Before 1890, the plumbing industry had no formal designation. It was lumped in with other metal workers and was not given its own separate specialty. However, in the late 1800s, the growing popularity of plumbers led to the creation of the National Association of Plumbing Contractors (PHCC). The association later changed its name to the International Code Council, and is now one of the largest associations in the industry. Here are some interesting facts about the history of the plumbing industry.
The first plumbing professions were mostly women. In those times, public latrines had twenty or more seats arranged in a circular pattern. The waste was carried by water underneath. However, the unsanitary conditions caused a number of diseases and thousands of people died. This situation forced the women of the day to think outside of the box to develop innovative methods of bringing clean water and dirty water to homes. Even today, many of these methods are used.
The invention of sanitary plumbing systems began in the United States and spread to other parts of the world. At the same time, sanitary plumbing systems became widely used. As a result, the development of these systems increased, and the importance of ensuring the safety of plumbing systems became apparent. In the twentieth century, the development of these sanitary plumbing systems was recognized by various trade associations and governments. In addition, master plumbers helped develop plumbing health codes and adopted laws for licensing and regulation. During the past century, the industry’s modern history can be summarized as follows.
The first plumbing products came from ancient Rome. Lead was an element that was discovered around 2,500 BC. The Romans began using lead pipes to line their baths. The word plumber was derived from the Latin word plumbum, which means lead. The chemical symbol for lead is Pb. In medieval times, lead pipes were widely used in coffins, gutters, and roofing. Some historians believed that the toxicity of lead pipes contributed to Rome’s decline. Consequently, a number of centuries passed before the adoption of copper piping.
Historically, plumbing began as a simple way to supply fresh water to homes and businesses. In ancient Egypt, aqueducts were created to bring water from the Nile River into cities. Mesopotamian engineers built canals for irrigation and flood control. Eventually, these two systems would converge into one large, efficient system. Aqueducts were installed in the first century BC.
The plumbing industry has evolved into many different forms throughout history. In the United States, copper piping was used until the 1960s. Then, plastic piping was introduced, which made it more affordable. The Safe Drinking Water Act passed in the U.S. in 1974. The Energy Policy Act of 1978 requires water flow restrictions in fixtures. The PMI signs an MOU with the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating in 1989, making the first two organizations more accessible to the general public.
In the early 1800s, the first sewer system was built. This was an important development because the water in Lake Michigan was polluted. This led to the birth of a large number of people developing diseases that were passed by the water. The late 1800s saw the development of electricity and the 2nd industrial revolution in the U.S. During this time, the emergence of modern plumbing became widespread. New homes were fully plumbed, with bathtubs and water heaters. In addition, the city was a major city.
The history of plumbing has many interesting aspects. The invention of plastic pipe is one of the most popular innovations today. It was first invented during the nineteenth century and was marketed to households in the early 20th century. In the 1930s, the first bathtub was installed in the White House. In the 1870s, water heaters became widespread in private homes. John Kohler founded the Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company and introduced cast-iron bathtubs.