Plumbing Glossary

Angle valve

Small isolation valve under sinks and behind toilets that lets you shut off one fixture.

Anode rod

Sacrificial metal rod inside a water heater that corrodes instead of the tank.

Booster pump

Pump that increases water pressure to taps and showers, common in villas.

CCTV drain survey

Camera inspection inside drain pipes to find blockages, cracks and roots.

Concealed cistern

Toilet cistern hidden inside the wall behind a flush plate.

CPVC

Chlorinated PVC pipe used for hot water supply in some buildings.

DEWA

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, which supplies and meters water.

Efflorescence

White salt deposits on walls caused by moisture evaporating.

Float valve

Valve that shuts off tank filling when the water reaches a set level.

GI pipe

Galvanised iron pipe found in older buildings; corrodes internally over time.

GRP tank

Glass reinforced plastic sectional water tank, common on roofs.

Gully trap

Outdoor drain inlet with a water seal that collects wastewater.

Hydro jetting

Cleaning drains with high pressure water.

Leak noise correlator

Device using two sensors to calculate a leak position on a pipe.

Mechanical seal

Seal around a pump shaft that prevents water escaping.

Non-return valve

Valve that allows water to flow one way only.

PPR

Polypropylene random copolymer pipe, heat-fused, the standard supply pipe in Dubai.

Pressure reducing valve (PRV)

Valve that lowers incoming water pressure to a safe level.

Pressure tank

Vessel that stores pressurised water to reduce pump cycling.

Safety valve (T&P)

Water heater valve releasing excess temperature or pressure.

Shattaf

Hand-held bidet spray beside the toilet.

Slab leak

Leak in a pipe beneath or within a concrete floor.

Thermal imaging

Infrared camera showing temperature differences that reveal hidden leaks.

Tracer gas

Safe hydrogen-nitrogen mix used to locate leaks in buried or slab pipes.

Water hammer

Banging in pipes when water flow stops suddenly.

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