There are many different types of plumbing parts used by plumbers and other professionals, though there are a few major categories that many of the parts can fall into. Pipes of different sizes, shapes, and substances are some of the most important parts used in plumbing. There are also tools often used specifically in plumbing and related work, such as pipe cutters and drain wrenches. Plumbing parts can also include accessories often used in plumbing such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cement, pipe tape, and various faucet heads and knobs.
Some of the most important and common plumbing parts are the various pipes used by plumbers. These include pipes of different lengths and diameters, often used for different applications underground and within a home or business. PVC pipes are especially common and are made using a plastic material that is strong, lightweight, and fairly inexpensive. Copper piping can also be found among plumbing parts, though this is typically quite a bit more expensive than PVC and is often reserved for use in fixtures and pipes in bathrooms and kitchens.
There are many different shapes of pipes used by plumbers, from long straight pipes typically joined together with couplers to create great lengths of straight pipe, to various curves, angles, and splitters that allow a plumber to fit pipes into any shape and area needed. Plumbing parts also typically include those tools needed to work with all of these various pipes and other equipment. Pipe cutters are often used, with a standard hand saw being an easy way to cut PVC piping and other types of cutters used for copper piping. These include smaller cutters that can easily be used in a tight space by securing the cutter to the pipe, then spinning it around the pipe several times to cut through it cleanly.
Other accessories often found among plumbing parts include those items used to connect various types of piping. PVC cement is usually used to create a strong connection between two pieces of PVC. The cement is applied to each piece liberally, then the pieces are secured one within the other — a coupler used to connect two pieces of the same diameter — and the cement is allowed to dry and form a fairly permanent bond. Plumbing tape can also be used to further strengthen this type of bond or to cover up areas of potential leaks. This type of tape uses a gluing agent that is not water soluble.
Drain wrenches are often found among plumbing parts and are designed to fit into tight spaces to reach hardware secured within them. There are also more general types of plumbing supplies such as “snakes” that can be run down into a drain to clear out clogs and other obstructions. Faucet heads and knobs are often used by plumbers to finish off a faucet, allowing the water to be turned on and off and to be emitted in various spray patterns by the head.