A fitting is a piece of pipe or tubing that either connects to another similar piece or it connects two pieces. Fittings are used often in plumbing and mechanical operations for a number of purposes.
Types Of Pipe Fittings in Plumbing System
Fittings are made from a number of different materials, serving different purposes. There are numerous such fittings; but the most commonest ones include: Tees, wyes, crosses, elbows, couplings, unions, valves and compression fittings
1. Elbows
Elbows are one of the most widely used pipe fittings and also known as ells. They are mostly used to change the direction or the angle of a piping system. While they come in varied diameters, they are usually threaded for better connectivity. One of the common examples of an elbow fitting is a fitting extending out of the wall in the bathroom for shower on which the showerhead is connected.
2. Tees
Tees, as the name suggests are in the shape of the letter ‘T’ and allow to create branch lines. Wyes are primarily used to get access to the drain-waste-vent systems.
3. Wyes
Wyes are primarily used to get access to the drain-waste-vent systems.
4. Crosses
Crosses have a single input and 3 outputs each intersecting at 90 degrees. These fittings are available in standard and reduced designs.
5. Couplings and Unions
If you want to join 2 straight pieces with the same diameter, couplings are used. Couplings are usually welded together and are permanent fittings while unions can be easily removed.
6. Compression Fittings
a compression fittings consists of 3 main parts; a body, nut and gasket ring. These are used to prevent leakings.
7. Caps and Plugs
A dead-end pipe is closed using a cap. Plugs as the name suggests are used as a stopper at the end of a pipe.
8. Valves
There are many varieties of valves and are thus placed as a whole category depending on the complexity. Although there are many different types of valves, their main attributes are that they help to control the flow of liquids and gasses. In some cases they may also be used for controlling temperature.
Some of the most common valves include
- Gate Valve
- Butterfly Valve
- Ball Valve
- Globe valve
9. Composition
Fittings are made from a number of different materials and therefore it is important to ascertain that the fitting material is compatible with the rest of the piping and tubing system. Some of the most common materials used for fittings include PVC, copper, steel and brass.