Everyone jokes about how expensive it is to call in a plumber, but a professional plumber has to study and learn some pretty complicated mechanics to become qualified. There are a few things you don’t know about plumbers and the skills they bring to the job.
Plumbing seems to mystify a lot of homeowners, and the plumbers themselves seem to be an even bigger puzzle.
Academic Skills – Your Plumber Has Them
In the United States, plumbers are required to study and test on various local and national codes. To perform their job, they also need a good working knowledge of mechanical engineering concepts and tools, including:
Algebra
Geometry
Hydronics
Blueprints/CAD drawings
They Have Patience
It can take several years to become a certified plumber. After technical training in a trade school or community college, they then need to complete an apprenticeship with a licensed certified plumber. Most apprenticeships last about four to five years.
Once they have experience, they must apply and test for a license to become a journeyman plumber.
It takes another three to five years to become a “master plumber.”
Even after all that, and despite the jokes, the average earnings for a plumber is about $25 an hour. The national median salary for a plumber in 2019 was just around $55K.
Sense of Humor
Plumbers can straight-face like pros when they discover what you’ve accidentally flushed down the toilet. But they do have a sense of humor.
In 1954, Albert Einstein wrote a letter to The Reporter stating that if he had to do it all again, he’d be a plumber instead of a scientist because of the independence he would enjoy.
In response, he was given honorary membership in the D.C. Plumbers and Steamfitters A.F.I. A New York based plumber’s union presented him with a set of gold-plated plumbing tools. The Local 130 in Chicago sent him a membership card.
They Can Multitask
In the State of Florida, a certified and registered plumbing contractor is able to provide a very broad range of services. Some of them may surprise you. They may install, repair, and even design several different types of plumbing systems:
Sanitary and sewer drains
Septic tanks
Swimming pool piping
Irrigation for landscaping or agriculture
Solar water heating systems
Air and gas piping for vacuums, oxygen, nitrous oxide, and other medical gases
Fire sprinkler systems
Fuel oil and gasoline piping
Pneumatic control piping
Finding Your Favorite Plumber
Now that you know a little bit more about plumbers, you may wonder how they manage to do it all. Like other professionals, teamwork makes it easier to ensure that you, their customer, can draw on a wide range of skills and talents to get the job done.
Make an appointment with the team at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing in Port St. Lucie the next time you need a plumber.