Boilermaking,
welding, and fitting tubes can be a full-time requirement at
power plants. Stress fractures, leaks, and
corrosion demand continual repair or replacement resulting from operation at very high steam pressures. Other boilermakers might work seasonally or on an individual project such as re-fitting a boiler in a seagoing vessel or remodeling a steam plant. Boiler repair is often considered a high-value service because boiler replacement can be costly; even small steam boilers by
dry cleaners and
tailors may cost up to tens of thousands of dollars.
Domestic boilers in the United States of America In the United States, many boilermakers are employed in repairing,
repiping, and re-tubing commercial steam and
hot water boilers used for heating and domestic hot water in commercial buildings and multi-family dwellings. Sometimes these boilers are referred to as
pressure vessels. Generally, a pressure vessel is a storage tank or vessel that has been designed to operate at pressures above . The two main responsibilities of boilermakers are the use of
oxy-acetylene gas torch sets to cut or gouge steel plate and tubes, followed by
gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW),
shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), or
gas metal arc welding (GMAW) to attach and mend the cut sections of tubes and steel plates. ==Training and certification in the United States==