What's Inside a Plumber's Tool Box? Photos of Plumbing Tools and Materials Needed to Get The Job Done!

Did you know that April 25th is National Plumbers Day?

Plumbing is one of the Highest Paying Jobs in the Construction Field.

Plumbers are responsible for 2 Basic Principles:

Providing Potable Water (safe to drink) and Keeping it Separated from Waste, while Properly Disposing of such Waste via a System of Pipes.

Plumbers have many Codes to follow, and an Experienced Professional Plumber has Mathematical Knowledge as well as Project Development Skills.

Licensed Plumbers are also permitted to work with Natural Gas, a very volatile substance.

No Home Owner should EVER attempt to Fix, Install or Repair ANY Gas Lines or Appliances without Proper Permits and Professional Installation!!!

This includes Digging Into the Ground to Access Underground Pipes! (Visit DigSafe for more information!)

Without Plumbers we wouldn't be able to do the many simple things that we take for granted. Things like cooking, using a toilet, taking a shower, washing dishes, etc. We would have to walk down to the well or the lake and draw water, hoping that it is safe to drink if we had no Plumbers!

Unfortunately, there are many people in the world who lack these basic commodities.

Safety is always the first consideration for a Plumber. If a Working Environment is not safe, a Plumber wont work there until it is.

Plumbers are frequently exposed to Corrosive Materials, Dangerous Chemicals, Noxious Gases, and Bacteria-Infested Environments. The Plumbing Field is Highly Regulated and each job requires a Permit and a Final Inspection from the Plumbing Authority within each jurisdiction.

Plumbers go by The Plumbing Code: a set of standards put in place by the Federal Government. The Code is updated each year, so Licensed Plumbers need to maintain Continuing Education (CE, or Continuing Ed) throughout their Career.

There are also Individual Codes for Each State. Plumbers have to do a lot of research to make sure that they are within Legal Boundaries when performing their work; if an Inspector tells you that you have to tear down your work, you have no choice and it can be very costly!

Plumbers also follow all the laws implemented by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

This Article was created to offer a Photographic Display of the Basic Tools that you would find in a Plumber's Toolbox, with an Introduction to the Profession of Plumbing.

Without these tools they couldn't get the job done! So let's take a look at some of the photos of the tools and learn about their uses:

There are many different plumbing systems. Heating, Gas, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Kitchen and Bathroom and more. Plumbers fix water leaks and flooded basements, install sinks and showers, and provide ventilation of noxious gases.

There are drain systems and networks of pipes and fittings put together to create a system that separates waste and potable water and makes water and waste flow efficient. Plumbing is a science and projects must be thoroughly planned out before they start.

Usually plumbers will use diagrams and mathematical formulas and their own experience to plan a project and know what to buy and how much to estimate for the cost of a job.

Without doing appropriate planning and research, a plumber will not be financially successful nor will he or she have a good reputation!

No matter what type of system needs to be installed or repaired, a qualified plumber should always perform the work as they are experienced and should carry insurance should anything go wrong. Lot's of things can go wrong when you are dealing with water or Natural Gas in a house!

Now that we have explored the basics, let's look at some more plumbing specific tools. Wrenches, pliers, and many other tools are necessary for daily plumbing activities. There are many types of pipes, many different sizes, and different materials such as plastic and metals like copper, lead, aluminum, etc. Different materials call for different types of tools for each specific plumbing job.

There are so many plumbing systems and fixtures within a home or office. From Kitchens to Bathrooms and Convenience Items like Ice and Water Dispensers on Refrigerators, Food Disposal Systems, and Heating and Air Conditioning Systems, etc.

All these things require plumbing and as I mentioned before, a Licensed Qualified Professional Plumber should always be used for setting up appliances. I know that it is tempting to do-it yourself these days with so many plumbing materials available at chain stores like Home Depot and Loews, to name a couple.

A general rule to follow is that if you don't know what you are doing or have to perform a lot of research for a project, you probably shouldn't attempt to do the project yourself! Faulty plumbing is responsible for millions of dollars in destruction, often due to an inexperienced person making repairs.

There are many materials used in plumbing projects. Showers and Sinks need to be installed and there is a lot of technical planning that takes place before beginning the project. How much pipe is needed? What types of pipes do I need? Plastic PVC Pipes? Maybe Copper Pipes? The answers will vary depending on the individual project.

All Hot Water Piping Systems require 3/4 inch copper piping of a high grade. If you don't use the right pipe, pressure can build and force the pipes to burst which makes a heck of a mess! Did you kknow that in many states the do-it-yourself kits for plumbing a Water and Ice Dispensiing System to a Refrigerator are illegal? That's right! Even though you can legally buy these kits in the Home Improvement Stores, Lisenced Plumbers will refuse to install them because they are illegal according to Plumbing Code.

You know that faucet outside of your house that provides a hook-up for a hose? That's actually called a "Sillcock"! Toilets are actually called "Water Closets" and when a plumber solders two copper pipes, it is called "sweating".

"Roughing" refers to preparing all the pipes in a new construction before the walls are put up. Before any running water can flow in a new construction a Plumbing Inspector must certify the entire project.

This article is in no way a comprehensive list of tools used in this field. There are many more tools and materials used in the Plumbing Field. This article represents a few of the most basic tools and materials used on the job site. Many of these tools and materials can be found at your local Hardware Store. This article is designed for someone who wants to know more about the Field of Plumbing or wants to get familiar with Plumbing Materials. Always check with a professional before attempting any projects!