Even Plumbers Utilize ChatGPT To Perform Their Duties - Here's How They're Using It

It's ironic how plumbing was probably the last job anyone expected to be touched by artificial intelligence. But when technology makes a physical trade faster, cheaper, and easier to troubleshoot, resistance doesn't last long. That's what's happening at Oak Creek Plumbing & Remodeling in Milwaukee, where the crew has added ChatGPT tablets to their daily kit, using them in tandem with traditional plumbing tools. Company president Dan Callies told CNN that the tool now handles everything from drafting invoices and proposals to helping brainstorm fixes for complex water heater failures. "It's definitely been worth the investment," he said.

AI isn't doing the dirty work, but it's taking care of the tedious stuff around it — the notes, the documentation, the endless back-and-forth that eats up hours of billable time. The OpenAI community has even built a custom chatbot powered by ChatGPT tailored for plumbing itself (Plumber's Companion), built by training the model on internal data and repair guides, so technicians can get context-specific answers on the spot. That means younger plumbers don't have to flip through thick manuals or wait on hold for manufacturer support just to confirm a diagnosis — ChatGPT can pull from its vast training data and give them an instant roadmap. 

According to a Housecall Pro survey, more than 70% of tradespeople across North America have already tried AI tools, and nearly half use them actively. Plumbers were the group most likely to say AI helped their businesses grow — and it's easy to see why.

Ask any technician, and they'll tell you: the least glamorous part of the job isn't the pipe work — it's the paperwork. That's where ChatGPT is making the biggest dent for the plumbers at Oak Creek. For plumbers, their job is not yet at risk of being replaced by AI — it's refining how that skill gets applied. Out in the field, plumbers use ChatGPT for quick guidance, whether it's uploading a photo of a leaking joint or a description of uneven pressure can prompt the chatbot to suggest diagnostic steps or compatible replacement parts in seconds. 

Other companies are seeing measurable results. Gulfshore Air Conditioning & Heating in Florida told CNN that after adopting AI-powered systems to handle marketing and diagnostics, it boosted revenue by $370,000 in 30 days and increased average ticket value by $150. The time saved from administrative tasks allowed technicians to focus more on service quality and upselling.

Still, not everyone's on board. In r/HVAC and r/Plumbing, some users are still skeptical that bad prompts or blind trust in AI can lead to misdiagnoses. Most agree, though, that AI is another tool — one that rewards know-how and smart prompting. Experience still matters, and plumbers are keenly aware that AI can't crawl under a house or feel water pressure through a pipe. As Edward McFarlane of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America put it, "There's some hesitancy ... but the tide is definitely coming in."