The days are early, and you will be starting in the early hours most of the time – you will also find that the day in the life of a plumber can start when you are in bed! If you offer 24h services you will find yourself being called out of bed to fix floods and leaks etc. So it’s a rather hectic lifestyle.

The most common thing that you are likely to take on, though, is going to be a blocked drain. This is the food and drink for plumbers and makes up a fair portion of all domestic call-outs; again, though, it won’t likely turn into you doing the same thing over and over like Groundhog Day! But with a wonderful feeling of job satisfaction and knowing you’re making an impact, there’s no better reward.

So, what does a plumber do?

A day in the life of a plumber can vary, always bringing new tasks and challenges but a great job satisfaction. In their natural habitat, plumbers assemble, install, or repair pipes, fittings, or fixtures of heating, water, or drainage systems, according to specifications or plumbing codes. 

But it doesn’t stop there! They also assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.

Other tasks include:

• Install pipe assemblies, fittings, valves, appliances such as dishwashers or water heaters, or fixtures such as sinks or toilets, using hand or power tools.
• Keep records of work assignments.
• Fill pipes or plumbing fixtures with water or air and observe pressure gauges to detect and locate leaks.
• Direct helpers engaged in pipe cutting, preassemble, or installation of plumbing systems or components.
• Maintain or repair plumbing by replacing defective washers, replacing or mending broken pipes, or opening clogged drains.
• Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels.

Train to be a plumber

Check out our plumbing course page if you want to learn more about becoming a plumber and why you should be studying with us.