You might not realise it but plumbers are heroes and should be the fourth emergency service. If you’ve ever had to deal with a burst pipe or a broken toilet then you will no doubt have been desperate for a plumber to call as quickly as possible. Plumbers install and repair water supply lines, waste systems and appliances in the home and businesses that require an attachment to a water pipe. When something goes wrong with any of these things, it can definitely become a smelly mess very quickly indeed.

The work is physically demanding but comes with great job satisfaction. A plumber must be able to work in a variety of settings and maintain strength and stamina for those tricky jobs. Unless a plumber is booked in for a scheduled maintenance job, must often they are responding to emergency call-outs. The good news is that there is plenty of work available but the bad news for plumbers is that they might work long hours and be called out at evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

There are other non-urgent plumbing jobs that include pipe laying, sprinkler fitting and pipe fitting which are skilled positions linked to the plumbing trade. It is, in fact, a very varied trade and can include fitting cold and hot water supplies to bathrooms and kitchens, working on above ground drainage systems and installing central heating and gas or oil supply systems.

Plumbers get to work in a wide range of places and these can include houses, cafes, airports, trains, schools, hospitals – in fact anywhere there is a need for a water supply! The work is not over when the installation is finished either as systems need to be checked to ensure all is working as it should be. Maintenance and repair is another large proportion of a plumber’s work as boilers and fuel-burning appliances need yearly servicing. Some of these appliances can be quite complex and it’s a plumber’s job to work out what the problem might be when one breaks down.

As you can imagine, there will be quite a few tools of the trade and a plumber will most likely need to drive a van for work. The best way to protect the interior of a van and prevent equipment from moving around and damaging the panels is to get the van lined with plywood. For Van plylining, visit http://www.vehicle-accessories.net/Plylining.

There are many other jobs that plumbers can be involved with and many skills required including, planning and identifying what needs to be done, the ability to follow plans and technical drawings, order correct materials and fix baths, sinks and radiators. A plumber will also need the ability to measure accurately and calculate the length of piping required, cut the pipe to specifications and join piping to prevent leaks. The ability to work as part of team will also be important a in some cases a plumber might be working with a hole construction crew including bricklayers, electricians and carpenters.