DIY & Building Basics DIY Glossary

Date Published:

25/06/2008

Know your knotting solution from your distemper? Your balanced flue from your epoxy putty? Equip yourself with the basic DIY terms right here and never look silly in front of the plumber, carpenter, builder, electrician or DIY store salesperson again!
By Justine Roffey

Heating and Plumbing

Air locks A trapped bubble of air causes a blockage in a pipe, resulting in a sputtering supply or even no water at all. Use mains pressure to cure the problem by fixing a length of hose between the tap and a mains-fed cold-water tap, and opening both taps for a short while.

Balanced flue

Used with heating appliances such as boilers. A ducting system that draws fresh air from the outside of a building and discharges gases back out.

Bleed valves

A circular valve, usually at the top of one end of the radiator but sometimes at the back, for draining water out of radiators or to remove trapped air using a bleed key. For an expert guide, see How To Bleed A Radiator.

Combi boiler

Water is heated instantly on demand when the hot tap is opened. Water comes directly from the mains so water pressure is generally strong, but taps on elsewhere in the house can affect flow. No tanks in the loft or storage cylinders are needed. For more advice on boilers, see A Guide To Boilers.

Condensing boiler

Gas central heating boilers (either Conventional or Combi) that are very energy efficient as they recapture heat that would otherwise be lost. Often more expensive to buy but help to reduce energy bills. For more advice on boilers, see A Guide To Boilers.

Conventional gas boiler

Fuel is burned in a combustion chamber surrounded by a water jacket, which is heated and circulated around the heating system. Generally used with a hot water cylinder and roof tanks, they can be floor standing or wall mounted. For more advice on boilers, see A Guide To Boilers.

Epoxy putty

Adheres to most metals and hard plastics, used to repair leaking pipes. Supplied in two parts that start to harden as soon as they are mixed, and is fully cured after 24 hours. Although the results are good, it should really be viewed as a medium-term solution – replacing a length of the pipe is preferable.

Immersion heater

An electrical water heater inserted into the hot water cylinder, the term refers both to the element (like a larger version of the one in a kettle) and the thermostat. Some heaters have two elements – a full-length element to take advantage of off-peak electricity and a shorter one for top-up daytime heating.

LPG boiler

Liquefied Petroleum Gas is delivered to homes that don’t have a mains gas supply. Conventional, Combi or Condensing boilers can all be configured to use LPG.

Single-stack soil pipe

The pipe into which waste from the WC plus ‘grey water’ (from the basin, bath and shower) drains, connecting to the main drains system. Common in houses built since the 1950s, the pipe is usually inside the house.

Soil pipe

A separate pipe from the grey water pipe taking waste from the WC to the main drain, usually sited on the exterior wall.

Stopcock

Used to turn off the water supply so you can drain the system to replace pipes etc, the water company stopcock is outside in the street while the household stopcock is usually in the hall or kitchen.

Thermostatic radiator valves

Control the heat of each room via a sensor in the head that responds to the air temperature around it. More cost efficient than a central electronic thermostat as you can control the heat in the rooms you use. They can get stuck if left turned off for long periods of time.

Carpentry

Acrylic fillers
Flexible fillers used for woodwork. Filler is squeezed from the cartridge into the gap, such as that between the skirting and wall, then smoothed off with a damp cloth.

Architrave

The moulding around a window or door, which is both decorative and functional as it conceals the join.

UPVC Doors

Reinforced plastic doors that require a minimum of maintenance. Often styled to mimic wooden versions with sculpted panels and glazing, white and wood-effect finishes are available.