About Licensed Plumbers

About Licensed Plumbers

Here in the U.S., plumbers are required to have a license and specific certification to work on plumbing at a home or business. The licensing and certification will vary depending on the state the plumber resides or works in, but generally, they must have experience in the field and hold a license to legally work in the plumbing industry.

Types of Plumbing Licenses

A plumbing license is typically issues by a government agency such as the Department of Labor. In most cases, the license a plumber holds will need to be renewed every two years. The license will show what type of work the plumber can do and what experience he has in the field. The types of licenses are:

• Apprentice License: This is provided to a plumber who is just starting out and is working as an apprentice under a fully licensed plumber. In most cases, the apprentice license is given to students who are under the age of 21 or the legal age that the state requires for other plumbing licenses.
• Journeyman License: After a person has held an apprenticeship for a certain time, they are eligible for a journeyman license. This means they have trained for a specific number of hours and have passed a state test for plumbing.
• Master License: Once a person has held their journeyman license and passes their plumbers test through the state, they will be eligible for their master license which will allow them to open their own plumbing business and work on home or business plumbing systems without the need for a supervisor or a company to back them.

Does the fact that a plumber must have a license mean that unlicensed people cannot perform the work that someone may need in their home? No, but it means that the state and local government works to prevent unlicensed, and often incompetent people from working on someone’s plumbing and creating a bigger mess than the person already had.

When you hire a plumber, it is very important to make sure they hold the proper license and have the expertise necessary to get the job done right the first time. Improper plumbing can destroy a home and can leave the homeowner responsible for large fines due to work being done incorrectly. If you have a job that requires a building or plumbing permit, you will be required to have the work handled by a licensed professional.

The Code of Plumbing

There is a code in the plumbing field that all plumbers follow. Plumbers work to ensure the health and safety of the public is maintained and that they follow all rules and regulations set forth by code administrators and local and state ordinance.

Hiring a person who is not licensed to work on your plumbing may seem like a great way to save a little money on labor or material cost, but when you hire someone who is not licensed, they may try to skip corners and use the wrong material just to save themselves money. This will be reflected in the work they perform and in the long run, you will find that it was best to hire a pro to begin with to get the service done right the first time. All professional plumbers have a set of rules they adhere to when working on any plumbing job, and when you want to know things are being taken care of correctly, the only route is to hire a professional plumber who holds the proper licensing.

When you need a licensed plumber in the Santa Cruz County area, be sure to give Anytime Plumbing a call at 831-431-6593 and you will be connected with a fully licensed, insured and bonded plumber in your area to handle the work you need at your home or office.