Gas fitters install natural gas lines in residences and in commercial or industrial establishments. Natural gas is used for heating or air conditioning and for domestic appliances. Gas fitters are also responsible for installing related equipment, such as gas meters, regulators, valves, and burners. Finally, they are responsible for maintaining and repairing equipment on the customer's premises. On occasion, as gas fitter may also be called upon to install or repair underground gas mains. Gas fitters are employed by public utilities, mechanical, plumbing and heating contractors, building maintenance companies and plumbing/gas fitting service companies. Salaries vary from region to region.
As a gas fitter, you need to think through an assignment and plan ahead. Before proceeding with an installation, you must carefully study the plans or technical specifications which detail the scope of the project and the materials that will be needed to do the job. With a clear understanding of the general layout, you can proceed to make the marks and measurements that will guide the installation of gas lines and other equipment.
Once you have positioned the meters and regulators on either the walls or the ceiling, the next step is to cut openings in the walls to accommodate the gas pipes. You have to measure and bend the pipes so that they will link the gas meter to the appliance. You then install the remaining components including burners, valves, automatic controls, vents and flues. You can then turn on the gas and check the pipes for leaks using special gas detecting devices. After final testing and adjustment of the control mechanisms, the installation is complete.
The natural gas industry is customer-oriented. New installations are only one part of a gas fitter's job. The repair and maintenance of gas lines, meters and other equipment is also a very important responsibility, which brings you into frequent contact with customers. You regularly respond to calls about leaks or other malfunctions, and your are responsible for keeping detailed records of each service call you make.
Although you occasionally have to carry heavy pipes, this occupation is not as physically demanding as it once was. Lighter plastic pipes are being increasingly used in the trade and the introduction of sophisticated electronics has reduced the size of furnace controls and other components.
One of the drawbacks of the job is that you can be called at any time of the day or night. However, the job is quite challenging intellectually. You have to read and understand blueprints, diagrams and technical specifications. Rapid technological change means you need to keep up with new techniques and technology. The complex high-tech equipment makes troubleshooting more difficult.
The challenges, however, make the job interesting. Service calls bring you into direct contact with customers. You also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are developing transferable skills since the use of natural gas is increasing. Not only is it used in heating homes, but also in cooling systems and in some motorized vehicles. As a gas fitter, you can look to a future full of promising new opportunities.
This job demands that you be as perfectionist. Natural gas can be a deadly hazard and your work has no room for error. You must be alert, efficient, precise and reliable. Punctuality, good judgment and common sense are also required. Since you are called upon to analyze a situation, spot any difficulties, and quickly decide on the most appropriate course of action, you need to be a good problem-solver.
Much of what you do is done alone, without supervision. Even so, you need good communication skills as well as tact in dealing with customers. Service calls can involve straightforward maintenance work or they may involve a barrage of complaints. In either case, you are required to act with courtesy, take note of the customer's problems and do whatever you can to deal with them. Your employer also needs a written report of the complaint and how you dealt with it.
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