In lay-man terms, a gas fitter is anyone trained to connect, service, and disconnect gas fitting and appliances. In the commonwealth of Massachusetts, plumbers and gas fitters are regulated by the Board of Plumbers and Gas Fitters. The board enforces state laws and board regulations by promoting uniform plumbing and gas fitting codes statewide.
The board also holds issues licenses after conducting an examination and passing. The board issues the following professionals licenses
• Master Plumbers
• Journeyman gas fitters
• Liquid Petroleum Gas Installers
• Limited Liquefied Petroleum Gas Installers
• Master Gas Fitters
1. Licensed Gas Fitters
A gas fitter is responsible for the safe installation of pipe ways for fuel gases to get to appliances and accessories. They can also install vent piping for fuel gases and makeup air.
2. Master Gas Fitter
A master gas fitter must have one year of experience as a licensed journeyman gas fitter. He is also expected to have taken the master gas fitters examination and passed. A master gas fitter can perform tasks as an individual, as part of a firm, or as a corporation. The only catch is that they must maintain a regular place of work. The location of their offices or workstation should be displayed on the license. An upside to being a master gas fitter is that you can employ a journeyman to work and learn under your supervision.
3. Journeyman Gas Fitter
A journeyman is expected to have worked as an apprentice for at least two years. In addition, they should have completed 150 hours of study on the subject of gas fitting theory at an institution approved by the Department of Education as well as the Board of State Examiners. There are good gas fitting courses accessible to any willing candidates. You must have completed the journeyman gas fitter test and passed it to qualify for this position. Gas fitting jobs performed by a Journeyman are carried out alone. Lastly, a journeyman must carry their license on jobs and provide it upon request.
4. Apprentice Gas Fitter
All gas fitters start as apprentice gas fitters. They work under the direct supervision of a master gas fitter or a journeyman gas fitter.
Because gas fitting is a job that, if poorly done, can result in loss of life, gas fitters have to be thoroughly trained and regulated before they are allowed to perform any tasks unsupervised. Consumers are advised to check the license of a gas fitter before initiating a contract. If you would like to confirm the identity of a licensed professional, you can call the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters at 617-727-9952. The board will let you know how many years of experience the gas fitter has and their disciplinary history.
Before allowing a gas fitter to start working on your home, it is essential to get things down on paper regarding what needs to be fixed and how much you are willing to pay. You can also agree on the type of material to be used and the timeline for when you expect the job to be completed. Consumers are advised not to settle for the first gas fitter they find. Try and get a few price estimates before you make a choice. Remember, cheap is not always the best; a gas fitter should be judged by their experience and quality of work at previous jobs.
Education Requirements
Gas fitters need plumbing continuing education which is essential to keep on top of code updates and procedural changes.