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Bathtub (built-in or stand-alone) |
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| Bathtubs are very simple fixtures
designed to contain water and one or two people, and to drain spent
water into the sewer system. Bathtubs are made in a multitude of
sizes, shapes, colors and configurations. They are either built into the bathroom or they are freestanding.
Learn more about bathtubs. |
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| Bidet
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The bidet (pronounced bee-day) is a
bathroom fixture that is more widely known outside of the U.S. It is
usually located in the bathroom next to the toilet and is used as a
more thorough method for intimate personal cleansing. Learn more
about a bidet.
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| Combination
Tub/Shower
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A combination tub is merely a joining
of a shower stall with a bathtub. There may or may not be a glass door
enclosure, however, there will be some kind of screening to prevent
the shower spray from getting into the rest of the bathroom. The
shower drain and/or faucet assembly will contain an additional switch,
lever, or dial to divert the water flow from the tub faucet to the
showerhead.
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| Exhaust
Vent/Fan/Light |
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Many newer baths do not have windows to the exterior, so
exhaust fans are installed. They are usually ceiling-mounted and
should always have an exhaust vent that is terminated to the exterior
of the house. Learn more about exhaust
vents and fans.
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| Hot
& Cold Sink Supply Lines/Shutoffs |
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There are small faucet knobs that
control and shut off the flow of water for both the hot and cold
supplies for the lavatory(s) as well as a cold supply for the toilet
and/or bidet. Usually these faucets will be fed by a normal 1/2-inch
copper pipe and will be reduced to a 3/8 or 1/4-inch tubing that leads
to the lavatory faucets or to the supply fitting for the toilet.
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| Plumbing
Traps |
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| In order to prevent sewer gasses and
odors from entering the house, plumbing drains have devices called
traps installed. Traps are a section of the drain pipe that has been
bent and formed into a 180-degree curve followed directly by another
180-degree curve with the drain pipe going through the floor (an
S-trap) or by a 90-degree curve that leads to a main drain stack
located inside a wall (a P-trap). It is very important that a drain pipe have a trap installed in order
to prevent sewer gasses from entering the house’s breathable
airspace. |
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| Sauna
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A sauna is a bath that uses dry heat to
induce perspiration. Steam is produced by pouring water on heated
stones. Learn more about a sauna.
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| Shower
Stall
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| Showers are essentially small rooms
with walls made of tile, glass, plastic, or some other waterproof
material with either a hanging waterproof curtain or a glass door that
slides or swings open. Learn more about shower
stalls. |
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| Sink
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Most sink bowls and pedestals are constructed of cast vitreous china,
similar to toilets. However, you may also find them made of glass,
acrylic, steel, cast iron, or anything else that will hold water.
Learn more about sinks. |
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| Sink-base
Cabinet |
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Similar to the cabinets in the kitchen,
sink-base cabinets in bathrooms are the standard storage space.
They are made of a wide variety of materials, the most common being
plywood or compressed particleboard. Learn more about cabinets.
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| Toilet
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Although not the
most glamorous fixture in a house, the toilet was designed to perform
two specific functions-move waste into the septic or sewer system, and
prevent sewer gasses from entering the house. Due to the simple
ingeniousness of the design, unless the toilet is physically damaged
or incorrectly installed, it performs this function without fail.
Learn more about toilets.
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| Wax
Ring
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The two most common points of leakage
on a toilet is at the junction between the tank and the bowl (only on
two-piece toilets) and at the junction between the toilet base and the
floor. At the base of the toilet there is a recessed ring that matches
the recessed ring on the toilet flange, which is attached to the
sub-flooring and floor framing. When a toilet is installed, a ring of
pure beeswax is installed in the recess.
The beeswax acts as a compression gasket to prevent waste and liquid
from leaking out between the toilet and the flange. One of the chief
problems with the beeswax gasket is that it does not have a “memory.”
This means that if it gets compressed, it keeps that compressed shape
and does not return to its original shape. When this ring gets uneven
compression under a toilet, or if the toilet comes loose from the
flange, the wax ring no longer acts as a seal and you may get a leak.
If this happens, the only way to fix the leak is to completely remove
the toilet and replace the wax ring.
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| Whirlpool/Hydrotherapy
Massage Tub |
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| Unlike a conventional bathtub, a whirlpool tub has
an electric pump that circulates water through a piping system that is
beneath the tub surface and comes out of openings, or jets, in the tub’s
surface. These jets are adjustable both in direction and force and provide
a good, relaxing massage while bathing. Learn more about whirlpools/hot
tubs. |
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