From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Typical Plumber Working.

A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable (drinking) water, sewage, drainage, venting, heating and air-conditioning, or industrial process plant piping. ^[1] In most jurisdictions the piping for HVAC, fire protection, and industrial systems are installed by 'steam-fitters', 'pipe-fitters', or 'gas-fitters' tradespeople. Many in these trades are members of organized labor groups, while many are nonunion. Years of training and experience are needed to become a skilled plumber; most jurisdictions also require that plumbers be licensed. A Master Plumber is one who has demonstrated mastery of the trade of plumbing, has worked in the field for many years, is certified in different areas of plumbing, typically trains new plumbers in the trade, and oversees large plumbing projects.

Plumbing codes are strict, and need for quality plumbing work is high because of the historical health and safety problems associated with poor water supply and sewage removal.^[2]

Unusually, in the United Kingdom the plumbing trade still remains virtually ungoverned; there are no effective systems in place to monitor or control the activities of unqualified plumbers or those home owners who choose to undertake installation and maintenance works themselves, despite the health and safety issues which arise from such works when they are undertaken incorrectly. Furthermore, despite having in place an infrastructure dedicated to formally training plumbers and various Statutes, Regulations and Bye-laws designed to dictate and control how and in what manner plumbing works are undertaken, there is nothing to stop anyone without any training whatsoever working as a plumber, safe in the knowledge that it is unlikely that their lack of technical know-how will ever be found-out. Such people are referred to as Cowboys.

Plumbers in the United Kingdom generally undertake the installation of domestic internal hot and cold water pipe work, sanitary fittings and related soil and waste pipe work systems. Domestic, commercial and Industrial gas-fired (central) heating installation, servicing and repair works, and works related to all other gas fired appliances, although undertaken by plumbers, also involves the use of other 'sub-trades' such as pipe fitters, gas fitters etc and (in the case of gas fired appliances) is ineffectively regulated by by an organisation called CORGI (with whom such individuals and organisations are supposed to be registered before working in this sphere), which although entrusted by the UK Government to control works related to this field, have no direct means of controlling or policing such works and are generally only involved in issues arising after the works are completed (and invariably, an accident has occurred). As a consequence there is a large quantity of work undertaken by unregistered, unqualified individuals, which is invariably a risk to the health and welfare of the user.

Oil fired heating appliance installation, servicing and maintenance works must be undertaken by OFTEC registered individuals and Companies in order to operate in the UK and due to the complexity of this type of installation and the relatively small number of oil burning appliances (compared to gas usage) this type of licensing is generally effective in this instance, despite OFTEC generally operating in the same way as CORGI.

Furthermore, due to the fact that air conditioning design and installation is perceived to be too complex for plumbers to undertake and legislation related to the use and correct disposal of refrigerant for use in the air-conditioning field, air conditioning is considered to be a separate trade in the UK.

Plumbers install and repair pipes, fittings, fixtures, and other plumbing equipment used for water distribution, waste water disposal, and venting in residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. Plumbing is a traditional field that typically pays well, has good job security, and currently has need of qualified individuals in many locations worldwide^{[citation needed]}. Many plumbers begin their careers in plumbing as helpers to established plumbers, while others enter formal training institutes.

The word plumber dates from the Roman Empire^{[citation needed]}. In Roman times, pipes were made of lead, or plumbum in Latin (hence the periodic table of the elements symbol of Pb for lead). Thus, a person with expertise in working with pipes was known as a Plumbumber^{[citation needed]}, which was eventually shortened to plumber.

• Reading blueprints, drawings, and specifications to determine layout of water supply, waste, and venting systems
• Installing, repairing and maintaining domestic, commercial, and industrial plumbing fixtures and systems
• Locating and marking positions for pipe connections, passage holes, and fixtures in walls and floors
• Measuring, cutting, bending, and threading pipes using hand and power tools or machines
• Testing pipes for leaks using air and water pressure gauges
• Communicating with co-workers, other tradespeople and subcontractors, and management
• Planning and performing complex calculations for specialized projects
• Providing time and cost estimates of the work to be performed (both labor and materials)
• Awareness of legal regulations and safety issues
• Being comfortable when working in confined spaces or at great heights
• Ensuring safety standards and build regulations are met.

• Ed Norton, a sewer worker, from The Honeymooners
• The father in Weird Science
• Nintendo's most famous characters, Mario and Luigi of Super Mario Bros. fame, are both plumbers
• Famous rocker Ozzy Osbourne was a plumber apprentice
• James Denton's character on Desperate Housewives, Mike Delfino, poses as the friendly neighbourhood plumber
• Phoenix famous plumber from east Anglia

• Pipefitter
• Plumbing
  • Potable cold and hot water supply
  • Rainwater, surface, and subsurface water drainage
  • Septic systems
  • Fuel gas piping
  • Plunger
  • Plumber's snake
• Piping
• HVAC
• Fire sprinklers
• White House Plumbers -- Watergate era
• Worshipful Company of Plumbers -- UK

1. ^ The Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering
2. ^ Howard C. Massey (1998). Plumber's Handbook. Craftsman Book Company. ISBN 1572180560. 

Look up Plumber in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• United Association
• Plumber Career Description
• ELocal Plumbers - The nation's #1 directory of local plumbers