Fitting Types Safety Tips
Solvent chemicals for joining PVC and other solvent welded pipe and fittings have fumes, so use plenty of ventilation when using them.
When sweating a joint, use a flame shield to keep the propane flame from setting fire to surrounding areas, such as wooden floor joists.
Use safety glasses or goggles, especially when soldering or applying pipe glue to a joint above your head. Also, be sure to wear a hat and gloves.
Always use lead-free solder on water lines
Soldered Fitting
Used to join copper pipe.
Unthreaded. Joined by soldering, or sweating, using flux, solder and a torch.
Threaded Fitting
Most commonly used in steel fittings, but some plastic and copper fittings will be threaded.
Uses pipe dope or PTFE tape on the threads when joining to prevent leaks and corrosion.
If the threads are on the interior, the fitting is female. If the threads are on the exterior, the fitting is male.
IPS means Iron Pipe Size, and also refers to threaded pipe.
MIP means Male Iron Pipe size. It refers to a male threading that will fit an IPS pipe.
FIP means Female Iron Pipe size. It refers to a female threading that will fit an IPS pipe.
Solvent Weld Fitting
Used for unthreaded plastic pipe
Has specially-formed sockets into which plastic pipe is inserted.
Bonded with cement that is compatible to the type of plastic being connected.
Compression Fitting
Achieves a watertight seal by tightening a nut, which compresses a ring onto the pipe.
Avoids threading, gluing or soldering a pipe connection.
Used with water supply tubes or other unthreaded ends of pipe.
Can also be used to connect two different types of pipe, such as plastic and copper.
Can be removed and reinstalled or retightened
Flared Fitting
Operates the same as a compression fitting, but one end of the pipe is flared.
Used in refrigeration, small appliances and oil heating
Insert Fitting
Sometimes used with flexible plastic pipe.
Inserted onto the pipe and compressed and sealed with an adjustable clamp.
Adapter Fitting
Any kind of fitting that helps connect two different types of tubing, such as copper and galvanized steel, or threaded and solvent weld, or two different sizes that are usually incompatible.
A dielectric fitting connects pipe of dissimilar metals (such as copper and galvanized metal) to prevent corrosion in the copper pipe.
Two main types, reducers and bushings, are used to convert from one size to another
Flexible Fitting
Short lengths of flexible and soft plastic that is very flexible and forgiving.
Generally used for drain fittings in repair applications or to tie into existing drainage systems.
Fits over an existing pipe and tightens with a clamp.
Courtesy of NRHA.org
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