Plumber
Become a Plumber with at-home training from Penn Foster Workforce Development.
Learn the skills you need to become a professional Plumber while studying plumbing at home. It's convenient, affordable, and accredited. You'll get hands-on plumber training to:
- Interpret construction drawings and specifications.
- Assemble, install, test, and maintain plumbing systems.
- Repair and maintain water heating systems.
- Install and troubleshoot the plumbing for dishwashers and other appliances.
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Instruction Set 1
Learning Strategies
The advantages of learning at home; types of study materials; types of examinations; accessing and using the features of our website; determining what kind of learner you are; establishing a study schedule; using study tips; preparing for and taking examinations.
Introduction to the Building Trades
Careers in the building trade; general employment trends.
Instruction Set 2
The Trades of Plumbing and Pipe-Fitting
Plumbing and pipe-fitting; basic regulations, codes, and standards; licensing and certification; interpreting construction drawings and specifications.
Plumbing and Pipe-Fitting Tools
Job and tool safety; identifying and using tools for layout; pipe-joint assembly, finishing, testing, and maintenance.
Instruction Set 3
Plumbing Fittings
Patterns of fittings; mathematical skills used in plumbing; calculating pipe sizes; how to install, test, and repair gas piping systems.
Waste Systems for Plumbers, Part 1
Disposal systems; biological and chemical actions; function and construction of sewers and sewer laterals; determining the grade of a drain.
Waste Systems for Plumbers, Part 2
Functions, types, and locations of main house traps; function of fresh air inlets; branches, waste stacks, and vent stacks; installing rain leaders; testing a drainage system.
Waste Systems for Plumbers, Part 3
Cast-iron pipes and fittings; cutting cast-iron soil pipe; using plastic pipe; installing bathroom fixture supports.
Textbook: Plumbing Technology: Design and Installation
Practical Exercise 1: Student Design Projects #1 and #2
Instruction Set 4
Plumbing Math: Pipe Length Calculations, Part 1
Formulas and equations; determining pipe weights, clearances, and fitting allowances; plumbing math terms.
Water Supply Systems
Water treatment; tools used on water supply systems; water pressure and hydrostatic pressure; basement water mains; pressure-reducing valves.
Heating Water
Installing circulating pipes; automatic gas water heaters and electric water heaters; thermostats; solar water heaters.
Plumbing Math: Pipe Length Calculations, Part 2
Pipe bending calculations; waste and vent loop layout; drop, grade, and run measurements; making miter cuts.
Textbook: Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipe-Fitters
Instruction Set 5
Plumbing Connections
Soldering; uses of copper tubing; precautions; welds used in plumbing.
Special Plumbing Systems
The SOVENT drainage system; the dangers of back siphonage; use of a sump pump; glass pipes and fittings; British Thermal Units (BTUs); processes of conduction, convection, and radiation.
Plumbing Math: Heating Applications
Calculating volume of cubes, cylinders, and spheres; understanding heat loss and how it relates to radiator size; ventilation principles and requirements for commercial buildings.
Practical Exercise 2: Connection Project
Learning Aids:
• Deburring Tool
• Safety Goggles
• Project Kit
Instruction Set 6
Introduction to Plumbing Fixtures
Connecting parts, including nipples, angle stops, escutcheons, and bibbs; protecting against high-pressure water leaks; choosing the right material fixtures for the job; installing bathtubs and showers.
Installing Plumbing Fixtures, Part 1
Designs of toilets, bidets, and sinks; installing faucets.
Installing Plumbing Fixtures, Part 2
Installing a dishwasher, hot-water dispenser, and garbage disposer.
Troubleshooting Plumbing Systems
Solving common plumbing problems; troubleshooting breakdowns in fixtures.
Textbook: Complete Plumbing
Instruction Set 7
Reading Piping Prints
Fundamental parts of a drawing; reading schematical drawings; diagramming fluid-power systems.
Practical Exercise 3: Working with Prints and Designing a System
Learning Aid: Plumbing Print
Instruction Set 8
Understanding the National Standard Plumbing Code, Parts 1-5
Applying code standards; utilizing tabular data; using code terminology.
Practical Exercise 4: Evaluating a Design Using the Code Book
Textbook: National Standard Plumbing Code
Graduation Set
(Sent to you when all program requirements and financial obligations have been met.)
6", 8", and 10" adjustable wrenches
• arc pliers
• torpedo level
• chalk line
• hacksaw
• tape measure
• Plastic Hammer
• 14" and 18" pipe wrenches
• basin wrench
• tube cutter
• plumber's pliers
• tube bender set
We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.
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