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1930s semi-detached (interwar)
— Interwar semi-detached house, typically with cast iron stacks and separate drainage.
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1960s to 1970s estate house
— Postwar estate house with PVC-U drainage, often council-built and later sold off.
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24/7 emergency drainage callout
— Round-the-clock emergency response for drainage failures, available every day of the year.
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ABS pipe
— Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic pipe used for solvent-weld waste runs.
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Access cover
— Removable lid over a manhole or inspection chamber providing surface entry to the drain.
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Acoustic leak detection
— Use of sensitive listening equipment to detect sound of water escaping from a pressurised pipe.
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Adoption drain survey (s.104)
— Survey of new drainage prior to adoption by a sewerage undertaker under section 104.
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Air admittance valve (AAV)
— One-way valve allowing air into a drain system without releasing odours.
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Air test (drain)
— Pressure test using compressed air to check the integrity of new drainage installations.
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Ambient cure lining
— CIPP lining that hardens at normal ground temperature without heat or UV.
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Anti-syphon trap
— Trap with built-in air inlet preventing loss of water seal during heavy discharge flows.
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APHC certification
— Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors trade body certification for UK installers.
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Approved Document H1 (foul water)
— Guidance on the design of foul water drainage installations to satisfy Building Regulations.
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Approved Document H2 (wastewater treatment)
— Guidance on small wastewater treatment systems and cesspools beyond mains sewer reach.
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Approved Document H3 (rainwater drainage)
— Statutory guidance on surface water and rainwater drainage from buildings and paved areas.
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Approved Document H4 (building over sewers)
— Guidance on building works that pass over or close to public sewers and lateral drains.
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Approved Document H5 (separate systems)
— Guidance on the separation of foul and surface water drainage on new developments.
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Approved Document H6 (solid waste storage)
— Guidance on the design of facilities for the storage of household and commercial solid waste.
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As-built drainage drawings
— Drawings recording the drainage system as it was actually constructed, not just designed.
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Asbestos cement pipe (AC)
— Legacy cement pipe containing asbestos fibres, common in pre-1980s drainage and venting installations.
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Asbestos contamination drainage
— Drainage works involving asbestos-containing materials, with licensed asbestos contractors required.
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Attenuation tank
— Underground tank temporarily storing surface water to reduce peak flows into the sewer.
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Back-inlet gully
— Gully with a side inlet allowing waste pipes to connect below grating level.
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Back-to-wall toilet
— Toilet pan that sits flush against a wall hiding pipework with a separate concealed cistern.
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Backflow preventer
— Device protecting drinking water from contamination by reverse flow from connected appliances.
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Bad smell from drain
— Unpleasant odour rising from a drain or fitting, usually indicating a trap or seal problem.
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Ball valve
— Quarter-turn valve using a perforated ball to control or shut off the flow of water.
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Bank holiday drainage callout
— Drainage emergency response on UK bank holidays, with premium charges typically applied.
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Bath
— Large sanitary fitting for bathing supplied by taps and discharged through a waste and trap.
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Bath overflow
— Upper outlet on a bath that prevents flooding by draining away water above a set level.
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Bath waste
— Waste fitting at the foot of a bath connecting the outlet and overflow to the trap.
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Belfast sink (Butler sink)
— Deep ceramic kitchen sink with a rectangular bowl traditionally used in utility areas.
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Bell trap
— Older style gully trap with a dome-shaped cover sitting in a water seal pocket.
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Bidet
— Low ceramic basin for intimate washing supplied by taps and discharged through a waste.
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Block of flats (managed)
— Multi-unit residential block under management with shared stacks and communal drainage.
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Blocked drain
— Partial or full obstruction in a drain pipe preventing normal wastewater flow.
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Bottle trap
— Compact cylindrical trap used under basins where space is limited.
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Bowl waste
— Threaded fitting connecting the outlet of a sink or basin to the trap and waste pipe.
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Branch drain
— Smaller drain pipe connecting an individual appliance or fixture to the main drain run.
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Branch drain survey
— CCTV inspection of a branch drain serving a single fitting or small group of fittings.
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BS 6700 (water supply systems)
— Historic British Standard giving design and installation guidance for cold and hot water services.
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BS 8000-14 (workmanship)
— British Standard giving workmanship requirements for drainage installation on site.
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BS 8580 (legionellosis risk)
— British Standard giving guidance on risk assessment for legionellosis from water systems.
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BS EN 12056 (gravity drainage inside)
— European Standard for the design of gravity drainage systems inside buildings.
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BS EN 13476 (PVC-U pipes)
— European Standard for unplasticised PVC pipes and fittings for non-pressure underground drainage.
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BS EN 14457 (CCTV survey)
— European Standard providing general requirements for components of drain and sewer systems.
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BS EN 1610 (pipe installation)
— European Standard for the construction and testing of drains and sewers.
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BS EN 1671 (vacuum sewerage)
— European Standard for the design and construction of vacuum sewerage systems outside buildings.
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BS EN 274 (waste fittings)
— European Standard for sanitary tapware waste fittings, including traps, plugs and overflows.
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BS EN 752 (drainage outside buildings)
— European Standard for design and construction of drain and sewer systems outside buildings.
