Terms in Plumbing

Machine Bend:

This is where you bend a pipe rather than use a fitting. A machine called a tube bender makes the bend, and this results in a much gentler bend that doesn’t restrict water flow as much and is far less likely to leak. South Bank Plumbers fit this valve.


Jointing Compound:

Sticky gunk that is used to create a watertight seal on threaded joints.


Gate Valve:

A type of tap that raises and lowers a bar of metal, or ‘gate’. When the gate is down the tap is closed, and up the tap is fully open. They are popular because when the gate is up, water can flow straight through with no restriction.


Gas Safe Register:

The organization that took over from CORGI and is responsible for gas safety in the UK, a plumber needs to be gas safe registered.


Expansion Vessel:

When water heats it will expand. This tank is used to contain the expanded water. It is often called the ‘feed and expansion tank’ as it fills two roles, feeding fresh water into the system and also allowing hot water to expand safely. Bankside Plumbers can fit different appliances.


Open Flued Boilers:

An old fashioned type of boiler where some or all of the air it uses to burn fuel is taken from the room that I sits in. The result is they need lots of ventilation and can be very dangerous.


Machine bend:

This is where you bend a pipe rather than use a fitting. A machine called a tube bender makes the bend, and this results in a much gentler bend that will not restrict the flow of water as much as a fitting and is less likely to leak.


Hose Union Bib Tap:

The outside garden tap is one of these in that it has a spout to which you can connect a hose and the tap itself screwed onto a back plate on the wall.