Plumbing

L.R. Brands is comprised of QuickDrain and the newly launched 1916 Collection

Oatey Co., a leading plumbing manufacturer since 1916, has announced the launch of L.R. Brands, the latest innovation from the brand that has been the top choice of professional plumbers for more than a century. From elegantly engineered total shower and bath solutions to freestanding tub drains, L.R. Brands is the home for design-minded individuals. Built on Oatey’s heritage of quality and named after L.R. Oatey, who founded Oatey Co. in 1916, L.R. Brands is meant to be the one thing that contractors, designers and customers will all agree upon.

L.R. Brands is comprised of two brands with a shared commitment to craftsmanship – QuickDrain and 1916 Collection. A premier manufacturer of curbed and curbless shower solutions, QuickDrain pushes the boundaries of bathroom design with custom-feeling shower solutions, including WallDrain, ShowerLine, ProLine, SquareDrain and BenchSeat. The newly established 1916 Collection is a portfolio of thoughtfully designed, exceptionally engineered bath accessories, including its recently launched Freestanding Tub Drain, that enhance both of the form and function of every bath experience.

“At Oatey, we are craftsmen at heart,” says Katherine Lehtinen, Senior Vice President, Brand and Digital Marketing. “We pay attention to the finer details – it’s who we are, and it’s what our customers expect. That’s the inspiration behind L.R. Brands. We’re building on our heritage brands, known for their quality behind the wall, to bring new bathroom solutions to the table that help you elevate the design you had in mind.”

Did you know, that around 500 000 US homes still do not have adequate plumbing? This shocking statistic has sent shockwaves through an industry much maligned for being too expensive for ordinary people and has led to a jump in students and apprentices registering for the trade – not a bad thing at all. The more players there are in the field, the more competition will raise standards and force prices down, and hopefully, that will mean that more folks can get the work done that they really need.

So we thought we’d help you jump the gun (at least, a tiny bit), and help you discover what are the essential tools and skills that every aspiring plumber must-have.

First up, what tools should every plumber have – and know how to use?

Well, as your progress through your training and apprenticeship, you’re going to learn all about what you’ll need when, and depending on the discipline you’re pursuing, home-based or commercial, you’ll learn about different requirements and needs. But, as a general rule, you’ll not be worth any salt at all without:

1. Pipe wrench
2. Basin wrench
3. Adjustable wrench
4. Faucet key
5. Hacksaw
6. Tube and plastic pipe cutters
7. Plumber’s torch
8. Thread sealing tape
9. Pliers
10. Press fitting systems
11. Plungers
12. Hand Auger
13. Snake Machine
14. PPE
15. Heat shields/pads
16. PEX pipe expander & fittings
17. Crimpers
18. Stubby screwdriver
19. Borescope
20. Plumbing business software
21. Communication skills
22. Patience!

And when you’re really ready to up your game, you’ll be wanting a lathe too.

What skills will you be learning?

Plumbing is so much more than just working with waterpipes and you’ll want to make sure that you’re best placed to capitalize on opportunities when entering the market. So when choosing your school or training facility, you want to make sure that you’ll be learning:

INSTALLATION, TROUBLESHOOTING,  AND REPAIR

• installing and repairing piping (for waste, drainage, and venting systems)
• installing and repairing plumbing fixtures (sinks, faucets, toilets, etc.)
• fixing leaking or clogged lines
• connecting appliances that use water (washing machine, dishwasher, etc,)
• installing piping for gas, pneumatic, and air handling systems

THE LATEST TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGY

• hands-free faucets and toilets that use motion technology to turn off and on
• programmable showers that can be set up with personalized lighting, temperature, and sound
• digital leak-monitoring systems that detect leaks fast, and send alerts straight to the client’s cell phone
• greywater recycling systems that take “gently” used water from showers, washing machines, and dishwashers, and recycle it for re-use in the home and garden

BLUEPRINTS & BASIC MATH

Interpreting blueprints correctly is a very savvy skill for all plumbers to learn. Without this, you won’t be able to understand mechanical or architectural drawings which help you correctly install fixtures and appliances. Learning how to do this correctly will also help you sharpen your analytical skills too.

Now, to learn all of this you’ll be wanting to make sure that you find the best possible training facility in order to get the best possible apprenticeship.

There are some jobs that people may not immediately think that they need to hire a plumber for but it is often necessary to do so to get the job done correctly. 

It may surprise many that when they are installing a roof or a gas line the plumber is someone they should definitely call to help them get the job done correctly. Here is a look at what a plumber can do for your roof installation and gas line installation project.

Problems With Your Drainage System

A roof plumber can come in and take a look at the drainage system in a roof. Roof plumbers are experts at helping to protect roofs from water damage.

When a roof plumber is needed a homeowner will notice that their gutters and spouts are in need of removal and reinstallation. 

A roof plumbing problem can cause water to start seeping into the ceiling of a home. Homeowners will often begin to experience structural damage to their property when roof plumbing repair is needed.

Given the issues with mold that water damage can have on health, it is best to get these problems dealt with by a roof plumber quickly. Roof plumbers often specialize in specific types of roofs, so you may see one that specializes in slate roofs while another specializes in custom steel roofing.

Gas Line Repairs

Another job that is not often associated with plumbing, is gas line repair. However, if a homeowner notices cracks in their gas line then they need to take a closer look and seek the help of a plumber.

Bear in mind too that a gas line that needs repair will not be very quiet, and the homeowner is likely to hear a lot of hissing sounds as the gas starts escaping through the cracks or holes in the line. 

Once they hear a hissing sound it’s time to shut off the gas line in the home and call a plumber before things get dangerous.

If there are a lot of plants around the home or inside it, they can be adversely affected by the escaping gas. An observant plumber will often check the condition of the plants to see how they look, gas line repair is usually needed if plants are withering or dying without just cause. 

Get Help

Whether there is a plumbing problem with the roof or gas line hiring a plumber is often the best course of action a homeowner can take to get this problem remedied immediately. 

Waiting to get problems with a roof fixed by a plumber can cause severe water damage in various parts of a home. When it comes to gas lines things can get dangerous, so it is often best to call in a plumber quickly.

While the thought of hiring a plumber often brings images of pipes to mind and rightly so, it is important to remember that plumbers do carry out roof plumbing and gas line repairs as well, since people often forget it is best for plumbers to advertise these services as well.

Starting a business could be an exciting venture, especially if you decide to join the plumbing business, whether you’re a commercial, residential, or industrial. Unfortunately, many people think that running a plumbing business is difficult, but this is not true. 

You will be able to handle the work of the plumbing business by yourself, and this can be rewarding on its own. In addition, running your own plumbing business will allow you to make your mark on the world and create something for yourself. To do this, ensuring that you have the right tools that can help you to manage your business could make or break your business. 

Here are a few tips to help manage your plumbing business: 

Invest In Management Software

If you decide to make plumbing your career, you will need to invest in equipment and tools to help your business run smoothly. For instance, some businesses invest in cheap vps hosting services to help protect their business. Another of these investments should be updated management software for your plumbing business.

This software will keep track of all the updates for any pertinent equipment and provide you with any technical or safety information that may affect your business or its employees. 

Ensure You Train Your Workers 

A plumbing business will need to ensure that its employees are up to date with the industry’s latest trends, methods, and tools. Training is crucial to ensure that they can keep up to date with the latest changes and provide good service.

The knowledge and skills of a plumber can easily become outdated due to new innovations in the industry. As such, you should ensure that your employees are trained and updated on what’s happening in your industry to make sure they can do their job well.

Ensure You Keep up With Your Marketing 

Marketing is an important part of any business. No matter how good your product or service is, you can’t sell it if people don’t know about it. And that’s where marketing comes in. You need to tell people about your product or service, and then you need to convince them why they should buy it from you instead of their competitor.

You can use some traditional marketing methods like print catalogs, TV commercials, radio spots, billboards, or flyers to get the word out about your company and what you offer. But there are also some newer ways to promote your company like SEO (search engine optimization) and content marketing on social media sites like Reddit and Facebook.

Ensure That You Keep on Top of Your workload

Keeping on top of the workload for your plumbing business is one of the most important things that you can do to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Unfortunately, the workload can get heavy, and it is easy to become overbooked.

For many businesses, it is easy to focus on what you are doing now and not think about what will happen in the future. This often results in an overworked staff and unhappy customers because things are not getting done properly.

You should always be thinking about how to avoid this problem by keeping up with your workload for your plumbing business. That’s where management software can help.