Top 5 Types of Plumbers You Must Know

Modern-day buildings are fitted with piping systems that are used to supply resources like clean drinking water, gas, and rainwater. Other piping systems are used for channeling and disposing of waste like human fecal matter, bathroom wastewater, and kitchen sink water among others. All these systems are installed in order to make a home more habitable with a ready supply of clean water and gas as well as safe disposal of toxic waste like human waste. The setting up of these piping systems is known as plumbing and the professionals specialized in this field are called plumbers.

A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, gas, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. Plumbers are known for their skills in using a variety of tools to repair or replace fixtures and pipes. There are five different types of plumbers categorized based on their area of expertise: Water plumbing, sanitary plumbing, sewerage plumbing, gasfitting, and mechanical services plumbing. Each type of plumber specializes in a specific type of plumbing that serves different purposes.

Water plumber; The water plumber focuses on the installation and repair of piping systems that supply water. A standard home must have piping systems that supply clean water to the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and other areas of the building areas that require a water supply. Because this water is often times used for cooking, doing dishes, and drinking among other domestic uses, a water plumber’s role is of utmost importance. They are tasked to safely channel water from the main supply to the user without contamination. Because of this, the water plumber has to put into account a number of factors including; the type of pipes used, and other existing piping systems. The variety of piping material matters because the wrong piping material might react with water to contaminate the water. For instance, lead used to be a popular piping material for water supply until it was discovered that lead reacts with hard water to produce toxic substances(Lead poisoning). A water plumber should also account for other piping systems. Without such consideration, a water pipe might intersect with a waste pipe which might cause contamination in case of leakage.

Sanitary plumber; This type of plumber sets up piping systems used for waste disposal hence keeping indoors sanitary. This type of plumber is more concerned with channeling waste from the building to either a central sewer system or to a septic tank. The expertise of this type of plumber is also crucial. A failure in a waste management piping system could be hazardous to the health of the inhabitants or any other nearby persons. A sanitary plumber should ensure that the installed plumbing systems do not mix with the water plumbing system.

Sewerage plumber; This particular type of plumber is similar to a sanitary plumber although their scope of expertise spans past the waste management of the interior of a building. A sewerage plumber needs to have knowledge of sewer systems and waste disposal networks.

Gasfitting plumbers; These are specialists in gasfitting, which involves the installation and repair of gas lines and appliances. These mainly come in handy in places that rely on the main gas supply. It’s most common among European countries whose harsh weather conditions make gas a necessity. Gas is thus supplied by companies just like electricity. The gas is then channeled from the main supply to the various appliances in a household. Gasfitters also test gas lines to ensure they are leak-free.

Mechanical services plumbers; These are specialists in plumbing for purposes like ventilation and air conditioning. It involves the installation of vents and ducts to manage air circulation. It also involves the installation of appliances that play a role in air conditioning and ventilation like an A.C unit.

In conclusion. There are five main types of plumbers with different areas of expertise. All these professionals play a vital role in the construction process. They make a building habitable and sanitary and are necessary especially for big projects. A small bungalow might require one or two plumbers, but a 30 storied building might require a lot more. The need for a particular type of plumber also depends on the function of the building. A residential building or hospital might require the expertise of a water plumber more than a factory which might require the expertise of a sewerage plumber even more.