Early Retirement Extreme Forums

What would be your recommendation on how to learn plumbing from zero without going to school? Is it even possible? Books, video courses on Youtube? Please share your experience on how you learned

By doing, plus Google.

What is the project you want to tackle.

Most start with fixing leaks, or replacing a sink, etc.

Pressure side is simple, connect, and ensure no leaks. Drain is more complicated. Venting is way more important than most realize, but unless you are in a pretty major project, you never need to worry about it.

I fix my toilets when they go (the seat, the cistern running) and the drainpipes when they get clogged. I use google. I've found these simple fixes fairly easy to do myself.

Yes it is possible. I have replumbed my entire home right down the venting and toilet drains. The best way to learn is by doing + a book/Google as RJ mentioned. Youtube is a great resource, but pay attention to the video ratings. One with a bunch of downvotes is probably not good to learn from. Start simple and work your way up. PVC is easy to glue together, just need to make sure it's the right slope. Copper is more difficult, I struggled with that as first, but its easy now.

The most difficult part of plumbing is finding all the right parts once you get into more complex stuff. You'll be making several trips to the store.

Experience and making mistakes is the best way to learn anything.

Riggerjack wrote:What is the project you want to tackle.

I had a leak in my bathtub drain, but now I don't I almost called plumbers, but then Googled and it turned out to be an easy fix. But if it wasn't easy, I'd have to call.
The plan is to borrow a plumbing book from the library. Since I don't need to do any renos and I don't have any other leaks, I'll study general principles. It would help in troubleshooting if something happens.

Yeah YouTube and Google. I went from changing flat washers to replacing sinks, lifting toilets, snaking drains and replacing cartridge style faucets by watching videos.

I've even become the appliance repairman for my friends (gas ranges, dryers, freezers, washers) with YouTube vids. The best is some of the smarty pants friends learned how I was learning and went off and tacked more jobs themselves using YouTube.

Sclass wrote:Yeah YouTube and Google. I went from changing flat washers to replacing sinks, lifting toilets, snaking drains and replacing cartridge style faucets by watching videos.

I've even become the appliance repairman for my friends (gas ranges, dryers, freezers, washers) with YouTube vids. The best is some of the smarty pants friends learned how I was learning and went off and tacked more jobs themselves using YouTube.

I'm still scratching my head over whether all this internet DIY is good or bad for the economy. It has saved me thousands but I'm certainly taking it back from some local professionals.

Plumbing = easy. Talk to the people at the supply shop, whom oftentimes are plumbers. If it isn't leaking, you've done it right.

I have taught myself, talking to (more experienced) people, using some common sense, and indeed the internet.