" />In some cases, the most effective way to reach your target audience is through social media, where conversations move fast and influence spreads quickly. Influencers aren’t just for consumer brands, they play a powerful role in the B2B space too.
By collaborating with trusted industry voices, businesses can build credibility, spark meaningful engagement, and reach decision-makers in ways traditional marketing often can’t.
Refresh is well-versed in tapping into the voices shaping the plumbing trade and boosting brands’ reach. We have a proprietary database of plumbing influencers that we work with on behalf of brands. We match influencers and brands for the best outcomes.
If you’re working in the plumbing, heating, or built-environment sector, you’ll know how fast things move: new products, changing regulations, new-tech in heat pumps, smart bathrooms, and sustainability. The influencers in the trade aren’t just the big consumer-faces anymore – they’re the voices of plumbers, heating engineers, tradespeople, and tool-lovers with real followings, high engagement, and genuine credibility.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of 25 of the top UK plumbing and HVAC influencers you should know and follow before you embark on any influencer marketing.
But before we begin:
Why these influencers matter
- They bring authenticity. These are people who do the work – heat pumps, boilers, pipework, installation, and drainage. When they talk about a tool, training, or tech, their audience listens.
- They have niches. From renewables and low-carbon heating to traditional gas systems, these voices cover many corners of the plumbing world.
- They drive reach and relevance. For brands and agencies working in plumbing and heating, identifying the right influencer means you can amplify messages, product launches, or campaigns with context.
- They’re topical. With the skills shortage, regulatory change (e.g., low-carbon heating), sustainable products, and smart home integration, the trade as we know it is shifting. These voices help surface the discussion in an authentic way.
Top 25 Plumbing Influencers to follow on social media
- Pete Gilbert (@beaplumber) – the viral plumbing sensation, Pete has brought humour to the industry and his work, attracting hundreds of thousands across platforms in the process. He is based in Essex, and is a full-time plumber with Essex Boiler Specialists.
- PB Plumber (@pbplumber) – PB is a 3rd-generation plumber from Loughborough. He has shared more than 100 episodes of his The life of a jobbing plumber on YouTube, where he has 50k+ subscribers. He is an ambassador for a number of plumbing and workwear brands already.
- James Lawrence (@plumberparts) – Based in Shelton, runs a YouTube channel and podcast alongside his day job. He shares plenty of tool and trade content online.
- Todd Glister (@dadplumb) –The owner of an award-winning plumbing business and part-time radio presenter, Todd is also hosting this year’s sessions at InstallerFESTIVAL.
- Andy Cam (@i_love_plumbing) – From Sheffield with 40+ years in the industry, Andy is co-host of The Heating & Plumbing Show on Fix Radio with Todd Glister. He is a strong presence and voice of the trade. You can hear him on the airwaves every Wednesday at 3pm.
- Ian Briggs (@irbheating) – creator of real-life plumbing content and customer installations, Ian is based in Harlow, Essex and is one of the most recognisable installers on social media.
- Luke Stanyer (@bluebulldoguk) – A Heating Installer of the Year Finalist 2025 from Walsall who, in his own words, focuses on “fixing bogs and slinging boilers” with the occasional tool review. He is well worth a follow.
- Brian Parkinson (@bri_plumber) – Operating out of Preston he is a gas-safe registered plumber who prides himself on his workmanship and high standards. Bored Panda has shared his copper piping content and even likened it to art – how is that for praise!
- Sam Ferry (@professorplumb_) – Sam is based in Warwickshire and has amassed a large following on TikTok as a plumber come influencer. He is never too far from a ‘handy folding bucket’.
- Ryan Mills (@rdmills88) – Ryan has been championed by industry body the Scotland and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) for his educational content, which has been engaging audiences for years. He is an Edinburgh-based, 4th-generation family plumber and works with a number of plumbing and tools brands on his content.
- Mark Tiff (@mjtiff_plumbingandheating) – Tiff is a tradie content creator and podcast host for @tradelegends, the number one podcast show for the trades. He was also an On The Tools Awards Finalist 2024. He prides himself on his “Real World Plumbing” content.
- James Bowen (@integralphr) – The Stafford-based, plumbing heating and renewables installer is a Heating Installer Awards Legend after his award win in 2023.
- Carl Ladd (@gasladd) – Banbury-based, renewable heating installer was a Heating Installer Awards Rising Star Winner in 2021. He was recently the face of a Lucozade marketing campaign.
- Liam Wood (@liam_the_plumber) – A West Sussex-based Thomas Dudley ambassador also works with for several tool and plumbing brands. He was considered a top tradesperson in the recent Screwfix Awards 2024.
- Luke Thomson (@luke_the_plumber) – Luke is a plumber and gas engineer and a regular at InstallerSHOW. He shares regular tool reviews and tradesperson content.
- Alec Hampson (@alechampsonplumbing) – Alec is a bathroom installer and Gas Safe plumber. He has a smaller following but a strong niche authority. If you’re looking for a beautiful bathroom, he is your man.
- Rachel (@londonplumber) – this London-based female plumber shares some of her best work in the bathrooms of the nation. She’s never too far from a freestanding bath if her recent content is to be believed.
- Huw Jenkins (@thornhillplumbing) – A serial winner of the Heating Installer Awards, this Welsh man scooped silverware in the Wales and Northern Ireland category in 2022, 2021 and 2018 and was overall UK runner up in 2018.
- Joe Bearman (@bigjoe_plumbing_show) –Self-proclaimed funny plumber, we can agree that his content cracks us up. If you’re looking with a creator with personality, he’s your man.
- Leggy (@leggytheplumber) – The Gas Safe engineer, plumber and heating specialist shares some fantastic images and videos from his jobs giving a real look at the life of an installer.
- Sophie (@soph_pink.plumbing) – Another Heating Installer Awards Rising Star winner, since being crowned and graduating from college, Sophie has started her own business and shares on-the-job content as a woman in plumbing.
- Jessica Rose (@plumbingjess) – Jess is a Heating Engineer Apprentice and was crowned this year’s Heating Installer Awards Rising Star Winner 2025 for her formidable work. She has already earned herself a number of brand sponsorships and ambassador roles.
- James Finlay (@precise.plumbing) – James is an Australian plumber currently working in London. He shares beautiful content of his copper pipe runs which could be hung in a gallery rather than an Instagram grid.
- Billy B (@bb_the_engineer) – Billy is a British Army veteran who served in the Royal Engineers and is now a heating engineer at WarmFix. He is a domestic and commercial heating engineer, and is Gas Safe, Oftec, and LPG registered.
- Matthew Marciniak (@mmplumber) – the biggest and most well-followed plumber, Matthew gets thousands of eyeballs on his content each week and has travelled the world representing plumbing and tool brands.
And of course, we couldn’t forget the formidable Pointy Plumber, the star of our award-winning Polypipe Building products campaign, “A Question of Regs”. This campaign saw us pit plumbers against each other to answer questions on Part L of the Building Regulations.
- Robert Clarke (@pointy_plumber) – Pointy is a well-loved member of the plumbing and heating community and is the host of the annual InstallerSOCIAL and InstallerSHOW. In his spare time, he even commentates on the British Truck Racing Championship – a man of many talents. He is a Polypipe Building Products Ambassador.
As well as working with influencers, it is worth considering networks of installers. Refresh runs the annual Heating Installer Awards which is a free to enter awards scheme that celebrates the UK’s best installers. It crowns regional winners, as well as national HVAC, Renewables and Rising Star winners.
- Heating Installer Awards (@heatinginstallerawards) has almost 10k followers across platforms and a highly engaged database of plumbing and renewable installers. It has also launched a sister awards scheme, The Plumber Awards (@plumber_awards), celebrating the UK’s best plumbers, recognising 11 regional winners and spotlighting 1 national champion!
How to work with plumbing influencers
Working with influencers, regardless of the niche they operate in, requires a considered approach. Within the plumbing and heating sector, some creators are already well-versed in brand collaborations and understand how to package content professionally, while others simply share their day-to-day work with no commercial agenda.
Before reaching out to any key opinion leaders, it’s important to think about what you want to achieve, whether the influencer aligns with your audience and values, and how you can make the partnership mutually beneficial. Consider the type of content you’re hoping for, what platform will it be shared on, what budget or incentives you can offer, how much creative freedom you’re willing to give, and whether the individual has the time or interest in promotional work.
A thoughtful, tailored outreach approach will always land in their inbox better than a one-size-fits-all message and helps set the tone for an authentic, successful brand collaboration.
1. Match niche to message
If your product or brand is specific to a heat pump specialist, you’ll need to make sure the person you’ve identified is well-versed in renewable heating, such as James Bowen. If you’re launching a new bathroom fixture aimed at installers, go to those who share site content and install stories like Ian Briggs and Pete Gilbert.
2. Prioritise engagement over size
Some influencers with large followings reach a broader audience but are less likely to convert and follow the call to action (CTA) from your partnership. The number of followers can sometimes be deceptive. We discussed the typical bandings influences are put in based on their follower numbers in a previous blog post – What is the difference between nano, micro, macro and mega influencers?. Look for high engagement and targeted relevance.
3. Provide real value to the audience
Tradespeople appreciate authenticity. Influencers on-site love tools, training, case-studies of exactly how things worked, and behind-the-scenes content. If your brand can provide something genuinely useful, you’ll get better results. Longer form content and video can be used for in-depth pieces.
4. Think content plus social platform equals a campaign
Don’t just ask for an Instagram post. That’s too vague and open to interpretation. Many of these influencers have profiles on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X too.
Give a firmer brief, or ask the creator for their own ideas that fit the style of their existing content. Influencer activity can add depth to an existing marketing campaign. Think: on-site install photos, a review video, behind-the-scenes stories, and even a written follow-up article for your website. Deeper and varied content often carries more weight and can be used across channels.
5. Monitor results and keep in conversation with your chonsen influencer
The activity isn’t over once the post is live. Track traffic through UTM links, use referral codes, monitor engagement, and ask for real-life feedback from their followers or the influencer themselves.
Plumbing influencers’ audience often includes other tradespeople, such as bricklayers, plasterers, electricians, and joiners, so word-of-mouth within the sector can also happen. This can be relevant for products used across the trades.
Ready to start working with plumbing influencers?
The plumbing trade may not always be glamorous, but the voices within it are meaningful, credible, and influential. Whether you’re a brand launching a tool, a manufacturer of heating and cooling equipment, or an agency working in the built-environment sector, these influencers offer routes to reach real tradespeople, installers, and decision-makers.
At Refresh, we work across plumbing, HVAC, and other trade sectors in the built environment, and we’d be happy to chat about how to activate any of these voices, build a campaign, or identify influencers in your niche.
Want us to help you map out influencers, craft the brief, manage the outreach, and deliver measurable campaign results? Get in touch today and start working with tradie talent.
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