Learn Plumbing

• Tools, Equipment and Materials
• Techniques including ways to work with pipes to install, maintain and repair plumbing installations
• Applications for plumbing and gas fitting in residential, commercial, and industrial contexts.

Who is this Course For?

• Anyone starting out ( Alone this course doesn't make you a plumber, but it may make you attractive to be employed somewhere in the plumbing industry e.g. as a plumbers assistant, in a plumbing supplies business or elsewhere.
• Home owners or home renovators
• People working in related industries (eg. construction, architecture, property management, irrigation, landscaping, gas supply, etc) who are seeking to supplement their knowledge for their own professional development, or perhaps staff training.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction to Plumbing

• Use of Pipes
• Transporting Gases
• Transporting Liquids
• Scope and Nature of Plumbing Work
• Pipe Materials
• Ferrous Metal Pipes
• Carbon steel
• Stainless steel
• Cast iron
• Non-ferrous Metal Pipes
• Copper
• Brass
• Nickel
• Aluminium
• Plastic Pipes
• PVCs
• CPVC (Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride) Pipe
• PVC-U (Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride) Pipe
• HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) Pipe
• PP (Polypropylene) Pipe
• PE (Polyethylene) Pipe
• PEX (Cross-linked Polyethylene) Pipe
• PE-RT (Polyethylene of Raised Temperature Resistance) Pipe
• Other Pipes
• Cement/concrete
• Fibreglass
• Glass
• Wood
• Pipe Dimensions
• Terminology
  
  

2. Plumbing Tools & Equipment

• General Hand Tools
• Accessory Plumbing Tools & Equipment
• Power Tools & Machines
• Safety Guidelines for Using Power Tools
  
  

3. Working with Piping Materials

• Selection of Pipe Material
• Type of Fluid & Flow Rate
• Temperature and Pressure of Fluid
• Properties of the Material
• Location of Pipework
• Other Influencing Factors
• Availability and Cost 
• Ease of Installation
• Working with Ferrous Pipes
• Cutting Ferrous Metal Pipes
• Working with Non-Ferrous Metal Pipes
• Cutting Non-Ferrous Metal Pipes
• Copper pipe cutter/pipe slice (auto cut tool)
• Joining Non-Ferrous Metal Pipes
• Working with Plastic Pipe
• Working with Other Types of Pipes
• Safety Issues
  
  

4. Mains Gas & Water Supply and Sewage Removal

• Residential Mains Systems 
• Residential Mains Gas Supply 
• Residential Water Supply 
• Sources and Treatment Processes 
• Hot water systems
• Water metering and pressure management 
• Sewage removal 
• Systems and Maintenance 
• Water Safety Guidelines 

5. Common Plumbing Tasks

• Introduction to Routine Tasks 
• Regulations 
• Routine Maintenance of Water Systems 
• Plumbing Repairs 
• DIY Aspects of Fixing Leaks 
• Guttering and Downpipes 
  
  

6. Rainwater tank collection, bottled gas, sewerage tanks/grey water

• Introduction
• Repairing & replacing damaged fittings
• Filtration systems 
• Residential rainwater collection 
• Bottled Gas Systems
• Sewerage Tanks 
• Greywater Tanks
  
  

7. Plumbing for Outdoors – Gardens, Pools, Irrigation

• Overview of Installation, Pipework and Runoff 
• Swimming pool installation 
• Types of Swimming Pool and their Features 
• Construction Process and Key Considerations
• Regulations and Permits
• Pipework for Swimming Pools 
• Runoff Zones and Drainage
• Managing Storm water and Excess Pool Water 
• Safety and Compliance
• Irrigation 

8. Air conditioning & Heating units and systems

• Overview Buildings and Greenhouses
• Cooling and Refrigeration Systems
• Refrigeration Components in Vapour Compression Systems 
• Compressors 
• Condensers 
• Evaporators
• Interconnecting Pipework: Suction, Discharge, Liquid Drain and Liquid Lines

 9. Applications for Plumbing in Industrial and Commercial Contexts

• Water Supply System in Industrial Settings 
• Sources, Purification, Distribution, Conservation, Monitoring 
• Wastewater Management 
• Plumbing Systems in Commercial Buildings
• Specialised Commercial & Industrial Systems 
• Fire Protection
• Hospitals and Healthcare Settings
• Plumbing Maintenance & Regulations
• Machinery Applications 
• Gas and Liquid Management in Cars an Engines
• Cooling, Fuel Supply & Lubrication Systems 
• Hydraulic Systems 
• Sealants 
  
  

10. Sustainability and innovation for Plumbing

• Awareness of Products and Techniques 
• Innovative Thinking 
• Geothermal Heating Systems 
• Solar Heating Systems 
• Greywater Heat Recovery Systems 
• Systems of Conservation 
• Off-Grid Systems 
• Resources Conversation 
  
  

Aims

• Discuss the scope and nature of plumbing and gas fitting work, including materials and techniques used.
• Describe plumbing tools.
• Describe common plumbing systems used for supply and removal of gas, water, and sewage.
• Describe the routine work tasks which a plumbers and gasfitters undertake.
• Describe the work of plumbers and gasfitters in collecting, holding, and treating liquids and gases including water and sewage.
• Describe the work of plumbers and related occupations in the installation, operation and maintenance of pools, irrigation systems and spas.
• Explain plumbing work involved in the installation and maintenance of heating and cooling systems for environmental control in residential properties, factories, commercial, industrial and agricultural situations.
• Explain industrial and commercial applications for plumbing and gas fitting
• Discuss different innovative and sustainable solutions used with use/operation/management of gasses and liquids.