Plumbing

Plumbers install, maintain, and repair many different types of pipe systems. For example, some systems move water to a municipal water treatment plant and then to residential, commercial, or public buildings. Other systems dispose of waste, provide gas to stoves and furnaces, or supply air-conditioning.

Although plumbing, pipelaying and pipefitting sometimes are considered a single trade, workers can specialize in no less than one of three areas. Plumbers install and repair the water, waste disposal, drainage, and gas systems. Pipelayers lay clay, concrete, plastic, or cast-iron pipe for drains, sewers, water mains, and oil or gas lines. Pipefitters install and repair both high and low pressure pipe systems used in manufacturing, in the generation of electricity, and in heating and cooling buildings.

Craftsmen in this trade must be able to follow building plans or blueprints and instructions from supervisors,

lay out the job, and work efficiently with materials and tools of the trade.

Sometimes, plumbers have to cut holes in walls, ceilings, and floors. For some systems, they may hang steel supports from the ceiling joists to hold the pipe in place. To assemble a system, plumbers use saws, pipe cutters, and pipe bending machines. They connect lengths of pipe with fittings, using methods that depend on the type of pipe used.