Plumbers Keep Us Safe and Healthy: Terry and Cindy Cheek have made it their life’s work

Think about it. Most days, we take safe drinking water and efficient sanitation systems for granted. However, when somethings not functioning properly, we rely on plumbers to bail us out.

Whether in our homes where our lives can be quickly turned upside down by a blocked drain, stopped toilet or unexpected leak or public buildings that supply water for drinking, food preparation, washing, showering, swimming and other activities, plumbing is an integral part of the way we live our lives.

Plumbing was important to health yesterday. It is important to health today and will be even more important tomorrow, Dr Jamie Bartram, coordinator of water, sanitation and health for the World Health Organization, said. Good plumbing is one of the key building blocks in protecting and promoting health. A system that provides water through a house or through a dwelling or in a public building that is designed, built and managed properly is critical in ensuring the health of individuals that live and work there.

Thats precisely why you need a license to do plumbing work in most states.

Indianas Professional Licensing Agency requires four years (6,400 hours) in an approved apprenticeship program or four years work experience in the trade for a plumbers journeyman license. You can also have four years plumbing work under the direction of a licensed plumbing contractor for a plumbers contractor license.

We are licensed like doctors and dentists, Terry Cheek of TLC Plumbing in Griffith, said. We are one of the only professional trades that deal with public health.

Cheek, who has been a licensed contractor since 1997, got his start in the field taking shop classes at Hammond Technical Vocational High School. He completed the required 3-year plumbing program in 2 years.

After graduation, I went to work at Inland Steel as a plumber in the mill, Cheek said. However, it wasnt too long before I realized that I really preferred working with people and in the community. So, when I had the opportunity, I applied for an apprenticeship at the union hall and went to work for a local plumbing company. I ended up working there for the next ten years.

With over 30 years of practical plumbing experience, Terry Cheek made the decision to open his own company, and now that company is in its 15th year.

I just got to the point where I wanted to control the quality and quantity of work, he said. There are a lot of good, quality plumbers and contractors out there. There are also some who dont do what they say and hide it, its unreal. I would feel so embarrassed to be associated with that. Thats why I got on my own, so I could control that and always work with good, quality people.

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Plumbers Keep Us Safe and Healthy: Terry and Cindy Cheek have made it their life’s work