Loving what you do is important but won’t mean you ‘won’t work a day in your life.’ Plumbing is a hardworking industry that will require accidental blood, lots of sweat, and tears of frustration.
Many skills are required, as is manual labor, problem-solving, understanding safety, and being nice when you don’t want to be. Some of these are common sense while others are learned over time. Keep reading for some advice to help on your first plumbing job!
Treating Customers Right is Always The Way to Go
Customers can be a real pain but they are also the reason you get paid. When you aren’t personable or are rude, customers are less inclined to call you for a second job. However, this extends further than just being nice, it also applies to the job you do and letting your customer know of their options (if there are any).
Allowing your customer the chance to choose what works for their budget will go a long way toward how often they recommend you. Other than this, be open to the fact that you will make a mistake.
It might be minor or it could be major, but whatever it is, fix it. When a problem is pointed out to you, listen without being defensive, own up to it, apologize for the inconvenience, and fix it. No matter what plumbing job you are on, remember that word of mouth is the most effective form of advertising. You definitely want that effective advertising to show you and your company in a positive light.
It’s Great to be Safe
Plumbing is a dirty job. On any given day you could be dealing with clogged drains, tree roots located in pipes, mud, or sewage. There are numerous forms of personal protection equipment, all of which need to be made available to you.
Often times the job you are on will require gloves or eye protection. Sometimes it will require a back brace and a hard hat. These are all extremely important and most people wear them when necessary. However, one part of PPE that is often disregarded is a respirator.
These are handy when working with natural gas or hydrogen sulfide gas as well as any chemicals that give off fumes. Respirators are not overkill! They save your lungs.
Tips, Tricks, And Skills of a Plumber
You must be quick-thinking and somewhat of a math whiz to be a successful plumber. Not only that, but you are required to have the strength to handle heavy equipment and pipes and to have dexterity in your hands to work with tools.
You will also need a mental bag of tricks, one that you can rely on to quickly solve any problems that are presented. It can range from using a cell phone camera to see into dark or inaccessible places, plunging a sink before removing the trap to make less of a mess, or cutting a pipe with a string.
Pipe cutting with a string isn’t ideal, but it can be done by making a notch in the pipe with a knife, then using a string as a saw. It is time-consuming and won’t give an accurate cut, but you will be able to complete the job. If you can apply these tips to your career, you will see plenty of success in the future if you stay dedicated.