Some of the Less Known Plumbing Abbreviations

FCM, MGH, FGH, MIP, and FIP – One of the hardest things for homeowners to comprehend is what all those perplexing plumbing acronyms indicate. Are they essential? Of course they are . They properly indicate the particular sort of ends on every hose pipe or adapter.

That’s why we have actually assembled an easy-to-understand summary with pictures of the essential plumbing abbreviations you’ll discover pointed out on Certified Home appliance Accessories connections and hoses.

What does FGH mean in pipes? MGH?

FGH suggests Female Garden Hose. MGH indicates Male Garden Hose pipe. If you use an outside watering hose, you are quite knowledgeable about these ends, even if you’re not acquainted with their technical names.

You’ll discover FGH ports on steam dryer water hoses, washing machine hoses, dishwashing hoses, and Y connections. The FGH end does require a rubber washer often.

What does FIP mean in plumbing? MIP?

FIP implies Female Iron Pipe. MIP is Male Iron Pipeline. FIP is often called FPT or Female Pipeline Thread. And MIP is called MPT or Male Pipeline Thread. To make matters worse, in some cases they are referred to as NPT or National Pipe Thread. And to make matters more complicated, they often aren’t made of iron. They could be made from copper or steel.

Here at South End Plumbing we use the more common FIP and MIP terms. FIPs have threads on the inside, MIPs on the outside. These connections generally need plumbers Teflon tape around the male threads to ensure a tight seal.

Common use is to connect a gas line to a gas clothes dryer, cooking range, hot water heater, or a gas furnace. All of these mainly consisting of systems that are pressurized or carry hazardous fuels like natural gas. You can also often see a brass compression to MIP elbow on the end of water hose pipes used in dishwashing machine kits. Adapters are often included in those type of sets case another sort of fitting is required. FIPs are made in numerous sizes, so keep in mind one size does not fit all.

What does FCM indicate in pipes?

The CM means Compression. FCM is Female Compression. Often these ends are referred to just as compression instead of FCM. They can be a bit trickier to identify as they are not so apparent.

So how do they get their name? And how do compression fittings work? They get their name because the joint is created by compressing tubes or pipelines together– often with a wrench. The wrench tightens up the outer nut which then squeezes an inner ring.

In General You Can Use This Guideline

A compression fitting is a type of coupling utilized to link 2 pipes or a pipeline to a component or valve. This will consist of 3 parts, the compression nut, the compression ring, and the compression seat. The nut is slid onto the pipeline, followed by the compression ring. The pipeline is moved into the fitting and the nut is tightened up down. As the nut is tightened, the compression ring is pushed into the seat, triggering it to compress against the pipeline and the compression nut, offering a leak-proof connection.

Compression fittings are likewise utilized to link pipes/hoses of various materials, like PVC and copper. They likewise get rid of soldering and leave the original ends undamaged should they need to be removed in the future.

You’ll see these used in connecting water supply lines in tight spaces and connections that are used or reconfigured possibly in the future. Examples of them would be an ice maker supply lines, dishwasher, and even under the toilet and sink. One risk during setup is overtightening the nut. If it’s too tight, it deforms the interior and can cause leaking. No Teflon tape or pipe dope is required but some professionals suggest a little light oil or grease on the threads of larger fittings to make tightening up much easier.

Conclusion

It’s unfortunate that plumbing ports are not generally the very same across the board. So, it is necessary that you comprehend those puzzling plumbing abbreviations. The acronyms recognize the type of fitting end, supply clues as to the application, and let you understand what you can expect when it concerns setup.

South End Plumbing specializes in all plumbing services, so remember, we are just a click away. We also specialize in leak detection – give us a call! South End Plumbing is one of the only companies that will give you a free estimate. Call us at 704-919-1722 or fill out the form online to schedule a visit.