What does a residential plumber do?
A residential plumber installs, repairs, fits, and maintains pipes in a drainage system for residential buildings. They also do fixtures associated with water heating and cooling, water distribution, and sanitation services. Their duties and responsibilities include interpreting blueprints and building specifications to draw a map layout, documenting problems, and inspecting drainage systems.
Residential plumber responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real residential plumber resumes:
- Train and manage less experience plumbers and achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
- Install copper and PEX water supply.
- Assist with HVAC, run water lines, install washer boxes etc
- Learned skills such as welding, soldering, brazing, blueprint reading, schematic drawings, rigging, and crane signaling.
- Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using clamps, screws, or soldering, brazing or welding equipment.
- Contract work-Sears-replacing dishwashers and water heaters.
- Install urinals as assigned at designate locations.
- Develop and establish industrial and residential construction and service plumbing company.
- Communicate with customers regarding recommendations on repairs, replacements and upgrades of plumbing equipment.
- Levele earth to fine grade specifications, using picks and shovels, and mix concrete, using portable mixer.
Residential plumber skills and personality traits
We calculated that 32% of Residential Plumbers are proficient in Plumbing, Water Heaters, and Hand Tools. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Dexterity, and Mechanical skills.
We break down the percentage of Residential Plumbers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Plumbing, 32%
Developed and established industrial and residential construction and service plumbing company.
- Water Heaters, 14%
Installed and replaced water heaters, drain pipes and water supply lines both hot and cold.
- Hand Tools, 7%
Cleaned out sewersInstalled new sewer linesRenovated plumbingCan operate a power snake, hand tools, and power tools.
- Troubleshoot, 5%
Responded quickly to emergency residential repairs and troubleshoot issue to resolve effectively.
- PVC, 4%
Assisted in installing copper, PVC, traps, drains, garbage disposals and water.
- Caulking, 4%
Assemble pipes using very sealing methods including: glue, clamps, bolts, screws, cement and caulking.
"plumbing," "water heaters," and "hand tools" are among the most common skills that residential plumbers use at work. You can find even more residential plumber responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a residential plumber to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what residential plumbers do because "plumbers must be able to direct workers, bid on jobs, and plan work schedules." Additionally, a residential plumber resume shows how residential plumbers use communication skills: "provide great customer service and communication. "
Dexterity. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling residential plumber duties is dexterity. The role rewards competence in this skill because "plumbers must be able to maneuver parts and tools precisely, often in tight spaces." According to a residential plumber resume, here's how residential plumbers can utilize dexterity in their job responsibilities: "operated equipment including: power saws, drills, grinders, pipe threading forklifts, skid loaders and basic hand tools. "
Mechanical skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of residential plumbers is mechanical skills. This skill is critical to many everyday residential plumber duties, as "plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters choose from a variety of tools to assemble, maintain, and repair pipe systems." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "inspected and installed hot water heaters, pumps and all mechanical equipment. "
Troubleshooting skills. For certain residential plumber responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "troubleshooting skills." The day-to-day duties of a residential plumber rely on this skill, as "plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters find, diagnose, and repair problems." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what residential plumbers do: "assist master plumber in restoration/installment of water & drain service customer service after hour service calls hydro jetting estimation invoicing troubleshooting. "
The three companies that hire the most residential plumbers are:
- Benjamin Franklin Plumbing39 residential plumbers jobs
- American Residential Services4 residential plumbers jobs
- Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning
3 residential plumbers jobs
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Compare different residential plumbers
Residential plumber vs. Drain technician
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between residential plumbers and drain technician. For instance, residential plumber responsibilities require skills such as "hand tools," "water systems," "osha," and "cast iron." Whereas a drain technician is skilled in "sewer lines," "cdl," "customer service," and "customer training." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Drain technicians tend to reach similar levels of education than residential plumbers. In fact, drain technicians are 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Residential plumber vs. Plumbing technician
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, residential plumber responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "water heaters," "troubleshoot," "cast iron," and "dwv." Meanwhile, a plumbing technician has duties that require skills in areas such as "work ethic," "customer satisfaction," "sewer lines," and "strong customer service." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Plumbing technicians may earn a higher salary than residential plumbers, but plumbing technicians earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $72,336. On the other hand, residential plumbers receive higher pay in the professional industry, where they earn an average salary of $58,255.plumbing technicians earn similar levels of education than residential plumbers in general. They're 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Residential plumber vs. Plumbing mechanic
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from residential plumber resumes include skills like "water heaters," "osha," "service repair," and "thread pipe," whereas a plumbing mechanic is more likely to list skills in "sewer lines," "drainage systems," "hot water heaters," and "pipe cutters. "
Plumbing mechanics earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $54,574. Comparatively, residential plumbers have the highest earning potential in the professional industry, with an average salary of $58,255.Most plumbing mechanics achieve a similar degree level compared to residential plumbers. For example, they're 2.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Residential plumber vs. Fire control system installer
Types of residential plumber
Updated January 8, 2025
