• Learning Outcomes

• After completing this module, you will be able to:

•
o Identify the importance of plumbing as a profession

o Summarize what is meant by plumbing

o Outline the typical skill set of a plumber

o Discuss the history of plumbing and the advancements made through the ages

o Explain the general terms used in the plumbing profession

o Describe the three phases of plumbing projects

• The Plumbing Profession

• Plumbers protect the health, safety and comfort of a nation. Plumbers who are well
trained are able to install safe and efficient plumbing systems, which reduces the spread
of diseases and improves sanitation.
•

•
•
•
•
 • The Plumbing Profession
• In order to be successful in the profession and carry out a wide range of tasks, plumbers
need to be adept. They must also have critical thinking skills and a firm grasp of
mathematics. The list below shows the basic requirements of a plumber:
• The list below shows the basic requirements of a plumber:
•
o Plumbers should cultivate appropriate skills and knowledge.

o Plumbers should develop professional work habits.

o Plumbers should convey a positive, cooperative attitude.

o Plumbers should practice good safety habits every day.

The Plumbing Profession

From kitchens and bathrooms to golf courses and parks to municipal sanitary, sewage, and water
systems, plumbing is practically everywhere.

Because our man-made environment relies on plumbing, plumbers play a very important role in
society. The system that plumbers install does many things, including the following:

Makes drinking water safe and pure

Protects homes and businesses from fire

Helps keep basements dry

Helps keep lawns and gardens green

• Typical Skill Set of a Plumber
•
1. A plumber must have critical thinking skills to be able to read and interpret
construction drawings, review manufacturers' specification, understand and
apply legal standards, rough in entire plumbing systems, and troubleshoot
problems.

2. Plumbers must have a firm grasp of basic mathematics.

3. They need to be fairly fit and flexible because their work can be physically
demanding. Plumbers often work in cramped spaces and do a lot of work
standing up.

• Plumbers need these skills because they perform a wide range of tasks.

Plumbers design, install, repair, and maintain potable (drinkable) water supply lines and
piping layout; drainage systems; drain, waste, and vent (DWV) systems; and gas systems.

There are many professions related to plumbing that require the same base knowledge.

•
• Plumbing Apprenticeship Programs
• Plumbing apprenticeship programs ensure that trainees are able to perform job-related
tasks safely. Plumbing apprentices are able to choose from multiple career paths.

Skills, interests, and ability to obtain the right training and remain apprised of industry
developments will dictate how far a plumber can progress in the trade.

Irrespective of the path that is chosen, plumbers should never take chances with their
own safety or the safety of others. They should always be professional, and adhere to
relevant codes.

• Plumbing
• The installation, maintenance, extension, alteration and removal of all piping, plumbing
fixtures, plumbing appliances, and plumbing appurtenances is connected with the
following:
•
o Sanitary drainage system and related vent systems.

o Storm water drainage facilities and venting systems.

o Public or private potable water supply systems.

o The initial connection to a potable water supply upstream of any required

backflow prevention device and the final connection that discharges indirectly
into public or private disposal system.

o Medical gas and medical vacuum systems.

o Indirect waste piping, including refrigeration and air conditioning drainage.

o Liquid waste or sewage, and water supply, of any premises to their connection
with approved water supply system or to an acceptable disposal facility.
• Goal of Plumbing
• The goal of a plumber is to protect the health, safety, and comfort of the
nation. Plumbers accomplish this goal in two ways, which are:
•
o Plumbers install safe, reliable plumbing systems.

o Plumbers maintain and repair existing systems properly.

• Health and Safety of a Plumber

• The health and safety of a plumber is just as important as that of the customers. Besides
scalding, one of the biggest health and safety issues facing plumbers today is
contamination caused by an improper cross-connection between plumbing systems.

Cross-connection - an arrangement between a potable water system and a non-potable

water system in which the accidental pressure differential between the two systems
causes backflow of contaminated water into the fresh water system.
• Backflow in Plumbing
• Causes of Backflow in Plumbing

Backflow can force wastes through a cross-connection. Several things can cause
backflow:

•
o Cuts or break in the water main

o Failure of a pump

o Injection of air into the system

o Accidental connection to a high-pressure source

• Backflow in Plumbing

When waste water or other liquids are siphoned into the fresh water supply, they can
cause contamination, sickness, and even death.

Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, and Legionella can be spread through backflow
from contaminated system.

•
• Note: Safety devices called backflow preventers keep waste water from entering the
water supply system.
• Methods for Making Water Safe
• To prevent the spread of harmful organisms, chemicals, and materials through water
supply system, water is made safe through disinfection, filtration, and softening.

The following below shows ways of making water safe:

a. Disinfection – To disinfect water means to destroy harmful organisms in the water. To

disinfect water means to destroy harmful organisms in the water.

b. Filtration – Filtration is the process of cleaning water to remove particles and

chemicals.Filtration is the process of cleaning water to remove particles and chemicals.

c. Softening - Softening removes magnesium and sodium salt that causes scale on the inside of
pipe and fittings. Softening removes magnesium and sodium salt that causes scale on the
inside of pipe and fittings.
• Brief History of Plumbing
• Plumbing has profoundly influenced the development of modern society by improving
public health and safety. Plumbing systems allow people to have safe, fresh water for
drinking, washing, cooking, and other uses.

Plumbing also reduces the spread of diseases by safely draining away waste water that
contains harmful organisms. Improved sanitation contributes to longer life expectancy
for men, women and children.

•
• Plumbing systems also allow people to fight fires, water their lawns, fill their pools, and
do many daily activities. But this was not always so.

Plumbing as we know it today is the result of thousands of years of improvements,

inventions, and innovations.
 • Advancements Through the Ages
• Archaeological Discoveries
• Click on each of the provided age on the timeline to know the advancements made
during that time period:
a. 2900 BCE –

•
• Rudimentary plumbing systems were in use as early as 2900 BCE. Earthenware pipes,
masonry sewers, water closets, and drainage systems have been found in Mesopotamia
(modern-day Iraq) to prove this

b. 312 BCE -

In 312 BCE, the Romans began bringing water into Rome through aqueducts. Most aqueducts
were open, stone-lined trenches that used gravity to move water downhill. The more famous
arched aqueducts were not nearly as commonly used as the simpler trench system.

c. 100 CE - By 100 CE, the aqueducts system was so advanced that Rome built and maintained
public bathhouses and fountains throughout the city. The aqueducts were also used to drain
waste and discharge them into the river, downstream from the city.
• Advancements Through the Ages
• The Romans also gave us the word that we use today to describe people who install and
maintain water supply and waste systems.

Many Roman cities used lead pipe in their plumbing system. The Latin word for lead
is plumbum, and a person who worked with lead was called a plumberius.

Over the centuries, this ancient word has come down to us as a word we know very
well: plumber.
• A New Professional Organization
• By the late 19th century, plumbing technology and practices were recognizably modern.
• Manufacturers and wholesale dealers of new plumbing devices sold them over the
counter as separate components. They ignored the fact that these components would
have to be combined and installed into a properly designed plumbing system in order to
work.

Dealers claimed no responsibility for the proper installation of plumbing systems. The
results were predictable: people suffered from shoddy and unsafe plumbing systems
that sometimes made sanitary condition worse instead of better. Plumbers were usually
blamed - unfairly - when things went wrong.

•
• Plumbers had the knowledge and ability to install safe and efficient plumbing system, but
the manufacturers and dealers completely dominated the trade.

In 1883, a group of master plumbers united to take action and address the situation.
These plumbers believed that proper public sanitation could be insured only if a single
person -- the contractor -- was responsible for acquiring plumbing materials and using
them to build effective, safe, and complete sanitary systems.
• Plumbing in the Twentieth Century
• Sanitation, along with medical science, continues to be largely responsible for the
maintenance of public health. In the United States, great progress in the development of
the plumbing methods and technologies has been made since 1910.
•
o The reliability of traditional piping materials such as copper and cast iron has
been dramatically improved.

o New plastic compounds called thermoplastic and thermosets have been

developed. The physical properties of these plastics make them ideal for use in
sanitary systems.

o Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), developed in the 1930s, was the first plastic used in cold
water systems.

o Manufacturers have also improved plumbing fixtures, which are devices that
receive water from a water supply line. Common fixtures include sinks, faucets,
shower stalls, and toilets.
• General Terms Used in the Plumbing Profession
• Read each term to find out more:
•
o Aboveground Rough-In - The second phase of a plumbing project. During this
phase, holes are cut in walls, ceilings, and floors for supply and waste pipes to be
attached or hung so they can be connected to fixtures. It is also referred to as
stack-out and top-out.

o Appurtenances - Accessories or apparatus

o Aqueduct - A man-made channel used to carry water.

o Backflow - The flow of contaminated water into the freshwater system resulting
from cross-connection between potable and non-potable water systems.

o Backflow Preventer - A device that prevents non-potable water from entering a

potable supply system.

o Chlorine - A heavy, greenish-yellow gas used as disinfectant in water treatment.

(Chlorine should be handled only when wearing appropriate personal protective
equipment.)

o Code - A requirement published by state and local government to establish

minimum standards for various types of construction. A code carries the force of
law.

o Cross-Connection - An arrangement between a potable water system and non-

potable water system in which an accidental pressure differential between the
two systems causes backflow of contaminated water into the freshwater system.

o Disinfection - The process of destroying harmful organisms in potable water.

o Drain, Waste, and Vent - A piping system that combines sanitary drainage with
venting.

o Filtration - The process of cleaning water to remove particles and chemicals.

• General Terms Used in the Plumbing Profession
•
o Finish - The third phase of a plumbing project. During the finish phase, plumbers
install fixtures, appliances, water purification systems, water heaters, and
controls. It is also referred to as trim finish.

o Fixture - A device that receives water from a water supply line. Common fixtures
include sinks, shower stalls, and toilets.

o Journey Plumber - A plumber who has successfully completed an apprenticeship

training program.

o Model Code - A construction ordinance written by a national construction

organization according to suggested national plumbing standards.

o OJT - On-the-Job Training (OJT) stands for field experience used in conjunction
with classroom lessons.

o Plumbum - Latin word for lead.

o PVC - Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a thermoplastic material frequently used in

tubing for cold water system. It is the first type of plastic approved for use in
plumbing.

o Potable - Water that is safe for cooking and drinking.

o Softening - The process of removing magnesium and sodium salts that cause
scale inside pipes and fittings.

o Thermoplastic - A plastic material used in plumbing and sanitary systems that is

soft and pliable when heated and hard and rigid when cooled.

o Thermoset - A plastic material used in plumbing and sanitary systems that

becomes substantially infusible and insoluble when treated by heat or chemical.

o Trim-out - The phase of a plumbing project during which the plumber locates all
supply and waste connections from the building systems to public utilities, and
establishes where these system will enter or leave the buildings.
• Three Phases of Plumbing Projects
• Plumbing can be divided into three broad phases:
•
o Underground rough-in

o Above ground rough-in (also called top-out or stack-out)

o Finish (also called trim-out or trim finish)

a. Underground rough-in –

•
• During the underground rough-in phase, a plumber locates all the supply and waste
connections from the building system to public utilities and establishes where these
systems will enter or leave the building.

b. Above ground rough-in –

During the above ground rough-in phase, a plumber:

1. Cuts holes in wall, ceiling, or floor to attach or hang pipes for connection to the fixture.

2. Installs the pipe for the building’s various supply and waste system.

3. Uses welding tools, soldering equipment to join pipe runs or special chemicals for
plastic pipes.

4. Operates power threading machines, propane torches, and other power tools.
 C Finish –

In the finish phase, the plumber installs fixtures such as sinks, showers, and toilet
appliances such as dishwashers, water purification system, and water heater.

The plumber may be called on to install the automatic controls that regulate the
pressurized pipe system as well.

• Importance of Maintenance
• Regardless of how well a plumbing system is installed, it must be maintained and
periodically repaired. Service and maintenance can even be regarded as the fourth phase
of plumbing projects.

Plumbers perform a variety of tasks as part of service and maintenance. These tasks
include the following:

•
o Checking lubrication levels and pumps, test gauges, and meters.

o Repairing faulty fixture and components.

o Verifying the operating system

o Regulating the flow and usage rates

• Lesson Summary
•
o Plumbers install safe and efficient plumbing systems, which reduces the spread
of diseases and improves sanitation.

o As plumbers often have to work in cramped spaces and do a lot of work standing
up, they need to be physically fit and flexible. They should also have critical
thinking skills and a good knowledge of basic mathematics.

•
•
o Plumbing as we know it today is the result of thousands of years of
improvements, inventions, and innovations.

These range from the earthenware pipes used in Mesopotamia (2900 BCE) to the
Romans building aqueducts (312 BCE) to the use of new plastic compounds in
sanitary systems (20th century).
•
•
o A plumbing project is divided into three phases: underground rough-in, above
ground rough-in, and finish. In the first phase a plumber establishes where the
supply and waste connections will enter / leave the building. Cutting holes in
walls for the pipes and installing them forms the second phase of a plumbing
project. The last phase has to do with installing fixtures (sinks, showers,
etc.). Service and maintenance can easily be regarded as the fourth phase of
plumbing projects.