The Maintenance Plumber assembles, installs and repairs pipes, fittings and fixtures of heating, water, and drainage systems, according to specifications and plumbing codes, studies building plans and working drawings to determine work aids required, and sequence of installations. This worker inspects structure to ascertain obstructions to be avoided to prevent weakening of structure resulting from installation of pipe, and locates and marks position of pipe and pipe connections and passage holes for pipes in walls and floors.
This worker cuts openings in walls and floors, performs trenching by hand or power equipment to accommodate pipe and pipe fittings, using hand tools and power tools, cuts and threads pipe, using pipe cutters, cutting torch, and pipe-threading machine, bends pipe to required angle by use of pipe-bending machine. The Maintenance Plumber assembles and installs valves, pipefittings, and pipes composed of metals, such as iron, steel, brass and lead, and nonmetals, such as glass, vitrified clay, and plastic. This person joins pipe by use of screws, bolts, fittings, solder, plastic solvent, and caulks joints, fills pipe system with water or air and reads pressure gauges to determine whether system is leaking, installs and repairs plumbing fixtures, such as sinks, commodes, bathtubs, water heaters, hot water tanks, garbage disposal units, dishwashers, water softeners and clogged toilets. This person repairs and maintains plumbing by replacing washers in leaky faucets, mending burst pipes, and opening clogged drains, inspections of drains using specialized camera systems and may weld holding fixtures to steel structural members. This person will spot utilities, repair water mains, hydrants and valves. Other duties may be assigned as required.
