What is a plumber?
What Is A Plumber?
History of Plumbing
Originating from the Latin word for lead, Plumbum a plumber is a licensed tradesperson who specialises in maintaining and installing new or existing plumbing systems.
Plumbers protect the health of the nation, ensuring potable water is safe to drink and that sewage and drainage plumbing systems are installed correctly and working in a safe order. Keeping the environment safe from water or air borne bacteria and disease.
Being a plumber, believe it or not is a highly skilled trade, with a total completion time of 6 years!! (4 years as an apprentice, and 2 years post apprenticeship studies). Thats longer than a doctor or a lawyer studies!!
Most plumbers usually have 3, 4 qualifications, in plumbing (hot and cold water supplies), drainage, gas fitting, and roofing. All these trades rely on mathematical and practical skills, as well as being a good problem solver.
The word “plumber” dates from the Roman
Empire The Latin for lead is plumbum. Roman roofs used lead in conduits and drain pipes and some were also covered with lead, lead was also used for piping and for making baths. In medieval times anyone who worked with lead was referred to as a plumber as can be seen from an extract of workmen fixing a roof in Westminster Palace and were referred to as plumbers “To Gilbert de Westminster, plumber, working about the roof of the pantry of the little hall, covering it with lead, and about various defects in the roof of the little hall”. Thus a person with expertise in working with lead was first known as a Plumbarius which was later shortened to plumber.
Plumbers Duties
Dangers Being A Plumber
Years of training and/or experience are needed to become a skilled plumber; some jurisdictions also require that plumbers be licensed.
Some needed skills, interests, and values. Protecting health and welfare of the nation is the top priority of a plumber along with,
- Reading drawings, and specifications to determine layout of water supply, waste, and venting systems
- Detecting faults in plumbing appliances and systems, and correctly diagnosing their causes
- Installing, repairing and maintaining domestic, commercial, and industrial plumbing fixtures and systems
- Locating and marking positions for pipe connections, passage holes, and fixtures in walls and floors
- Measuring, cutting, bending, and threading pipes using hand and power tools or machines
- Joining pipes and fittings together using soldering techniques, compression fittings, threaded fittings, and push-on fittings.
- Testing pipes for leaks using air and water pressure gauges
- Awareness of legal regulations and safety issues
- Ensuring safety standards and building regulations are met.
- Copper Piping
- Hot Water system installation and maintenance.
- Potable Water Systems
- Sanitary drainage
- Plumbing Code Compliance
- Acid Waste
- Grease trap interceptors (install)
- Chill Water
- Backflow prevention
- Natural and LPG Gas
- Storm drains
- New Construction
- Urinals (waterless and standard)
- Flush Valves
- Toilet Chair Carriers
- Floor drains
- Floor Cleanouts
- Combination waste & Vent
- Floor Sinks
- Operate specialist equipment to unclog sanitary sewers & drains.
- Perform a CCTV inspection of a sanitary sewer or drain.
- Replace Sump pumps & Install Sump Pit Basins.
Type of Danger
There are many types of dangers to a plumber. Some of them are strains and sprains, cuts and lacerations, bruises and contusions, fractures, burns and scalds, foreign bodies in the eye, and hernias.
Ditch collapse and Holes
On a construction site, there are many dangers. Without protective measures, a ditch can collapse on a plumber who is at the bottom of one. A plumber can also fall down a hole.
Acids and Bases
When a person has a blockage in their sewage system they often try to fix it themselves by adding an acid or a base such as Drano in an attempt to dissolve or dislodge the problem. These chemicals can get into the plumber’s eyes when the sewage is splashed during the repair. The plumber’s skin during the repair does come into contact with the sewage water. The owner of the toilet might not report to the plumber they have already tried Drano a highly caustic base.
Infectious disease risks associated with occupational exposure
Plumbers risk infections when dealing with human waste when repairing sewage systems. Microbes can be excreted in the faces or vomit of the sufferer onto the toilet or sewage pipes. Human waste can contain infectious diseases such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, polio, ascariasis, and schistosomiasis.
What Do Plumbers Charge?
Contact iSpecialise
It all depends really on the plumber or company you invest in, there are many factors that go into why they charge so much.
A plumber is one of those tradies who are essential to so many aspects of your home. It could be routine maintenance, a major reno project or an emergency that just cannot wait.
How much will it cost?
Here at iSpecialise, for general plumbing maintenance, installation and servicing, we charge $90 (excl GST) for the first 30 minutes, and then $25 per 15 minute-block after this. For specialist equipment such as the use of drain cleaning and camera equipment we charge between $200-$350 (excl GST) per hour depending on what is used. We have no call out fees during regular office hours (7.30-3.30) and there are no hidden costs. For a lot of jobs, we can usually offer a. fixed-rate before commencing works so you know exactly what you will be. up for upon completion.
A plumber can cost from $80 to $12,000, depending on the job. Expect to pay $90 to $140 to fix a tap or leaking toilet, $250 to install basin taps or a new shower head, $250 to install a toilet, $1,200 for hot water service replacement depending on size and up to $12,000 to install a solar hot water system.
While the price of plumbing does depend on a few factors, such as where you live, it is possible to estimate the cost. This article outlines what you can expect to pay for a plumber, as well as what jobs they can help you with.
To give you a breakdown:
When something does go wrong, speed is usually essential. Water damage can cause thousands of dollars in damage in no time. Leaks can soak floors, ceilings and foundations, causing rot and mould that may make your home uninhabitable. The quicker you address your problem, the better off you, and your wallet will be.
Other Cost Factors:
In addition to labour and supplies, you may need to hire someone to repair your water damage. You may need new carpeting, drywall repairs or electrical work done on your home to get it back to where it was before you had your plumbing problem.
If you had a sewer problem, there is the additional cost of cleanup and getting your home back to code to ensure that it’s safe for your family to be around. You also may need to remove tree roots (which means digging up your yard and landscaping expenses) or replacing pipe that’s difficult to get to.
There are 24-hour plumbers that charge for convenience, so it really is multiple factors on why they charge so much.
If you are having a hard time finding a quality plumber, contact us here, call iSpecialise on 09-2322 895 or via email [email protected]
