A plumber is someone who installs and repairs the pipes and fixtures that bring clean water into buildings and carry wastewater away. When a toilet won't stop running, a sink gets clogged, or a water heater breaks, people call a plumber to fix it.

Plumbers work on the hidden systems that make modern life possible. Behind your walls and under your floors run networks of pipes carrying fresh water to every faucet, shower, and dishwasher. Other pipes carry waste away to sewers or septic systems. Plumbers understand how water pressure works, how to prevent leaks, and how to join different types of pipes together so water flows where it should and stops where it shouldn't.

The job requires both physical skill and technical knowledge. Plumbers crawl into tight spaces, use specialized tools, and need to understand building codes and safety regulations. They might install a bathroom in a new house, replace old galvanized pipes in a historic building, or rush to fix a burst pipe that's flooding someone's basement.