Just about this same time last June, more than 1M (Million) gallons of raw sewage came spilling into North Central Texas waterways north of Waxahachie in Plano when a waste-water pipe broke near Toyota of Plano.  Texans were shocked as the raw sewage headed for White Rock Lake in Dallas. In March 2019, The Garland Health Department was busy monitoring water quality in Spring Creek after a sanitary sewer  overflowed, dumping thousands of gallons of  raw sewage  into the waterway.  Just a short three days ago, after explosion killed Dallas 12-year-old, Texas to remove most dangerous natural gas pipes by 2021. We all remember the explosion that rocked homes near Waxahachie when natural gas exploded. We’ve had too many natural gas explosions in recent months, explains Mike Duncan, Master Plumber at Duncan Plumbing Solutions in Waxahachie. This is far bigger than an unlicensed handy-man fixing a leak under your sink. These are just a couple of examples of how plumbers maintain health and safety for the general population.

Plumbing is among one of the oldest professions in history. In ancient Mesopotamia, civilizations sprouted along water ways and builders emerged and developed their roles among society. Aside from Farmer, Musician, Artist, Story-Teller, Clothier, Hunter, Butcher and Toolmaker, Plumbing has been a staple job and always will because it deals with the most basic human needs.  When you think of a civilized society, you think of running water. Harmful microorganisms like E. Coli, Campylobacter, Hepatitis, Giardia, Salmonella, Legionella and cryptosporidium can all be transmitted by unclean water. The word “plumber” dates from the Roman Empire. The Latin for lead is plumbum. Roman roofs used lead in conduits and drain pipes and some were also covered with lead, lead was also used for piping and for making baths. In medieval times anyone who worked with lead was referred to as a plumber. A person with expertise in working with lead was first known as a Plumbarius which was later shortened to plumber. In recent days, Texas lawmakers responsible for regulating this vitally important industry came under fire.

Texas lawmakers ended their session last week without passing legislation that would keep the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners intact. The TSBPE oversees licenses of approximately 60,000 plumbers in Texas. Now the state of Texas’ plumbing code and state licenses are set to expire 1 September.  Days later, Governor Greg Abbott reassured Texans saying he can keep plumbing board alive without special session.  “We’ve got this,” Governor Abbott tells worried plumbers, citizens and consumers.  Abbott tweeted, “The Legislature has given the Governor many tools in my toolbox to extend the State Board of Plumbing Examiners for two years without needing to call a special session. We will let you know very soon. Don’t worry.”

It was not immediately clear how Abbott would rescue the board, a state agency that licenses plumbers and regulates the industry. The board is set to wind down and cease existing in 2020 after state lawmakers recently failed to pass legislation that would have extended the agency’s life. Lawmakers also wiped out the part of the state code that gives Texas the authority to regulate the profession in the first place.

Plumbers are required to have hours of education, documented on the job training and apprenticeship work. In Texas, there are four professional levels for a plumber:

1) Plumber’s Apprentice (Must be registered, sponsored by an employer)

2) Tradesman Plumber-4000 Hours or about 2 years of documented experience documented on Certified Employer Verification forms, testing and license required.  A Tradesman Plumber must have a current Texas Plumber’s Apprentice registration or have a valid Journeyman or Master Plumber license from another state and at least 4,000 hours of experience working at the trade under the general supervision of a Master Plumber.  A Tradesman must have completed 24 hours of Board approved classroom training and must pass the License exam.  It is a three part exam, one written and two hands-on.

3) Journeyman Plumber – 8000 Hours or about 4 years of documented experience, testing and license required.  A Journeyman Plumber must have plumber experience documented on Certified Employer Verification forms. He must have a current Texas Plumber’s Apprentice registration, a current Texas Tradesman Plumber-Limited license, or a valid Journeyman or Master Plumber license from another state. He must have completed 48 hours of Board approved classroom training from a certified and approved training facility and have passed license and examination.

Texas Master Plumber License Requirements

The Texas state requires you must be currently licensed as a Journeyman Plumber in Texas or another state with at least 8,000 or 4 years of documented experience and have held the Journeyman Plumber license for at least one (1) year or have successfully completed a training program approved by the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship, or four (4) years, or  no minimum / not applicable if you hold a current Master Plumber license in another state with at least 8,000 hours working at the trade.

The Master Plumber must also pass the License exam.

If you are looking for reliable, experienced technicians, look no further than Duncan Plumbing Solutions, LLC. At Duncan Plumbing Solutions , we pride ourselves on our dedication to our customers and precision attention to detail. Our Plumbers:

Don’t trust your home or business to just anyone. With Duncan Plumbing Solutions , you have a guarantee our plumbers have fulfilled each and every one of the above requirements. Trust the plumbing experts at Duncan Plumbing Solutions to install or repair you plumbing and ensure it is up to code. Check out some of our reviews.

Duncan Plumbing Solutions proudly serves under the direction of Master Plumber Mike Duncan who has years of experience in the Plumbing industry. He not only has many years of expert plumbing training but has undergone rigorous testing proving understanding and abilities to demonstrate proper installation of commercial and residential plumbing systems. He also attends hours of yearly continuing education.

The examination relates to work performed and decisions made on the job and consists of:

Contact information:

Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners

P.O. Box 4200

Austin, TX  78765

512-936-5200

TSBPE websi

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