Commercial Plumbing

The work done by plumbing professionals in the commercial sphere is more complex and far-reaching than that of their residential counterparts. By and large, the systems that fall under the purview of commercial plumbing are more complicated and are used in public venues (think office buildings, malls, and restaurants). Because these systems serve the general public, they have to comply with public code (that is, they have to be safe, sanitary, and work reliably). There’s also plumbing in a public building’s basement (which, because it’s a basement, tends to be somewhat more complicated and fraught with the kinds of problems that basements are prone to). And of course, any plumbing system that must serve a public space has to be designed in such a way that it can handle a large volume of usage (not just what a few people in a few apartments might do, but what literally hundreds or thousands of people might do in the course of a day). And even if basements don’t factor into the design of a given plumbing system, the system itself has to be capable of withstanding a certain amount of pressure.

A wide array of services ensures smooth plumbing in commercial settings. The public and private sectors call on the expertise of these plumbers to install, repair, and maintain all kinds of water supply and drainage systems. Some of these large-scale plumbing projects are quite complex, especially when you consider that a lot of these systems have to be underground. And then you have to think about maintaining and servicing those systems over the years. So, in addition to basic installation and repair work, these plumbers also perform some pretty advanced troubleshooting.

In commercial plumbing, high volumes of use and the intricate nature of these systems make routine maintenance essential. Checks that are conducted regularly help to identify many potential issues before they develop into major problems. Well-identified and well-addressed issues prevent the common "down-to-downtime" cycle that we discussed in MAINTENANCE MESSAGES I and II. Plumbing systems can well be maintained only if those maintaining them are familiar with health and safety regulations that pertain to the operation of the systems under their direct supervision.

Business disruption and danger avoidance are two reasons to hire an emergency plumber. Fortunately, good commercial plumbers can and do work around the clock. When the dialing finger is hovering over the phone, a good business executive should think of these two opportunities. Avoid disruption (and the associated danger) by dialing for an emergency plumber, and pay that emergency plumber not to be as handy as a fire department that gets called when pipes get burst.

Typical problems in plumbing systems for commercial buildings are blocked drains, dripping faucets, and toilets that work poorly or not at all, mostly because they are used too much. They are also used too much, I suspect, because business people are under so much pressure to get so much done (by which I mean at least 40 hours a week and often a lot more). Seriously, these plumbing problems can cause far more serious headaches if they're not fixed pronto. What happens, for instance, if a business can't get its toilets to work properly? I won't dwell on the obvious. Plumbers of the commercial variety are of great service to business enterprises big and small precisely because they can help avoid these kinds of borderline catastrophes.

In commercial settings, clogged drains are frequently caused by the improper disposal of waste materials such as grease, food particles, and paper products. In restaurants, grease buildup is commonly the culprit, leading to slow drains or complete blockages. In office buildings, foreign objects being flushed in toilets can contribute to clogs. Regular cleaning and the installation of grease traps, combined with employee education on proper waste disposal, can help prevent these problems. Improper Disposal of Waste is a Major Cause of Clogged Drains in Commercial Buildings.

When commercial plumbers deal with water pressure problems, they usually start by evaluating the whole plumbing system. They look for possible causes like clogged pipes, leaks, or bad pressure regulators. Depending on what they find, they might clean or replace some pipes, fix some leaks, or otherwise adjust some settings to get things flowing more like they should. In some businesses, that's absolutely essential; their plumbing systems must handle a lot more demand than most residential setups. So, if they can't fix things with a simple repair, they might need to do a more invasive upgrade.

Backflow preventers are crucial in commercial plumbing because they stop contaminated water from flowing back into the clean water supply. These devices are particularly significant in commercial settings where chemicals or waste might enter the water system due to pressure changes. Regular inspections and maintenance are necessary to keep backflow preventers functioning well and to ensure the public water system stays safe from retrograde flow. Complying with code requirements concerning backflow prevention is vital for public health and environmental protection.

A new commercial plumbing system must be planned and designed with several factors in mind. It is imperative that the design comply with local building codes and other standards to make sure that what gets built is safe and works as it should. Even though plumbing is often considered an afterthought in the design process, it really deserves more attention because plumbing can and should be a significant part of any overall sustainable design. There are two main reasons why: One is that nearly every commercial building utilizes a plumbing system; thus, when all these systems are considered collectively, the systems can make a significant positive impact (or a significant negative one, if plumbing is poorly designed and built) on a building's overall energy performance, life cycle, and so on.

Companies can comply with plumbing codes by hiring licensed, knowledgeable, and experienced commercial plumbers who understand the local regulations. These plumbers can inspect the systems and maintain them at a high level. Even the best plumbing systems in the world will fail to satisfy the plumbing codes if the employees don't know how to use the plumbing systems in a responsible way, and if above all, the plumbing systems themselves are not regularly checked and maintained at a high level.