What does a drain technician do?
Drain technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real drain technician resumes:
- Used various equipment and tools to unclog drains, camera pipes, install urinals and toilets.
- Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages.
- Perform trench work, laying pipe, building underground manholes.
- Assemble many pieces for custom bags and cushions utilizing good body mechanics.
- Install pvc pipe, copper lines and flexible hose for residential water systems.
- Remove and replace broken tile section or pipe, using caulking compound and cement to form watertight joint.
- Utilize diagnostic skills to access and troubleshoot the situation and provide the client with value add options for their situation.
- Experience working with various types of piping including both hard and soft copper, galvanize and black pipe, and PVC.
- Diagnose plumbing relate issues in residential and commercial locations.
- Assist customers with plumbing and drainage issues-Maintain clog sewage lines-Troubleshoot plumbing layouts
- Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
- Maintain EKG procedure room, including detail management of computerize patient check-in system.
Drain technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 52% of Drain Technicians are proficient in Plumbing, Sewer Lines, and CDL. They’re also known for soft skills such as Dexterity, Communication skills, and Mechanical skills.
We break down the percentage of Drain Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Plumbing, 52%
Assist customers with plumbing and drainage issues-Maintain clogged sewage lines-Troubleshoot plumbing layouts
- Sewer Lines, 11%
Removed roots, debris, and other refuse from clogged sewer lines and drains using portable electric sewer cleaning machine.
- CDL, 9%
Operated F750 Super Duty CDL class B and Crane A-1 License for Stetco 960 Crane for catch basins.
- Commercial Buildings, 7%
Performed drain cleaning in residential and commercial buildings.
- Customer Service, 4%
Answered customer calls for repairs and new construction jobs while also providing customer service and documentation for warranty services.
- Water Heaters, 2%
Implemented water lines and drainage for showers, tubs, faucets, water heaters, refrigerator ice and dishwashers.
Most drain technicians use their skills in "plumbing," "sewer lines," and "cdl" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential drain technician responsibilities here:
Dexterity. The most essential soft skill for a drain technician to carry out their responsibilities is dexterity. This skill is important for the role because "plumbers must be able to maneuver parts and tools precisely, often in tight spaces." Additionally, a drain technician resume shows how their duties depend on dexterity: "spray crops load and unload semis with fork lift mix chemicals"
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform drain technician duties is communication skills. Drain technicians responsibilities require that "plumbers must be able to direct workers, bid on jobs, and plan work schedules." Drain technicians also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "apply pest control products to lawn, landscape plants apply fertilizers to lawns and landscapes customer communication. "
Mechanical skills. drain technicians are also known for mechanical skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to drain technician responsibilities, because "plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters choose from a variety of tools to assemble, maintain, and repair pipe systems." A drain technician resume example shows how mechanical skills is used in the workplace: "interpret and apply mechanical and structural blueprints to plan plumbing repairs and modifications. "
Troubleshooting skills. A big part of what drain technicians do relies on "troubleshooting skills." You can see how essential it is to drain technician responsibilities because "plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters find, diagnose, and repair problems." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical drain technician tasks: "lead troubleshooting efforts and repair water/sewer lines and gas distribution systems. "
Physical strength. Another common skill required for drain technician responsibilities is "physical strength." This skill comes up in the duties of drain technicians all the time, as "plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters must be able to lift and move heavy tools and materials." An excerpt from a real drain technician resume shows how this skill is central to what a drain technician does: "general maintenance mechanical and physical maintenance. "
The three companies that hire the most drain technicians are:
- Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
15 drain technicians jobs
- Benjamin Franklin Plumbing12 drain technicians jobs
- American Residential Services7 drain technicians jobs
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Compare different drain technicians
Drain technician vs. Gas plumber
Plumbers specialize in assembling, detecting issues, maintaining, and repairing pipes and systems that can either involve water or gas distribution in a home or establishment, ensuring that they function efficiently. Additionally, Plumbers can also install various materials such as kitchen or bathroom sinks, toilets, appliances, and more. Among the tasks may revolve around training other plumbers or coordinating with other workers involved on a project, clearing obstructions and handling waste disposal, informing clients about the costs and process of repairs, and building rapport with them.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between drain technicians and gas plumber. For instance, drain technician responsibilities require skills such as "sewer lines," "commercial buildings," "customer service," and "customer training." Whereas a gas plumber is skilled in "cast iron," "pipe fittings," "test equipment," and "pex." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that gas plumbers earn slightly differ from drain technicians. In particular, gas plumbers are 6.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a drain technician. Additionally, they're 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Drain technician vs. Plumber
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, drain technician responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "cdl," "customer training," "water heaters," and "residential buildings." Meanwhile, a plumber has duties that require skills in areas such as "hand tools," "plumbers," "cast iron," and "pipe systems." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Plumbers earn similar levels of education than drain technicians in general. They're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Drain technician vs. Plumber supervisor
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, drain technicians are more likely to have skills like "sewer lines," "cdl," "customer service," and "customer training." But a plumber supervisor is more likely to have skills like "safety procedures," "hot water," "safety regulations," and "sales floor."
Most plumber supervisors achieve a similar degree level compared to drain technicians. For example, they're 1.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Drain technician vs. Fire control system installer
Types of drain technician
Updated January 8, 2025
