Speak the Language of the Trades

The pipes, valves, and fixtures that keep water moving through a home, and the vocabulary that comes with them.

• Auger: A flexible cable tool, also called a snake, used to clear clogs from drains and pipes.
  "The tech ran an auger down the kitchen line and pulled out a wad of grease the size of a fist."

• Backflow: The reversal of water flow that can pull contaminants into the clean water supply.
  "A backflow preventer keeps dirty irrigation water from siphoning back into the drinking supply."

• Ball Valve: A shutoff valve that uses a rotating ball with a hole through it for quick on/off control.
  "He gave the ball valve a quarter turn and the water stopped instantly."

• Branch Drain: A smaller pipe carrying wastewater from a single fixture to the main drain line.
  "The branch drain under the bathroom sink had a slow leak at the joint."

• Effluent: Liquid waste leaving a septic tank and flowing into the drain field.
  "Effluent levels looked normal once the tank was pumped."

• Flapper: The rubber valve in a toilet tank that seals the tank from the bowl between flushes.
  "A worn flapper is the most common reason for a toilet that runs constantly."

• GPM (Gallons Per Minute): The flow rate of water through a pipe or fixture.
  "The new showerhead is rated at 2.5 GPM, well within code."

• P-Trap: The curved section of drain pipe under a sink that holds water to block sewer gas.
  "If your bathroom smells like sewage, check whether the P-trap has dried out."

• PEX: Flexible plastic tubing widely used for water supply lines.
  "Most new construction runs PEX instead of copper now, it's faster to install and less prone to freezing damage."

• Shut-Off Valve: A valve that stops water flow to a fixture or the whole house.
  "Always locate your main shut-off valve before an emergency, not during one."

• Water Hammer: The banging noise caused by a sudden change in water flow direction or pressure.
  "That loud thud when the washing machine shuts off is classic water hammer."

• Water Softener: A system that removes minerals from hard water to prevent scale buildup.
  "After installing a water softener, the homeowner noticed less soap scum and longer-lasting fixtures."

Slang You'll Hear

• Water Closet (WC): old-fashioned formal term for a toilet; the "WC" stamped on many toilets comes from this

• Brass: plumber slang for faucets and fixtures generally, regardless of the actual material

• Dope: slang for pipe thread compound, the paste used to seal threaded joints

The equipment and ratings behind how a home gets heated, cooled, and ventilated, explained in plain English.

• AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency): Measures how efficiently a furnace converts fuel into heat, shown as a percentage.
  "A 95% AFUE furnace wastes far less fuel than the 30-year-old unit it's replacing."

• Air Handler: The indoor unit that circulates conditioned air through the home.
  "The air handler was tucked into the attic, right above the guest bedroom closet."

• BTU (British Thermal Unit): A measure of heating or cooling capacity.
  "A furnace rated at 80,000 BTU can heat a much larger space than a 40,000 BTU unit."

• Compressor: The component that circulates refrigerant between the indoor and outdoor units.
  "When the compressor failed, the outdoor unit ran but blew warm air."

• Condenser Coil: The outdoor coil that releases heat removed from inside the home.
  "A dirty condenser coil is one of the most common reasons for a system that's cooling poorly."

• HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor): Measures how efficiently a heat pump uses energy to heat a home over a season.
  "A higher HSPF rating usually means lower heating bills in a heat pump system."

• Load Calculation: An analysis of a home's heating and cooling needs used to size equipment correctly.
  "Skipping the load calculation is how homeowners end up with a unit that's way oversized for their house."

• MERV Rating: Measures how effectively an air filter captures airborne particles.
  "A higher MERV rating traps more dust and allergens, but can also restrict airflow if the system isn't built for it."

• Refrigerant: The chemical that absorbs and releases heat as it cycles through an AC or heat pump.
  "Low refrigerant usually points to a leak somewhere in the line set, not normal wear and tear."

• SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio): Measures cooling efficiency; higher numbers mean better efficiency.
  "The homeowner upgraded from a SEER 13 to a SEER 16 unit and noticed a real drop in summer bills."

• Ton (cooling capacity): A unit of cooling equal to 12,000 BTU per hour.
  "Most residential AC units range from about 1.5 to 5 tons, depending on the size of the home."

• Zoning: A system that divides a home into separate areas with independent temperature control.
  "With zoning installed, the upstairs bedrooms finally stopped running ten degrees warmer than the living room."

Slang You'll Hear

• Freon: the old brand name for R-22 refrigerant, still used generically even though R-22 has been phased out

• Squirrel Cage: trade nickname for the blower wheel inside an air handler, named for its resemblance to a hamster wheel

The wiring, panels, and safety devices that deliver power through a home, and the terms that come up on every job.

• AFCI (Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter): A breaker that detects dangerous electrical arcs and shuts off power to prevent fires.
  "Code now requires AFCI protection on most bedroom circuits in new construction."

• Amperage (Amps): The measure of electrical current flowing through a circuit.
  "A 15-amp circuit can safely handle a lot less load than a 20-amp one."

• Breaker: A safety device that automatically stops current flow when a circuit is overloaded.
  "The breaker kept tripping every time the microwave and toaster ran at the same time."

• Bus Bar: A conductive metal strip inside a panel that distributes power to breakers.
  "Corrosion on the bus bar was causing intermittent power loss to half the panel."

• Circuit: A closed loop that allows electricity to flow from a source to a device and back.
  "Adding a dedicated circuit for the workshop kept it from tripping the kitchen breaker."

• Conductor: A material, usually copper or aluminum wire, that allows electrical current to flow through it easily.
  "Copper is the more common conductor in residential wiring because of its conductivity and durability."

• GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter): An outlet or breaker that shuts off power when it detects a current leak, protecting against shock.
  "GFCI outlets are required in bathrooms, kitchens, and anywhere near water."

• Ground: The reference point that gives excess current a safe path away from people and equipment.
  "Without a proper ground, a fault in an appliance can send current somewhere it shouldn't go."

• Junction Box: An enclosed box where wiring connections are made and protected from damage.
  "Every wire splice needs to be inside a junction box, not just wrapped in electrical tape behind the drywall."

• Panel: The central box where circuit breakers distribute power throughout a building.
  "An older 100-amp panel often can't support the load of a modern home with EV charging and central air."

• Short Circuit: An unintended low-resistance path that causes a current surge.
  "A short circuit in the outdoor lighting kept popping the breaker every time it rained."

• Voltage: The electrical potential difference that drives current through a circuit.
  "Standard household voltage in the U.S. is 120 volts for most outlets and 240 for larger appliances."

Slang You'll Hear

• Hot: slang for a wire that's carrying live electrical current

• Juice: informal slang for electricity or power

The tools and techniques used to find and clear blockages, from a slow kitchen sink to a full sewer backup.

• Backup: Wastewater flowing back into a home or fixture because of a blockage further down the line.
  "A backup in the basement floor drain usually means the main line is clogged, not just one fixture."

• Camera Inspection (Sewer Scope): A video inspection used to locate clogs, cracks, or root intrusion inside a pipe.
  "The camera inspection showed a cracked joint about twenty feet out, right where the old maple tree's roots had grown in."

• Cast Iron Pipe: An older, heavy-duty pipe material common in older homes, prone to corrosion and root intrusion over time.
  "The house still had its original cast iron pipe from the 1960s, and it was starting to rust from the inside out."

• Clean-Out: An accessible pipe fitting that allows a drain line to be snaked or inspected.
  "The plumber found the clean-out near the foundation and ran the camera in from there instead of pulling a toilet."

• Descaling: Removing mineral or grease buildup from the inside of a pipe.
  "Hydro jetting doubles as descaling, since the pressure strips buildup off the pipe walls as it clears the clog."

• Grease Trap: A device that captures fats, oils, and grease before they reach the wastewater system.
  "Restaurants are required to have a grease trap serviced regularly to keep the kitchen line from backing up."

• Hydro Jetting: Using high-pressure water to clear blockages and buildup from inside a pipe.
  "After the third auger visit that year, the homeowner finally opted for hydro jetting to actually clear the line instead of just poking a hole through the clog."

• Main Line: The primary pipe carrying wastewater from a building to the municipal sewer or septic system.
  "Every fixture in the house drains into the main line eventually, so a clog there affects everything at once."

• Root Intrusion: Tree roots growing into a pipe through small cracks or joints, causing blockages.
  "Root intrusion is one of the most common reasons for a recurring clog in older neighborhoods with mature trees."

• Rooter Service: Mechanized drain cleaning using a motorized auger to clear roots or debris.
  "He called for rooter service after a hand auger couldn't get through the tree roots."

• Snake: Informal term for an auger, the cable tool used to clear clogs.
  "Grab the snake, this one's past what a plunger's going to fix."

• Trenchless Repair: A method of repairing or replacing pipe without digging up the yard.
  "Trenchless repair saved the homeowner from tearing up a newly landscaped front yard to fix one bad section of pipe."

Slang You'll Hear

• Rooter: originated as the brand name Roto-Rooter, now used generically across the industry for mechanized drain-clearing service, similar to how "Kleenex" is used for tissue

The layers, materials, and terms behind what keeps water out and a roof performing for decades.

• Architectural Shingle (Laminate Shingle): A multi-layer shingle style, heavier and more durable than a standard three-tab shingle.
  "The homeowner upgraded to architectural shingles for the extra wind rating and the dimensional look."

• Decking: The structural surface, usually plywood or OSB, that underlayment and shingles are installed over.
  "Once the old shingles came off, two sections of decking were soft and had to be replaced before anything else went down."

• Drip Edge: Metal flashing along the roof edge that directs water away from the fascia.
  "Without a drip edge, water was running straight down behind the gutters and rotting the fascia board."

• Eave: The lower edge of the roof that overhangs the exterior wall.
  "Ice tends to build up along the eave first, since it's the coldest part of the roof."

• Fascia: The trim board along the roof edge that gutters typically attach to.
  "The fascia had rotted enough that the gutters were pulling away from the house."

• Flashing: Metal material installed at roof penetrations and edges to keep water out.
  "Most roof leaks trace back to failed flashing around a chimney or vent, not the shingles themselves."

• Ice and Water Shield: A waterproof membrane installed at vulnerable areas to protect against ice dam damage.
  "Code in colder climates requires ice and water shield along the eaves and in the valleys."

• Pitch (Slope): The steepness of a roof, expressed as inches of rise per 12 inches of run.
  "A 4:12 pitch is a common moderate slope, steep enough to shed water but still walkable for most roofers."

• Ridge Vent: A vent along the roof's peak that allows attic air to escape.
  "Adding a ridge vent solved the attic heat buildup that was baking the upstairs bedrooms all summer."

• Square: A roofing measurement equal to 100 square feet of roof area.
  "The estimate was for 28 squares of material, plus tear-off and disposal."

• Underlayment: A water-resistant layer installed between the roof deck and the shingles.
  "Synthetic underlayment has mostly replaced old felt paper because it holds up better before the shingles go on."

• Valley: The internal angle where two roof slopes meet, a common area for leaks if not flashed correctly.
  "That leak in the dining room traced straight back to a poorly flashed valley two roof sections over."

Slang You'll Hear

• Comp Shingles: trade shorthand for composition (asphalt) shingles

• Tear-Off: slang for removing old roofing material down to the deck before installing a new roof

The springs, tracks, and hardware that make a heavy door lift smoothly, and the terms that come up when something breaks.

• Bottom Bracket: Hardware attached to the bottom corners of the door that holds the lifting cables.
  "A worn bottom bracket was letting the cable slip off track every few cycles."

• Cycle: One full open-and-close movement of the door, used to rate spring durability.
  "Standard torsion springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles, roughly seven to ten years at average use."

• Extension Spring: A spring mounted along the side track that stretches to create lifting force.
  "Extension springs run along the horizontal track and stretch as the door closes, storing the energy to lift it back up."

• Flag Bracket: An L-shaped bracket connecting the vertical and horizontal tracks.
  "The flag bracket had worked loose, which was throwing the whole track out of alignment."

• Headroom: The space between the top of the door opening and the ceiling, needed for the door's track.
  "Low headroom garages sometimes need a special low-clearance track kit to fit the opener."

• Man Door: A regular walk-through door built into or beside a garage door.
  "Instead of opening the whole garage door, he just used the man door to grab the trash cans."

• Opener: The motorized unit that raises and lowers the door, usually remote-controlled.
  "The opener's motor was still fine, the real problem was a dying capacitor."

• Photo Eye (Safety Sensor): Sensors near the floor that stop the door from closing if something blocks their beam.
  "The door kept reversing on its own because one photo eye was slightly out of alignment."

• Sectional Door: A garage door made of multiple hinged panels.
  "Sectional doors are the standard residential style, since the panels fold up and roll along the ceiling track."

• Torsion Spring: A spring mounted above the door that twists to create the lifting force, generally more durable than extension springs.
  "A snapped torsion spring makes a loud bang and leaves a heavy door impossible to lift by hand."

• Track: The rail system that guides the door's roller assembly as it opens and closes.
  "A bent section of track was catching the rollers every time the door went up."

• Weather Seal (Astragal): A strip attached to the bottom of the door that seals against the floor.
  "Replacing the weather seal kept out both the draft and the family of mice that had been getting in underneath."

The design, planting, and installation vocabulary that comes up whenever someone's building or maintaining an outdoor space.

• Aeration: Perforating soil with small holes to improve water, air, and nutrient flow to grass roots.
  "Aeration in the fall gave the lawn a noticeably thicker recovery by spring."

• Drip Irrigation: A low-pressure watering system that delivers water slowly at the base of plants.
  "Switching the flower beds to drip irrigation cut water use significantly compared to the old sprinkler heads."

• Edging: A defined border separating planting beds from lawn or hardscape.
  "Clean edging along the walkway made the whole front yard look more finished, even before the new plants went in."

• Grading: Changing the level or slope of soil to improve drainage or create a design feature.
  "Poor grading was sending water straight toward the foundation every time it rained."

• Hardscape: The non-living elements of a landscape, such as patios, walkways, and retaining walls.
  "The project budget split roughly evenly between hardscape and plantings."

• Mulch: Material spread over soil to retain moisture, regulate temperature, and suppress weeds.
  "A fresh layer of mulch each spring cuts down on weeding for the rest of the season."

• Native Plant: A plant species that occurs naturally in a region without human introduction.
  "Native plants generally need less water and fertilizer once established, since they're suited to the local climate."

• Retaining Wall: A structure built to hold back soil, often used on sloped properties.
  "The retaining wall was the only way to make the sloped backyard usable as a flat patio space."

• Sod: Pre-grown grass sold in rolled sections and installed directly onto prepared soil.
  "Sod gave the new build an established-looking lawn in a single afternoon instead of waiting weeks for seed to fill in."

• Softscape: The living elements of a landscape, such as lawn, plants, and trees.
  "The design balanced softscape and hardscape so the yard didn't feel like all concrete or all grass."

• Topsoil: The nutrient-rich upper layer of soil where most plant roots grow.
  "Bringing in fresh topsoil before planting made a real difference in how well the new beds established."

• Xeriscaping: A landscaping approach using drought-tolerant plants and minimal irrigation.
  "After the second summer of watering restrictions, they converted the front lawn to xeriscaping."

The paperwork and protections that come up whenever a homeowner hires a contractor, from the first estimate to the final walkthrough.

• Bonded: The contractor holds a surety bond that provides financial protection if they fail to complete work as agreed.
  "Being bonded means there's a financial backstop if the contractor walks off the job halfway through."

• Change Order: A written amendment to a contract that adjusts scope, cost, or timeline after work has started.
  "The change order added two days and a few hundred dollars once the homeowner decided to widen the doorway."

• Draw (Payment Schedule): Scheduled partial payments made to a contractor at defined project milestones.
  "The contract laid out three draws: one at start, one at rough-in, one at final walkthrough."

• Estimate vs. Bid: An estimate is an approximate cost projection, a bid is a firm, binding price for defined work.
  "He got an estimate over the phone, but insisted on a written bid before any work started."

• Insured: The contractor carries insurance covering risks like property damage and injury on the job.
  "Being insured protects the homeowner if a worker gets hurt or something gets damaged during the project."

• Licensed: The contractor has met state or local requirements, including testing, to legally perform the work.
  "Always confirm a contractor is licensed for the specific trade, not just licensed in general."

• Lien (Mechanic's Lien): A legal claim against a property for unpaid work or materials.
  "A subcontractor filed a lien after the general contractor didn't pay them, even though the homeowner had already paid in full."

• Permit: Official government approval required before certain work can legally begin.
  "Skipping the permit on electrical work can cause real problems later when the home gets sold or inspected."

• Punch List: A list of small remaining tasks or fixes to complete before a job is considered finished.
  "The punch list was just touch-up paint and one sticking door, everything major was already done."

• Scope of Work: A written description of exactly what work will be performed under a contract.
  "Half the disputes on a job come down to something not being spelled out clearly in the scope of work."

• Subcontractor: A specialist hired by the main contractor to perform part of the work.
  "The general contractor brought in an electrical subcontractor for the panel upgrade."

• Warranty (Workmanship Guarantee): A promise to fix defects in labor or materials for a specified period after the job.
  "The one-year workmanship warranty covered the callback when a fixture started leaking a few months later."

Slang You'll Hear

• T&M (Time & Materials): billing based on actual hours worked plus materials used, rather than a fixed price

• COI: shorthand for Certificate of Insurance, the document proving a contractor's coverage

The numbers and pay structures that come up when contractors talk about running the business side of the trade, not just the fieldwork.

• Average Ticket: The average dollar amount of a completed job or invoice.
  "Average ticket climbed after the team started offering a good/better/best pricing option on every estimate."

• Billable Hour: The hours of labor a customer is directly charged for, as opposed to internal or admin time.
  "Drive time between jobs usually isn't a billable hour, even though it's still part of the tech's day."

• Callback: A return visit to fix a problem from a job that wasn't resolved correctly the first time.
  "A high callback rate is often the first sign that training, not talent, is the real issue."

• Close Rate: The percentage of estimates or calls that convert into paid jobs.
  "Close rate jumped once techs started presenting three pricing options instead of just one."

• Flat-Rate Pricing: Pricing a job at a fixed price for the task, rather than by hourly labor plus materials.
  "With flat-rate pricing, the customer knows the cost upfront, no surprises if the job takes longer than expected."

• KPI (Key Performance Indicator): A specific number tracked over time to measure how well part of a business is performing.
  "Close rate, average ticket, and callback rate are three of the most common KPIs a shop owner tracks weekly."

• Margin: The percentage of revenue that remains as profit after costs.
  "A job can generate great revenue and still have terrible margin if costs weren't priced in correctly."

• Markup: The amount added to the cost of materials or labor to determine the customer price.
  "Markup on parts covers overhead costs that don't show up as a line item anywhere else on the invoice."

• Membership (Service Agreement): A recurring paid plan where a customer receives regular maintenance visits and other benefits.
  "Membership customers tend to call back for repairs before a small issue turns into an emergency."

• Overhead: The ongoing costs of running a business not tied to a specific job, like rent, insurance, and office staff.
  "Overhead has to get built into pricing, or a shop can be busy every day and still lose money."

• Performance Pay: Compensation tied to results, like jobs completed or revenue generated, rather than a flat hourly wage.
  "Performance pay gave the top techs a real incentive to move faster without cutting corners."

• Sold Hour: An hour of labor that has actually been sold and billed to a customer, used to measure technician productivity.
  "Tracking sold hours against hours on the clock is one of the clearest ways to spot a scheduling or efficiency problem."

Slang You'll Hear

• Spiff: a bonus or incentive payment paid to a technician or salesperson for selling a specific product, membership, or upsell