Gentlemen, your advice please.

Apprentice_3

Gentlemen help me out please. I'm an apprentice plumber who has fallen in love with the Heating side of the trade. As plumbers, we do a few Hot Water Heating System installs a year, and we have a pretty generalized knowledge of the heating discipline. Mostly we work from a heating isometric plan and just pipe it up.
I'd like to do a LOT more in this area. I'd like to pipe it up and actually know why things go the way they do, I'd like to know how to improve system efficiency, how to wire thermoststs, plan zones, make repairs and retro-fits, tune and diagnose an oil burner, actually KNOW how to calculate the BTU's and know what to do with that knowledge...you people get the point.
As such I'm thinking about making the jump from "Plumbing & Heating" to just Heating (albeit a lot more in-depth) by way of changing my apprenticeship.
What do you guys think? Shoud I make that leap? On one hand I'm halfway through a Plumbing apprenticeship, on the other hand I'm finding myself becoming more and more interested in heating, boilers, oil burners, etc.

jackchips_2

Apprentice,

I would stick it out and get the plumbing license but having one makes me a little prejudice. I have done both and get joy from completing entire systems.

It would make you a more valuable employee later on or even better, give you a heads up if you go into business for yourself.

You can sign up at your local Technical School and take heating classes until then although most of your spare time is probably already consumed with plumbing.

You seem to have a great desire and having experience in both fields will only improve your worth.

Great question and you are sure to get many good answers.

All the best,

Jack

Dave Belisle

I know what you mean

I run a small two man shop that does plumbing and heating . They are two trades that run well together. I would recommend you stay the course with plumbing , but I would pursue my passion for the heating end of the trade...

Try and get to any Manufactures seminars that are available to you . Pick up product information at the supply houses , this stuff is full of good information . You will be surprised how much you will learn from this stuff and you will surprise your employer.

The average age of an apprentice plumber in NH is over 50 years old. You will find that holds true all across the country. In ten years there will be a severe shortage of plumbers ,
Pursue you passion for the heating , but if I where you , I would get my plumbing ticket first...your half way there , I think you will be glad you did...

The final decision is with you , if you think you'll be happier make the change....

GW

heat bug

Addam, you're talking my language! I started out as a plumber (I got Master when I was 21, maybe 22, I forget!), and fell in love with heat about 6 years ago. Most of our cash flow in our business is heat, not plumbing. What state are you in? I'm in MASS. I'm very discouraged that they upped the hours for plumbers; I'm a bit perplexed I might add. Like what was mentioned, it depends on where you're at. If you close or almost close, why not stick it out?

Go to my web site, you may like what I have, you seem like you want to rise above the norm. As far as BTU's you can guess like everyone else, or you can measure. Some day I'll buy an ultrasonic flow meter (as soon as someone recommends a good one I'll drop the 5G).

Gary Wilson
www.wilsonph.com


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Al Letellier_9

switching trades

I agree wholeheartedly with the previous post. Complete your apprentice training first. You've got a lot invested to date. Your situation is a lot like mine was a long time ago. I am a fourth generation plumber who "got the heating bug" the day a boss sent me out to help out one of our heating installers to finish a job. I was hooked the minute he showed me the how's and why's of doing an efficiency test.
Your plumbing apprenticeship will teach you skills you will need forever in this industry. Learn the basics......how to solve problems and think them through. Learn proper piping techniques and layout. Learn about how things work and why. Take every course you can, whenever you can, and learn as you go. I've been at it over 45 years and the learning continues every day. Join trade groups such as NAOHSM and PHCC for information and networking. But most of all, remember that getting the training you want and need is your responsibility and no one elses. You've got to pay the price and dedicate yourself to learning. You sound like you have that desire. Lay out a plan for your career and persue your goals. Best of luck.

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Apprentice_3

Thanks for the good advice guys. Lots of factors to consider here.

Gary, in answer to your question I’m actually in eastern Canada. Where I’m from, both a plumber and a “heating technician” (formerly an “oil burner mechanic”) can pipe hydronic heating systems, but the heating technician does more, such as wiring thermostats, working on steam systems, calculating BTU, oil burner diagnostic and repairs, flue installation, etc, and has a more specialized knowledge of the heating side of things. If I were to complete the “heating technician” course –say, during a layoff period- I could, and have more job options open to me. I’d have to decide which certification I wanted to go for, though. Plumber or Heating Technician.

What do most of you have? Plumbing License? Heating Technician? Steamfitting?

brucewo1b

Plumbing License first

It just might be those plumbing jobs that get you through the door first, the more valuable you can make yourself to an employer or customer the better. I started out building roads, got my comercial drivers license so that I could drive truck if needed as I was a foreman, but it led to me driving for an oil company winters and a few years later off to school for heating, then cooing and LP. May also need to look at what you can do where you are with which license. I live where I can do a complete heating system with my heating license, none needed in the stsate I work the majority of the time and to the south of me I need an electrician for the electrical and a plumber for the pipes on new installs.

Mike L

licences

FOCUS---Follow One Course Untill Sucessfull will get you a lot further in this world than anything else!your already almost done with your plumbing stick it out and finish. A potential employer looks at attitude along with technical skills and doesn't want someone who runs around like a fart in a mitten.there is plenty of time to further your knowledge and you are learning valuable basic skills that you can and always will use. They do dovetail very nicely together and if you workfor yourself you would probably need masters in both fields depending on what state your in. In Me. that's the case anyway. So in shot I agree with the other guys--FOCUS

[Deleted User]

Do both...

There is absolutley no reason that you can't do both. Stick with the current apprentice program until you turn out. Licensure carries weight when it comes to wage negotiation. Study the hydronic stuff at night if you can, either thru a trade school, or on your own.

Recommended reading would include anything and everything the host of this web site writes, and also John Siegenthalers Modern Hydronic Heating book, which is what I use for the two college level classes I currently teach.

Knowledge, and the ability to apply that knowledge is POWER. Knowing it, but not being able to apply it is interesting, but of no monetary value to the potential employer. He still has to hold your hand in the field until you learn to walk on your own, and think on your own two feet.

Also,hang here. Ask lots of questions. We have a saying around here. There are no stupid questions, just stupid mistakes made by people too afraid to ask what they perceive as stupid questions. Real men ask questions.

Follow your gut. Hydronic heating is an ever changing subject. If you don't learn something new every day, you are not paying attention.

When the inevitable enviromental crisis hits, the world is going to turn to the experienced hydronic heating technician and ask them for help. We hold the keys to a bright, clean, comfortable future. Think hydronic radiant and solar...

BTW, I too am a licensed master plumber, and I did exactly what I am recommending to you. It requires a LOT of dedication, but it is VERY rewarding in the end.

ME

Leo

Get them all

I am in Mass and I am both an oil burner tech (which is heating) and an AC tech. If I had an opportunity to get a plumbing license I would give it serious consideration, although I am at an age that makes it difficult to start at the bottom. Finish your plumbing lic first then branch out. The more licenses you have the more valuable you become. I see too many jobs by plumbers that aren't service friendly because they either don't care or never had the opportunity to learn what happens down the road.

Leo

Apprentice_3

And the results are in.

After reading everyone's posts it seems like finishing my plumbing license, and then narrowing down/focusing on heating later, is the best way to go. There's no doubt that I'm learning a lot of essential prerequesites such as working with pipe, etc.
Maybe I'll look into night classes for the oil burner/heating tech course....and I'll keep on reading!

Thanks again for the guidance, folks!

Timco

Here in UT the gas company (Questar Gas) offers radiant & gas classes. Maybe yours does as well?

Tim