Plumbing involves more than just clearing blocked drains or repairing burst pipes. It provides essential services like clean drinking water, hot water for washing, and sanitation systems. Plumbers install, service, and maintain a wide range of domestic systems including cold water, hot water, heating, drainage, and associated electrical systems. They work with components and appliances within these systems like storage vessels, sanitary fixtures, boilers, and pipes. Plumbers need skills in areas like planning, installing, testing, and maintaining systems while following health and safety guidelines. They must also understand regulations, codes, system designs, and technical specifications.

1. What do we mean by 'plumbing'?
Plumbing Edmonton

2. Plumbing
Anyone new to the industry will probably have a view of what a
plumber does. How would you describe plumbing? Think about this for
a while and jot down a few notes. We tend to find when speaking with
people that their view of plumbing is of someone clearing a blocked
drain, or repairing burst pipes. Whilst a plumber does this work, the job
is much more involved than that.

3. Generally, we think that plumbing meets people's basic requirements by:
Keeping them healthy and clean by providing cold water for drinking, hot water for
washing and sanitation systems for the removal of waste products
Keeping them warm with the help of hot water heating systems
Meeting the above requirements together to ensure maximum comfort and convenience
for them by providing heating, hot and cold water systems and sanitation 365 days a
year, and 24 h a day.

4. Explore the plumber role a little further and you will see that most plumbers
usually carry out the:
Installation
Service
Maintenance

5. Of a wide range of domestic systems such as:
Cold water, including underground services to a dwelling
Hot water
Heating systems fuelled by gas, oil or solid fuel
Sanitation (or above ground drainage) including the installation of baths, hand wash
basins, water closets (WCs) and sinks
Rainwater systems, gutters and fall pipes
Associated electrical systems
Sheet lead weathering's (at Level 2, this includes things, such as chimney weathering's,
and soil vent pipe weathering's).
In fact, you will see that the above list matches the content of the Technical Certificate.

6. In addition to the systems, the plumber will also have to work on the appliances and
components contained within them. Here are a few examples:
Storage vessels, cylinders, cisterns
Sanitary appliances, sinks, baths, WCs, washbasins
Domestic appliances including washing machines and dishwashers
Heat exchangers, boilers, radiators
Pumps, accelerators and motorized/isolating valves
Gas appliances (natural or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), boilers, water heaters, cookers
and fires)
Pipe materials, fittings, fixings, controls that constitute the above systems.

7. Plumbers also work on:
Cabling and electrical components, only if qualified to do so
Sheet weathering's, aprons, back gutters, step flashings, soakers, lead slates.
The Level 2 Technical Certificate focuses on all aspects of domestic plumbing work.
Some plumbing companies, however, specialize in specific work such as central
heating, or industrial/commercial, which is basically working on much bigger
systems in non-domestic premises. So, we are now beginning to build up a picture
of the extent of a plumber's job. What skills and knowledge do you think a plumber
needs in order to be able to carry out the job competently?

8. Here are our thoughts on what a competent plumber should be able to do:
Follow health and safety legislation and guidance at all times
Thoroughly plan the job including making sure that all the tools, materials and equipment are present on
the job
Agree a schedule of work with the customer or client
Provide a cost estimate for the job
Prepare the work location, making sure that there is adequate access
Protect the customer's property
Mark out, measure and work out the installation requirements
Fabricate, position and fix system components
Pre-commission (including testing), commission and de-commission systems
Service and maintain system components
Work effectively with customers, workmates and other site visitors
Work in an environmentally friendly manner
Promote the products and services of the plumbing business.

9. Can you think of anything else? We also think that the plumber should have a working
knowledge of
Regulations
Codes of practice
Principles of plumbing systems including basic design
Where to find manufacturers' technical data
Health and safety legislation and guidance
Commercially agreed standards.
A plumber must also be able to read and interpret details contained within a number of
information sources including drawings, specifications and manufacturers' catalogues.

10. Give your feedback
Thank You
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