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Because they operate at low pressure and rely on gravity to move fluids (and often entrained solids), drain-waste-vent systems use fittings designed to be as smooth as possible on their interior surfaces. The fittings may be "belled" or expanded slightly in diameter, or otherwise shaped to accommodate insertion of pipe or tubing, without forming a sharp interior ridge that might catch debris or accumulate buildup of material and cause clogging. The absence of interior snags also makes it much easier to "snake out" or "rod out" a clogged pipe using long flexible tools made for this purpose. Underground piping systems for landscaping drainage, or disposal of stormwater or groundwater, similarly use gravity flow at low pressure, often with entrained solids. Piping fittings used for these systems bear a strong resemblance to DWV fittings, though often at a larger scale. When high peak flow volumes are involved, the design and construction of these systems are closely inter-related to sewer design. Fittings for central vacuum systems are very similar to DWV fittings, though usually of thinner and lighter construction, since the weight of the materials conveyed through the system is much less. Vacuum system designs share with DWV designs a concern about eliminating internal ridges, burrs, sharp turns, or other obstructions to smooth flow that might cause build-up of material into pipe blockages.
[edit] Clean-outs
Clean-outs are fittings with removable elements that allow access to drains without requiring removal of plumbing fixtures. They are used for allowing an auger or plumber's snake to clean out a plugged drain. Clean-outs should be placed in accessible locations at regular intervals throughout a drainage system, often including outside the building, because cleanout augers have limited length. The minimum requirement is typically at the end of each branch in piping, just ahead of each water closet, at the base of each vertical stack, and both inside and outside the building in the building main drain/sewer. Clean-outs normally have
screw-on caps or screw-in plugs. Clean-outs are also known as rodding eyes from the eyeshaped cover plates often used on external versions.
[edit] Combo-Tee
A combination tee (combo tee) is a tee with a gradually curving center connecting joint. It is used in drain systems to provide a smooth, gradually curving path to reduce the likelihood of clogs, and to ease pushing a plumber's snake through a drain system. The "combo" is a combination of a wye and a 1/8 bend or 45 elbow.