Households, commercial spaces, businesses, etc. completely rely on water services to the extent that good plumbers are always in demand. There is no denying that plumbing remains one of the highest-paid and secure professions, making it an excellent pick for people looking to enter the construction industry as skilled laborers.
2020 showed plenty of jobs from various industries that quickly fell by the wayside due to the economic downturn. Moreover, certain job roles and positions are rapidly becoming obsolete because of the advancements in technology. However, plumbing has emerged as one of the few industries that will keep ticking irrespective of whatever obstacles are thrown in its direction.
Businesses and residents will always require the services and assistance of plumbers if they are stuck with a broken flush, sink, or a faulty pipe. This means that there is job security in this profession, and you can always scale in your career, whether by starting your own plumbing business or working for big companies in the industry.
So, whatever the reason that is driving you to this trade, if you are looking for great opportunities as a plumber, apply at americanhomewater.com for a steady career in the field and with tremendous growth opportunities.
With that being said, this article lists the five best plumbing careers that you can consider in 2021.
5 Different Types of Plumbers
You have come across this post for one main reason—you are intrigued about the idea of exploring plumbing as a career. Whatever the case is, whether you are stuck in a rut with your current job or perhaps you have graduated from college but have no career direction, you have decided to give plumbing a try. But, it can be a bit overwhelming getting started because there are a few types of plumbers, and making a decision can be daunting. So, here are the top five plumbing careers that you can explore in 2021.
#1 Commercial Plumbers
A commercial plumber is a qualified professional who works in commercial settings. They specialize in working around large industrial equipment and serve their plumbing duties in industries, manufacturing plants, hospitals, hotels, colleges, schools, etc. As a commercial plumber, you will be responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining pipes and tanks in these commercial settings.
It is a demanding role as you are expected to work with large amounts of pipes and outlets and that too on multiple floors. With that said, you will be working with a team and are required to stay updated with codes and regulations related to plumbing in commercial and industrial settings.
You will be dealing with a number of issues like installing large water systems for businesses, removing large amounts of waste from pipes, offering cost-effective solutions to organizations, and more. All in all, your responsibilities are much more extensive as compared to a residential plumber.
#2 Residential Plumbers
As the name suggests, a residential plumber is responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining plumbing fixtures in a residential setting. You will be spending most of your time doing pipe system installations, fixing the sink, installing bathtubs and other bathroom fixtures, and other small-scale plumbing jobs like repairing leaks, making new water connections, etc.
Also, if it is a new house build, you will be responsible for planning and executing the right plumbing strategy according to your client’s needs. To start with, you can work as an apprentice under an experienced plumber and learn the skills. Once you gain knowledge and learn the skill set, you can work as an independent plumber, subcontractor, or an established company.
#3 Service and Repair Plumbers
Service and repair plumbers perform various repair and maintenance tasks for plumbing systems in both commercial and residential settings. This plumbing career requires you to gain technical knowledge of plumbing systems and understand how things work.
You will often get on-the-job training from your supervisor and other experienced plumbers. This is a delicate job role that requires you to be patient. As a service and repair plumber, you will be finding and fixing leaks, eliminating clogs, adjusting water pressure, and cleaning plumbing fixtures and systems.
#4 Water Supply Plumber
Water supply plumbers work with water supply systems like overhead storage pipes and tanks, bathroom tanks, kitchen tanks, rainwater harvesting tanks, and other types of water tanks.
As a water supply plumber, you will be responsible for installing water supply systems in laundry rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, garages, swimming pools and fixing sanitation systems and pipes.
In some cases, you will be called in for maintenance and regular water tank service in households and commercial buildings.
#5 Sanitary Plumbers
Sanitary plumbers specialize in planning and installing sanitary systems in homes and commercial spaces. Their job roles include overseeing installations like toilets and bathtubs, fitting suspended drains, installing bathroom pipes and faucets, cleaning and unblocking jams in sanitary systems, and installing the complete bathroom system.
This is the most common and in-demand plumbing role at the moment because most residential plumbing issues always relate to the sanitary system.
Average Salary of a Plumber
In the US, plumbers make an average annual salary of $50,602 with an additional $6,750 in overtime. Nevertheless, the pay rate of a plumber is influenced by several factors, such as experience, geographic location, type of plumbing activities they do, and whether they are independent contractors or work for a company.
In addition to lucrative pay, some plumbers enjoy benefits like:
- Disability insurance
- 401(k) plans
- Professional development assistance
- Parental leave
- Vision insurance
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Tuition reimbursement
- Paid time off
- Food provided
Please note that the benefit will vary depending on your place of employment.
Conclusion
Plumbing is an in-demand profession. The more experience you gain as a plumber, the more you will likely get paid. The best part is that you can always change your industry any time you want.
That is, if you don’t like working in the construction industry, you switch to manufacturing or hospitality industries. Finally, once you have gained enough experience, you can pursue a master plumber certification. Master plumbers work as project managers or can even open their own plumbing business.