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PIPE INTRODUCTION, WASTE AND WATER

The basic stuff of plumbing is, of course, pipe. Pipe is divided into two basic types: pipe for water and pipe for waste. In both cases, when size is given it always refers to internal diameter. A 1-inch pipe, then, has a 1-inch inside diameter; its outside diameter will be greater, depending on the thickness of the material.

All pipe is male. That is, it is designed to fit into fittings that are always female. Understanding this concept can lead to a quicker understanding of other plumbing parts, which are described in terms of male/female designations.

Water pipe is just that. But waste pipe is also called DWV pipe, which signifies its functions: drain-waste-vent. It drains away water and waste, and vents the system to the outside.

As detailed earlier, with the proper fittings any kind of pipe can be joined to virtually any other. For the do-it-yourselfer, this is a boon, because it makes things doable without great experience. In all cases, though, follow local plumbing codes.

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