Y R A R B I L S L L I K S Y R U T N E C T S 1 2 COOL CAREERS PLUMBER CHAPTER ONE TIME TO CALL A PLUMBER Steven carefully stepped into the shower and turned the handle for warm water He had been playing Plumbers are on the job to keep our and toilets sinks showers and toilets working and
outside which had made him very muddy He picked up the bar of soap and began to wash away the mud As he scrubbed between his fingers he noticed something The water wasn’t going down the drain Steven quickly turned off the water Dad Something is wrong with the shower he called down the hall Steven’s dad hurried in to see what the problem was He looked down into the bottom of the shower It looks like we’ve got a clog he said It will take a long time for this water to drain What will we do asked Steven We need a working shower to stay clean I think we need to call a plumber Steven’s dad replied He’ll be able to fix the problem Plumbers install and help maintain the systems of pipes we use every day These pipes are known as plumbing systems Some of these plumbing systems carry water to our homes and businesses Sinks bathtubs and dishwashers are all part of plumbing systems Other systems help carry waste from toilets or garbage disposals to treatment centers We also use plumbing systems to bring natural gas into our homes This gas provides power to stoves heaters and other appliances Plumbers are in charge of creating these systems and making sure that they continue to work correctly
Y R A R B I L S L L I K S Y R U T N E C T S 1 2 COOL CAREERS PLUMBER People like Steven’s dad call a plumber to schedule a house call Many plumbers make house calls to help people with clogs leaks and other problems in their home plumbing systems Plumbers know how pipes are connected They know which pipes carry which things They also have special tools that help them work on the pipes Sometimes plumbers help install new appliances Dish washers water heaters and many other appliances are all connected to plumbing systems Plumbers make sure these Plumbers make house calls to fix plumbing systems problems in home plumbing systems plumbing
appliances are connected the right way This keeps them from leaking water or damaging the pipes Plumbers don’t only make house calls They also plan and install plumbing systems in new buildings or additions to old buildings They decide where the pipes will go and make sure they are connected the right way They also connect these pipes to the bigger plumbing systems that run through a town or city Plumbing systems in places such as restaurants or fac tories are often more complicated than the systems in a house Once the pipes are in place and the building is close to being finished plumbers install fixtures Fixtures are what we use to control the plumbing system They include faucets showerheads and toilets They allow us to fill the sink with water or make the water warm in the shower Without these fixtures plumbing systems would not be as useful Before anyone starts using a new plumbing system plumbers need to be sure everything works correctly They use pressure gauges to make sure the water or gas flows at the proper rate Too much pressure can cause a pipe to explode Too little pressure can also cause problems Water might only trickle from a faucet or a toilet might not flush After plumbers have checked everything one last time the plumbing system is ready to go Not all plumbing systems are in buildings Plumbers also install and maintain the larger systems of pipes that run throughout cities and towns Some of these plumbers work
