Helpful Plumbing Terms D-F

Direct Vent
 Pulls outside air for combustion and vents combustion gases  directly outside
 
Draft Diverter
 A device fitted in the flue way of a gas appliance to prevent  updraft, downdraft or the secondary flue blockage from obstructing the escape of  products of combustion or otherwise affecting the normal operation of the appliance
 
Drain Valve
 Device designed to allow drainage of stored contents from a water  heater
 
Dual Element Heater
 An electric water heater with an upper and lower element for heating water
 
E.C.O.
 Energy Cut Off - Safety device designed to shut power off to the water heater and prevent high temperature
 
EF
 Energy Factor - A measure of the overall efficiency rating of the  water heater based on the model's recovery, efficiency,
stand-by loss and energy input
 
Efficiency
 A products ability to utilize input energy; expressed as a percentage
 
Energy Guide Label
 The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that gas, electric and oil residential automatic storage water heaters
be labeled to show 1.) an  estimated annual cost of operation for that particular model, based on a national average cost of fuel specified by FTC and 2.) how the efficiency of that model compares to all other comparable models
 
Expansion Tank
 Designed to absorb excess pressure due to thermal expansion, e.g.  closed system
 
First Hour Delivery (Rating)
 Combination of the usable stored volume of hot water in tank,  plus the recovery capacity for the first hour of operation
 
Flow control valve
 Device designed to reduce water flow (GPM) to a plumbing fixture (i.e. shower head at 5 GPM vs. 2.5 GPM); the use of flow control valves can be  cost effective in load calculations, reducing the water usage and the amount of  energy used to heat water
 
Flow rate
 Rating in gallons per minute (GPM) or gallons per hour (GPH)
 
Flue
 A passage way for products of combustion
 
Flue Baffle
 A device to deflect, check or regulate flow through the  flue
 
Flue Damper
 Minimizes convective heat loss through venting system
 

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