Plumbing: There’s Nothing Old-School About It!

Plumbing: There’s Nothing Old-School About It!

by Kate Cinnamo | February 6, 2020 | Help the Environment Plumbing Technology in the Trades | 0 Comments

It’s mostly invisible and we don’t think about it until it stops working, so we might not think that there’s much new in the way of plumbing. But today’s plumbers are discovering that technology is transforming the trades.

Plumbing is an entire industry onto itself and parts of it are being revolutionized faster because of technology – but there’s nothing old-school about any of it.

New Ways Of Doing Old Things

Technology’s biggest changes happening to the plumbing industry has to do with energy conservation. Nobody argues that the water heaters we’ve used in our homes since the late 1880s are the best solution. Of course we thank Edmund Rudd for his modern solution, but today, many conscientious homeowners want to be more energy efficient.

Today’s plumbing professionals must also be experts in the installation and maintenance of solar water heaters, as well as tankless water heating systems. They can cut down energy usage by as much as 50 percent and have a life expectancy of more than 20 years.

Homeowners and businesses have also become more interested in how they can reduce water usage. Plumbers must be knowledgeable about new products that help achieve this goal. There’s also a growing interest in greywater recycling systems, which conserve resources by reusing water that comes from sinks and showers. Students studying to become plumbers in trade schools today are learning about new technology that helps to treat water for reuse.

These evolving technologies directly impact plumbing companies because they’ll need to be experts on installation and maintenance.

New Tools

With the public’s concern for the environment gaining momentum, plumbers are also using better and more efficient tools that are more in line with this philosophy. Drain cleaning solutions are now non-toxic and safe for the environment.

One of the most in-demand tools today for a plumber actually might be their smartphone. Fiber optic cables can be snaked down drains to inspect and detect precise locations of problems, saving time and money.

A plumber might also be called on today to install a new fixture that has to be programmed or synced with a mobile device. The technology behind all of these new devices means that there are always new things to learn. Plumbing is a job that will never be boring, and it’s certainly not the same job it was even a few years ago.

A job in the trades as a plumber offers you the opportunity to be well paid, and you can earn while you learn as an apprentice. Learn more.