a rolling knob in the handle that adjusts (hence the name) the width of the jaws.

There are several reasons for protecting your eyes from a backsplash. If you're plunging a toilet, the water could contain pathogens. In other fixtures, if you've used liquid drain opener, that's a risk as well. In general, there's very little in standing wastewater you'd want in your eyes!

If your faucet is leaking, the issue is likely either a worn-out washer or a worn-out valve seat. You may want to replace both at once, just to keep the problem from recurring.

Oddly, this tape doesn't actually contain Teflon. But it does adhere nicely to threads without interfering with their coupling.

The flapper is the rubber valve between the tank and the toilet bowl. Either re-seat it, or, if it's old, replace it.

Human hair, not pet hair, is the most common cause of clogs. Soap residue sticking to the hair trapped in the drain does compound the situation, though.

Threads are found on far more couplings than the ones in plumbing. Whenever you screw the cap back onto a flashlight after replacing batteries, you're using its threads.

When you've got a clog, a plunger is usually the first thing you'd grab. Only after that might you resort to more invasive plumber's tools.

A multimeter is for testing how much "juice" is left in batteries. You shouldn't be using one in plumbing work -- electricity and water don't mix well!

Toilet plungers also have flanges, except in that case, it's an inner ring. This provides an extra seal and better suction, which is needed given the difficult curved shape of the bowl around the hole.

Before making repairs, it is best to shut off the water at the nearest valve. Look for an oval knob, usually close to the floor. Shutting the water off at your home's main supply is only needed for major work.

Homes in rural or less-developed areas often have septic tanks. One holdup in getting neighborhoods on sewer systems is the expense to taxpayers -- they're expensive to engineer, and property owners often vote against the new tax assessment.

White vinegar is a cheap, nifty household substance. It removes buildup from spray nozzles of all kinds, and can be used as an eco-friendly cleaner, too. (But don't bother trying to clean your plunger, though).

Confused? The name comes from the days when a toilet was called a "water closet." A closet auger is like a drain snake, but specifically made for toilets.

Toilets have become more efficient. Back in the day, they used about 3 gallons per flush, but no more.

It's that simple -- close the drain before you take anything apart! If one of those very small pieces slips from your fingers and down the drain, you're going to end up taking the trap apart.

Plumbers advise against even this, but throwing a bit of hair (like from a comb or brush) into the toilet is unlikely to do damage unless it's in large amounts. Still, the wastebasket is a better choice.

Bathtubs commonly have drain plates; sinks often have smaller versions. If you try to plunge them without blocking the drain plate, you won't get very far, as the pipes will have an alternate source of air, and little suction will be produced.

As you might have guessed, "keys" is a synonym for small wrenches. Allen keys or wrenches are often called "hex" instead, because of their hexagonal heads.

The air gap is made to release air and water during the washing cycle. However, if a lot of water is escaping, it might be time for professional help.

These are all types of faucets. Your kitchen faucet, for example, might have the popular ball-type joint, in which the faucet rotates like a shoulder in a ball-and-socket joint.

A water heater is not considered a fixture, because though it has a water supply, it doesn't drain away wastewater. It only heats water for use in fixtures.

You probably got this one if you thought of the word "antiseptic," which means "germ-killing." You'll hear the term "septic" in medicine, where it means a body is being overcome with germs or infection.

This is not a DIY job! Still, it's unpleasant enough that we're happy, on behalf of the workers who take it on, that it doesn't need to be done very often.