Master plumber associations are groups of plumbers that have attained the highest level of licensure in the plumbing profession. The only higher level is to become certified as a plumbing inspector, but as far as having all of the expertise in the field of plumbing; a Master plumbing certification ensures that quality.
Master plumber associations vary from state to state and county to county. These associations make it easy for consumers to find Master plumbers in their area so that they can feel more certain of the quality of work that will be done in their houses or businesses. Master plumber associations also allow plumbers to meet on a regular basis to network with other plumbers. It gives member a chance to discuss current issues in the field of plumbing as well as various materials and techniques that are valuable to the profession.
Training of a Master Plumber
In order to become a member of a Master plumber association, a plumber has to go through at least five years of training in the field and pass a rigorous Master plumbing exam in order to be licensed as a Master plumber. The process begins when a person goes to plumber training school to take valuable classes such as industrial math, chemistry, woodworking, electronics, and mechanical drawing.
After the plumber training program is successfully completed, the person then applies to become a plumber’s apprentice, during which he will spend at least eight thousand hours under the direct supervision of a Journeyman plumber in order to be eligible to take the Journeyman’s licensing exam. Once that exam is passed, the plumber can then practice as a Journeyman plumber. The plumber is free to practice on his own at that point without many restrictions and does not have to go on with training. However, in order to become part of a Master plumber association, the Journeyman plumber must complete yet another year under the supervision of a Master plumber in order to learn the skills necessary to pass the Master plumbing exam.
One of the most difficult parts of a Master plumbing exam is the ability to plan the sanitary waste and vent system for a multi-level building. The plumber must be able to do all of the mechanical drawings and calculations involved in such a plan, as well as tell what materials should be used in the system. Once they pass this exam, they also have to pass a written portion which pertains to the codes of plumbing, such as the NSP codes as well as OSHA, ADA and LPC standards.
