Plumber

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Plumber (disambiguation).

A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable(drinking) water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems.[1] The term dates from ancient times,and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum".

Contents

1 History

2 By country

2.1 United States

2.2 United Kingdom

3 Other uses

4 Notable plumbers

5 See also

6 References

History

The word "plumber" dates from the Roman Empire.[2] The Latin for lead is plumbum. Roman roofsused lead in conduits and drain pipes[3] and some were also covered with lead, lead was also usedfor piping and for making baths.[4] In medieval times anyone who worked with lead was referred toas a plumber as can be seen from an extract of workmen fixing a roof in Westminster Palace andwere referred to as plumbers "To Gilbert de Westminster, plumber, working about the roof of thepantry of the little hall, covering it with lead, and about various defects in the roof of the littlehall".[5] Thus a person with expertise in working with lead was first known as a Plumbarius which

was later shortened to plumber.

By country

Years of training and/or experience are needed to become a skilled plumber; some jurisdictions alsorequire that plumbers be licensed.

Some needed skills, interests, and values

Reading drawings, and specifications to determine layout of water supply, waste, and ventingsystems

Detecting faults in plumbing appliances and systems, and correctly diagnosing their causes

Installing, repairing and maintaining domestic, commercial, and industrial plumbing fixtures andsystems

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, threadedfittings, 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 build regulations are met.

United States

Each state and locality may have its own licensing and taxing schemes for plumbers. There is nofederal law establishing licenses for plumbers.[6]

United Kingdom

Plumbers in the United Kingdom are required to pass Level 2 and Level 3 vocational requirements ofthe City and Guilds of London Institute.[7]

Other uses

The term "White House Plumbers" was a popular name given to the covert White House SpecialInvestigations Unit established on July 24, 1971 during the presidency of Richard Nixon. Their jobwas to plug intelligence "leaks" in the U.S. Government relating to the Vietnam War (i.e. thePentagon Papers); hence the term "plumbers".

Notable plumbers

John Braden (politician)

John Calley (engineer)

Don Cameron (Victorian politician)

Frank Courtnay

Thomas Crapper

Martin Patrick Durkin

Tom Finney

Joseph-Achille Francoeur

Colin Furze

Leon Griffith

Philip Haas (Inventor)

George Jennings

Leslie McMahon

George Meany

Mike O'Mara (politician)

Shawn Nelson

Harry Patch

Joe the Plumber - During the 2008 US presidential election campaign, Samuel Joe Wurzelbacherquestioned Barack Obama's proposed tax plan. The Republican McCain-Palin campaign later applied"Joe the Plumber" as a metaphor for middle-class Americans.[8]

William J. Spencer

Leonard Susskind

Richard Trethewey

Alphonse Verville

Orlando Zapata

Mario (video game character)

See also

Pipefitter

Piping

References

^ The Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering

^ Pulsifer,Notes For a History of Lead, New York University Press, 1888 pp. 132, 158

^ Middleton, The Remains of Ancient Rome, Vol. 2, A C Black, 1892

^ Historical production and uses of lead. ila-lead.org

^ EW Wedlake; J Britton (1836). "Westminster Palace". The history of the ancient palace and lateHouses of Parliament at Westminster. J B Nichols and son. p. 122. Retrieved 28 June 2010.

^ Conry, Tara. "13 More Things Your Plumber Won't Tell You". Reader's Digest. Retrieved 11February 2013.

^ "Plumbing Regulations in the United Kingdom". Emergency Plumber UK. Retrieved 11 February2013.

^ "Doubts raised on US 'plumber Joe'". BBC News. 2008-10-17. Retrieved 2008-10-29. JoeWurzelbacher, 34, found himself at the center of a media frenzy on Thursday after "Joe the plumber"was mentioned 26 times during the final debate.

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