Introduction to Plumbing

This course is a structured, professional introduction to the plumbing trade. You will learn how the water supply, drain-waste-vent, storm, and gas systems of a building actually work, and get to know the plumber's toolkit, from pipe wrenches and tubing cutters to PEX crimpers, press tools, and drain augers. From there the course covers fixtures such as toilets, faucets, water heaters, and traps, the full range of piping materials including copper, PEX, PVC, CPVC, and cast iron, and how professionals select the right material for each job. Worked numeric examples, comparison tables, and realistic scenario walk-throughs appear in every lesson, and technical terms are defined the first time they are used.

The course then turns to the rules of the trade: how model plumbing codes such as the IPC and UPC govern design, why traps and vents protect health, and how permits, inspections, and pressure testing work in practice. A full module on troubleshooting teaches you to diagnose leaks, clogs, low pressure, water hammer, and running toilets systematically, and the final module explains the health and economic case for good plumbing and maps your next steps into the trade. It is written for beginners, apprentices, maintenance technicians, facility staff, and homeowners who want trade-grade understanding without prior experience.

When you finish the lessons you take a 30-question online exam. Pass it and you receive a verifiable digital certificate of completion you can share with employers or clients.