If you’ve ever visited Europe, you might have noticed variations in public and private restrooms. The size, flushing capacity, and amenities built into European toilets differ from those found in American homes. Even the terminology is different; in Europe, the word “toilet” is more closely related to the word “bathroom” in American usage because it refers to the entire room. It can help you prepare for your international vacation and prevent any restroom misunderstanding if you know the distinctions between American and European toilets.
Plumbing pipes are threaded per the National Pipe standard in the United States. NP requires a 60° thread angle and a crisp profile.
The British Pipe standard is followed for threading older British plumbing. BSP calls for a rounded profile and a thread angle of 55°. For most trade sizes, BSP provides a different diameter than NP. The threads per unit of length, or thread pitches, also vary. British plumbing that is more recent is threaded per an international standard that uses the metric system.